The Portage Dam and Second Bridge Sites were
documented as part of a collaborative project by Public
Works and Government Services Canada and the Dokis First
Nation to restore the historic Voyageur Trail, a portage on the
French River. Before the railways, the canoe was the fastest way to transport goods and
people, and the French River was part of an extensive trade and travel
network. Native people used the route for at least a
millennium, Samuel de Champlain and Etienne Brule
traveled it in 1615, and later, countless explorers and
fur traders made use of the river to access Lake Huron and
points west. Survey and test excavations of the portage
revealed evidence of precontact, historic Aboriginal, and
EuroCanadian occupations spanning at least 2900 years,
from ca. 900 B.C. to the 20th century. The survey also re-discovered and
documented two chaudieres, circular depressions in
the bedrock of spiritual significance to the Dokis people.
The project catalogued the
cultural resources around the Voyageur Trail and contributed to
planning for its restoration. It has also added
to our knowledge about past uses of the French River, by giving us
glimpses into these temporary trade-route camps.
Built Heritage Assessment
TMHC undertakes the study, documentation and evaluation of built heritage structures and landscapes, primarily buildings of historical interest. This includes researching the history of the property and its occupants, documentation of architectural features and the review of development proposals and plans for the property. Such assessments can result in incorporation of the buildings into the proposed development, moving the structure to a new location or documentation and demolition.