Low Down Articles
Echoes from the Past
Article 28 of 111
This article first appeared in the "Echoes from the Past" column of the The Low Down to Hull and Back News.
Reprinted with permission. Search complete list of Low Down Articles.
o o o
Get to the Point
A small community which has not received much attention in these columns is Farm Point. How did it get the name? Obviously it was once farm land and a portion of it jutted into the Gatineau River.
The farm belonged to Freeman, one of the eight sons of William Cross. Looking for more revenue than was provided by that farm Cross aimed at a complex. As there was plenty of wood around he chose a sawmill, which led to the provision of power to run and light it and so came a dam. The generated power was available to the homes clustered around - for a price.
This enterprising man also constructed a toy factory in which he used the scraps from his sawmill. It was running in 1918. Others seeing the potential built a couple of commercial enterprises, the Island View House and the Lnwarn (?) Lodge, both of which were well endowed, offering all manner of services in the way of accommodation as well as entertainment - boating, swimming, golf, tennis, fishing; and this at the height of the depression.
Cross was cross by the cross he had to bear when his dam was swept away in the spring of 1932.
St. Clement R.C. Church, a mission church - probably a mission of St. Stephen's at Old Chelsea, was constructed in 1916.
Of course the Aluminum Company of Canada, toward the end of WWII, helped the economy considerably. Later the brothers Dery reopened the quarry Alcan left behind, with plans for the disposal of the tailings - for cash of course - and turning the area into residential lots. Another enterprise lately is Bungee Jumping, into the pool left by the operations of the others.
One development that has not taken off to this day is a projected zoo in the Meech Creek area, adjacent to Farm Point.
So now, more "power" to the point on the farm of Freeman Cross.