Pork Rapids

History

Situated 10 kilometres northeast of Latchford in Kittson Township, Pork Rapids was the first portage between Elk Lake and Latchford during the Elk Lake silver rush in 1906. Transportation companies such as the Upper Ontario Steamboat Company, The Montreal River Navigation Company, and the Richardson Navigation Company rivaled each other for passengers. Steamers such as the St. Antoine left Latchford to Pork Rapids, while the S&Y Steamer handled the section from Pork Rapids to Flat Rapid.

Although the rapids were too swift for vessels, they established a portaging point, complete with a narrow gauge track and carts pulled by horses to transport the freight. For six years a freighting community thrived at the southern end of the portage. The community included Robert Morrison’s General Store, a postal counter, a rooming house and a number of crude dwellings.

One notable institution was the King George Café, a floating restaurant operated by Dan and Emma McLeod that served over 200 meals a day.

The Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway (later Ontario Northlands) completed a rail link from Earlton Junction to Elk Lake in 1913. The water route was now redundant and the community scattered within the same year. They immediately scuttled the St. Antoine at the rapids where she can still be seen to this day.