28 August 2007
land of stone and water
Aberfoyle-Mill Creek flows diagonally across Puslinch Township to its confluence with the Grand River in Galt/Cambridge. This long narrow valley 6.5 to 8km wide is surrounded by two pervious valley walls—The Paris Moraine in the north and the Galt Moraine in the south.The valley floor is formed of outwash gravel deposits; discontinuous till sheets found below and within outwash gravel deposits; in the central watershed, sand and gravel outwash deposits directly overly the bedrock. The watershed consists of broad gravel terraces with swampy lowlands. Rainfall falling on the moraines infiltrates the soil and recharges the groundwater system which flows into the valley floor forming wetlands which eventually discharge into Mill Creek. The existing Mill Creek eco-system depends on the recharge-discharge relationship.
The terrain, generally, is quite rolling, with short, sharp hills and many ponds and swales in the hollows and ravines. The soil is a lime stone clay loam formation with gravel soil showing in spots. Being of glacial origin, field stone is plentiful; shallow gravel and sand banks are numerous but few large deposits exist. This sub-watershed contains highly productive aquifers, relied on for local water supplies.
The watershed is located at the intersection of 2 forest regions: Great Lakes/St. Lawrence & Carolinian. This edge location results in high diversity of plant and wildlife species of which a high number, i.e. 31% significant of 956 plant, fish, and wildlife species inventoried in the Cambridge study area: 2 globally, 7 regionally, 17 provincially significant requiring environmental protection; greatest concentration of rare and sensitive species occurs in the bogs and fens of this area (Leather-leaf, Labrador-tea, and orchids). Aberfoyle-Mill Creek is a cold, ground-water fed stream that supports brook and brown trout. 
It's highly unlikely that Augustus Jones, who surveyed the Haldimand Tract, would have seen this creek as he blazed the trails that are now straight lines on our maps. In 1784 Jones surveyed the eastern boundary of the land grant across the height of land, the Baseline Road, proceeded north to Fergus and then surveyed west of the Grand River. By 1791, Jones surveyed the remaining eastern boundary of the land grant (now Townline Road). These two survey lines define the eastern and western boundaries of today's Puslinch Twp./Wellington County and explain the interesting V-shaped pattern of roads within the township--which run due East/West from Townline Road and NW/SW adjacent to Baseline Road. The lands were set aside as a clergy reserve even as other settlements opened up. In 1828-1831, David Gibson surveyed the roads and divided the land into 200 acre lots for settlement.*
The township was initially settled by crofters--"Highland Scots and Irish, both Protestant and Catholic) felt more at home with rocks. But stony soil made indifferent farms. The settler failed, sold out and moved away.** The bottom of this long narrow valley was in pioneer days a dense swamp of the choicest cedar. The soft, water soaked soil and bog bordering each side of the streamformed an almost impassable barrier across the Township, especially in the Spring season...Few lots were taken up before 1842, also an exceptionally heavy growth of pine covered many lots especially on the rear or north side. Hardwood logs would burn and the stumps decay in ten years, but pine logs would not burn and the stumps would not decay; therefore settlers were not always anxious to locate on pine land." (1)
This early Scottish/Irish heritage is reflected in the names of the township and its hamlets. Puslinch Township was named after the English home of Elizabeth Yonge, wife of Sir John Colborne, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, 1828-35. In 1830, Irish Patrick Mahon settled in Aberfoyle and constructed a dam but decided there was not enough water to power a mill. In 1832 settlers arrived from Invernesshire, Scotland, District of Badenoch and therefore this settlement became known as Badenoch. In 1847, R. B. Morrison opened a store and a blacksmith shop and so founded the village of Morriston. In 1861, George Mclean (born in Badenoch Scotland emigrated to Badenoch, Puslinch in 1833) relocated to Aberfoyle and built the Aberfoyle Mill ca 1862-63 to grind wheat and oatmeal into flour. Puslinch Township's most famous offspring were the sons of Crieff's first Presbyterian minister. Col. John Bayne Maclean, who founded the Maclean-Hunter Publishing Company, and his younger one, Hugh, started the Hugh C. Maclean Publishing Company, which became the nucleus of Southam Business Publications.
There's another history of Puslinch Township told by the its roads we still travel today--the story of those who left this land of stone and water**. Highway 6 (Guelph to Hamilton) originally the Brock Road was built 1848–– 1850 (on early maps called the Aboukir)was used by pioneers before surveying commenced in 1828. Highway 401 was built through swampy portions of this land during the late 1950's from Morriston to Woodstock. To preserve high quality farm land the highway was routed through wetlands and woodlands at the backs of farms. Highway 401 cuts through the Mill and Irish creeks’ watersheds, and has had a profound effect on water drainage and wildlife. In this area, wildlife habitat has been compromised by fragmentation due to urban and rural development, and invasion of exotic species.
Where once these two highways (6 and 401) made it easier for the young to move out to nearby urban centres, the 21st century finds Puslinch Township being resettled once again. "Puslinch (Township) can be expected to attract younger households because of its location along (Highway) 401 will attract commuters... Cf 1982 land uses: 74% agriculture, 14% rural residential, 5% GRCA holdings, 3% aggregate industrial, and 4%commercial-industrial. Now, residential development, aggregate extraction, and commercial development have increased significantly along major transportation routes. Although Puslinch Twp is made of rough moraines, gravel spillways, and swamps with only 32% in cropland, this area has become an attractive bedroom community for the GTA. In 2,000, Puslinch had an 81% non-farm populations (total pop.5,034/total land area 21,690 hectares or 53,599 acres). (2) Gentle reader, looking to escape the city? This weekend's Record listed a modern home set on 4 acres of land for sale in Puslinch Township for a mere $699,000! The township will draw even more settlers as soon as the Highway 24 connecting Brantford to Highway 401 is completed.Notes: * The first settlers were happy to purchase one half of a lot; thus, their farms consisted of 100 acres---many covered by swampy areas. The V-shaped roads created decidedly ungrid-like triangular pieces of land called "gores." European military history is revealed in the settlement of these gores: "In the Gore, extensive grants of land had been made to soldiers who were presumably veterans of the wars about the time of Wellington’s campaigns eg. Captain John Lamprey received 801 acres, William Wade Leslie 397 acres." **The first settlers moved to Minto Township, Wellington County when those lands were offered up for sale post-Manitowaning Treaty of 1856. A reading of MInto Township history shows a conintuance of the Scottish clannishness.<=== When RR was exploring this watershed, she paused by the roadside to study her maps. A local resident came to ask, "Are you lost?" An interesting discussion ensued regarding the Killean cemetery she had just visited. Apparently this settlement required not one but two cemeteries -- as one clan refused to be buried beside the other. Sources: (1) Puslinch Township website.
Photos top to bottom: (1)stones sit on the surface of the Galt Moraine farmlands; (2) Ontario House fieldstone farmhouse now part of CBM McNally pit operations; (3) boulders line many fields and are a testament to the back-breaking work involved in clearing lands for agriculture; (4) front door of the restored Aberfoyle Mill; (5) Galt Moraine kettle lake on private property; (6) the Crieff stone school house (1874) built for 50 pupils and now McLean Hall to honour Crieff's first minister; opposite the school house are fences made of pine stumps that hae yet to decay! & repositioned: pumpkin field on Gore Road.
From this valley they say you are going,
I will miss your sweet face and sweet smile,
Just because you are weary and tired,
You are changing your range for a while...
When you think of the valley you're leaving
Oh how lonely and drear it it would be,
When think of the fond heart you're breaking
And the pain you are causing to me...
Must the past with it's joys be blighted
By the future of sorrow and pain,
And the vows that were spoken be slighted?
Don't you think, you can love me again?
...As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged 'mid the flowers
From this valley they say you are going,
I will miss your sweet face and sweet smile,
Just because you are weary and tired,
You are changing your range for a while...
When you think of the valley you're leaving
Oh how lonely and drear it it would be,
When think of the fond heart you're breaking
And the pain you are causing to me...
Must the past with it's joys be blighted
By the future of sorrow and pain,
And the vows that were spoken be slighted?
Don't you think, you can love me again?
...As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged 'mid the flowers
Labels: aggregates, history
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
