Pic River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pic River |
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 Location of the mouth of the Pic River in Ontario
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Region | Northwestern Ontario |
| District | Thunder Bay |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | McKay Lake 321 m (1,053 ft) 49°37′42″N 86°17′00″W / 49.62833°N 86.28333°W |
| River mouth | Lake Superior 180 m (590 ft) 48°36′01″N 86°18′09″W / 48.60028°N 86.30250°W |
| Length | 150 km (93 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Pic River is a river located in the eastern part of the Thunder Bay District in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It starts from McKay Lake and flows into Lake Superior. Lake Superior is one of the Great Lakes. The river's mouth is near the town of Marathon.
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Journey of the Pic River
The Pic River begins its journey at McKay Lake. This is about 10 kilometres (6 mi) west of a place called Caramat. The river flows south from the lake, passing over the McKay Lake Dam.
As it continues, the river goes over exciting spots like the Bigrock Rapids. It then reaches Sagiwatan Lake. Further south, it passes the Deadman Rapids before flowing into Waboosekon Lake.
After Waboosekon Lake, the river turns southeast. It flows over the Waboosekon Lake Dam. Along its path, it passes two beautiful waterfalls: the High Falls and the Middle Falls. The White Otter River joins the Pic River from the left side.
The river then goes over the Manitou Falls. The Kagiano River also joins the Pic River from the right. The Pic River then flows under Ontario Highway 17. It enters the Pic River 50 Indian Reserve. This reserve belongs to the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation.
The Pic River passes through the community of Heron Bay. Here, the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline crosses over it. The Black River joins the Pic River from the left. Finally, the Pic River reaches its end at Lake Superior. At the mouth of the river, there is a sandy beach with sand dunes.
History of the Pic River Area
The area around the Pic River has a rich history. Fort Pic was an important trading post. It was started in 1789 by Gabriel Cotté and his partners. A trading post was a place where people traded goods, often furs, with Indigenous communities.
Fort Pic was very successful between 1799 and 1815. Many people lived and worked there. In 1805, there were 16 men, 2 women, and 3 children at the fort. About 148 Indigenous people lived nearby. The famous scientist Louis Agassiz visited the fort in 1847.
After 1865, the fort was used less and less. It was finally closed in 1914. The old fort was located on the west bank of the river, about 150 yards from its mouth. In 1930, a lumber camp was built on the same spot.
Archaeologists found signs of the old fort in 1964. They discovered that the well, which is still used today, seems to be the original one from the fort. There is also a special government marker at the site.
In later years, the Pic River was used to transport logs. These were 8-foot long pulp logs. They were floated down the river to Heron Bay. From there, they were gathered into large rafts called "booms." These booms were then towed across the lake to Marathon.
A company called Marathon Paper had a pulp mill in Marathon. This mill used timber that was floated down the Pic River each spring. This process was called a "river drive." Woodsmen would walk from Marathon to camps along the river to cut wood. They would then use horses to haul the wood to the river.
The river drive was a big part of the mill's operations for many years. However, in 1982, trucks started to be used instead of the river for transport. This change made the river drive less common.
Why is it called Pic River?
There are two main ideas about how the Pic River got its name. One idea is that it comes from the Ojibwe word bikodinaa. This word means "be a high ground." It might refer to the high land found at the mouth of the river.
Another idea is that the name comes from a different Ojibwe word, "pekatek." This word means "mud." It could describe the river's water, which is often silty or muddy.
Tributaries of the Pic River
The Pic River has many smaller rivers and creeks that flow into it. These are called tributaries. Some of the main tributaries include:
- Black River
- Kagiano River
- White Otter River
- Bluejay Creek
