Kenabeek, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Kenabeek is an unincorporated community in the Canadian
province of Ontario
, located within the Unorganized West Part division of Timiskaming District, geographic township of Henwood.
The community is located on Ontario Highway 65, approximately halfway between Elk Lake
and New Liskeard.
Kenabeek was founded in the early 1920s (nobody in the area appears to have an accurate date) basically as a post office, since the only other post office at the time was in Thornloe, about 15 miles (24.1 km) away (a long distance by horse and wagon). Other than farms (160 acre plots, a few with multiple homes, usually multi-generation family) there are really no houses which are a part of Kenabeek proper, so that the town is considered to be the General Store, Post Office and volunteer Fire Station.
lakes and others are surrounded by swamp. Perhaps the most notable thing about the lakes is that each seems to have a loon
as a resident. The Kenabeek area is mostly good at growing hay and potatoes, and in a few cases for grazing a small number of cattle for local use.
(the Haileybury fire of 1922) which wiped out hundreds of acres of land and many homes in and around Kenabeek.
Most of the residents of the Kenabeek area (see notes in "Boundaries and Residents" below) can trace their families back two and three generations.
In addition to the General Store and Post Office, there is a volunteer fire department and building and a community centre. The community centre is the original one-room schoolhouse which housed grades 1 to 8 until sometime in the 1960s.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, located within the Unorganized West Part division of Timiskaming District, geographic township of Henwood.
The community is located on Ontario Highway 65, approximately halfway between Elk Lake
James, Ontario
James is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within the Timiskaming District. The primary community within the township is Elk Lake, which is located at the junction of Highway 65 and Highway 560....
and New Liskeard.
Kenabeek was founded in the early 1920s (nobody in the area appears to have an accurate date) basically as a post office, since the only other post office at the time was in Thornloe, about 15 miles (24.1 km) away (a long distance by horse and wagon). Other than farms (160 acre plots, a few with multiple homes, usually multi-generation family) there are really no houses which are a part of Kenabeek proper, so that the town is considered to be the General Store, Post Office and volunteer Fire Station.
Geography
Kenabeek and its surrounding area is mostly sand with a bit of rock, and a shallow amount of topsoil, and thus is not the best farm-land. A short distance away and a bit lower, is the Temiskaming Valley which does contain excellent farmland. There are a few small lakes within two or three miles (5 km) of Kenabeek, most are privately owned and are not great for swimming, many are muskegMuskeg
Muskeg is an acidic soil type common in Arctic and boreal areas, although it is found in other northern climates as well. Muskeg is approximately synonymous with bogland but muskeg is the standard term in Western Canada and Alaska, while 'bog' is common elsewhere. The term is of Cree origin, maskek...
lakes and others are surrounded by swamp. Perhaps the most notable thing about the lakes is that each seems to have a loon
Loon
The loons or divers are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia...
as a resident. The Kenabeek area is mostly good at growing hay and potatoes, and in a few cases for grazing a small number of cattle for local use.
History
Begun in the 1920s, Kenabeek and the surrounding area was hit by the Great Fire of 1922Great Fire of 1922
The Great Fire of 1922 was a wildfire burning through the Lesser Clay Belt in the Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada, from October 4 to 5, 1922. It has been called one of the ten worst natural disasters in Canadian history....
(the Haileybury fire of 1922) which wiped out hundreds of acres of land and many homes in and around Kenabeek.
Most of the residents of the Kenabeek area (see notes in "Boundaries and Residents" below) can trace their families back two and three generations.
Boundaries and residents
The Kenabeek town signs are placed about 3 miles (4.8 km) from the General Store / Post Office, but the surrounding homes are mostly on the original 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) farm plots, except for a few homes carved out of those plots for extended family or friends, and are not town-homes.In addition to the General Store and Post Office, there is a volunteer fire department and building and a community centre. The community centre is the original one-room schoolhouse which housed grades 1 to 8 until sometime in the 1960s.