Hand-operated Dam and Locks are located on the Magnetawan River in the heart of the Village of Magnetawan. Without these locks and dam, the history of this area and its riverboat traffic would have been extremely different.

The lock at Magnetawan, built by the Ontario Government, 1883-86, was replaced in 1911 by the present concrete structure.

In the quarter-century following its completion, an average of 704 passages were made through the lock by steamships each season. Notable among those ships were the “Wenonah” (1886), “Glenrosa” (1891), “Wanita” (1896), “Glenada” (1904), and “Armour” (1906).

The “Mike”, the last steamship by ply these waters, was removed from the river about 1934.

It takes 30min for the locks to change direction.

Photos: Vlad Umnov