Remember This? Bussin' it in Desbarats

From the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library archive:

The village of Desbarats, located approximately 30 kilometres east of Sault Ste. Marie, was established as a settlement around 1890. 

In 1847, George Pascal Desbarats, a prominent Montreal businessman took out a license for working mines on Lake Huron and was assigned a location at Portlock Harbour. 

By 1890, Jessie Desbarats, the current owner of the land sold the property to the Desbarats Mining Company. 

At that time there were no roads, just paths through the bush.

Villagers had to walk or go by rowboat to Bruce Mines for food and supplies.  

In an effort to increase the population of Desbarats, the colonization agent for the C.P.R. persuaded people to come and settle in the area. 

The village began to take on a more formal design when Desbarats was surveyed and divided into lots in 1894.   

As the railroad expanded, a station was first established at Portlock but as the population of Desbarats increased, the station was moved to Desbarats around 1910. 

Four trains ran through Desbarats every day at 9 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. 

Eventually there was a steamboat service which ran from Blind River to the Sault every day.

By 1915, the Kensington Ferry was built.

The ferry would take the mail back and forth to Campement d’Ours Island in the spring and fall when ice conditions were unsafe.

In 1929, the original ferry was sold to George Campbell.

In later years, a second ferry was built by Jack Currie.

Around 1935 the operation of the ferry was transferred to the government.

By 1915 bus service had started in many larger towns throughout the world.

In a number of communities, city buses replaced horse-drawn or electric trolley cars.

Suburban and intercity bus transportation also began about that time. 

Not to be left out, a “bus” was built around 1921. 

A framework was constructed and erected on a truck and it was fitted with the seat from an old buggy.

This bus travelled between Sault Ste. Marie and Desbarats during good weather and road conditions. 

The train was still considered the more popular mode of transportation.  

Highway 17 was built through this area in 1933 and connects Desbarats with its neighbouring communities.  

Today the 60-kilometre trip between Sault Ste. Marie and Desbarats takes about fifty minutes and costs between $16 and $21 by Greyhound Bus.

So the next time that you drive along this route, imagine what it might have been like to ride the Sault to Desbarats bus in 1921!

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