Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-20
SUBMERGED HAVRE.
4 PROMISING VILLAGE DESTROYED
BY LAKE ERIE.

The Town Made an Unusually Ambition,
start. and Its Projectors Expected Grea,
Things From It-Now Its Site, All That
Is Left. Is . Creek Bottom.
Within few miles of the corporation
hne OF Toledo lies the site of a lost village
which was peopled not so long ago by sew
eral hundred souls. Its existence is al
most forgotten, and only few of the old
est inhabitants are able to indicate even
vaguely where the town once stood. The
blue waters of Lake Erie ripple over town
lots and building lots which it was hoped
would some day bring great wealth to the
projectors of the village.
A few miles north of Toledo, Ten Mile
creek, dignified by geographers with the
name of Ottawa river, marks the boundary
on the lake front between Ohio and Michi.
gan. On the north bank of the stream,
just within Monroe county, Mich. is the
site of what once was the town of Havre.
1t was not hamlet, such as is gradually
formed around few fishing shanties when
country is young, but a town that was
created by hundreds of colonists When
Havre was laid OUT, it was the only place
that was more than IA mere settlement be-
tween Monroe, Mich, and historic old
Maumee, 0. Toledo was only name, for
when the colonists landed in 1886 this
city was just year old, and it's future
growth was highly problematical. 1t was
situated IL miles from the island that
marks the western end of the lake, while
RI hn of Co nj &c
land, was practically on the broad high
way of waters.
The colonists were brought to the site of
the town by the steamer Superior from
Buffalo. 1t is probable that this steamer
was the first craft other than an Indian
canoe that had ever ventured into the
channel between Gard island and the
mainland. Many of the colonists of Havre
We're French, and they named the new
town after the famous port in their mother
country. Denis MORN, whose descendants
still live on the water front near the old
town site laid out the streets with his
pillow and helped to grade the locations of
the principal buildings. Old Peter Ire
wick, who is still living inNienna, Mich,
also helped to build the town. Houses rose
rapidly. A first rate church was built,
and stores ont of all proportion to the bust
ness of that day and commodious tavern
were erected. In short. within two wears
from the time the first colonists landed 500
houses had been built along the water
front, and the little steamer that piled be-
tween Detroit Monroe and Maumee found
profitable trading at Havre
Then came the cataclysm Old Lake
Erie began slowly 90 rise The town was
only few feet above the level of the creek,
and the country was marshy. 1t was at
first thought that it was onlya remarkable
stage of high water. But the water came
over the sills of the doors nearest the lake
and slowly hut surely rose higher and
higher House after house was invaded,
and the pretty little creek mouth gradually
widened until ii was nearly a mile across.
On the water came until the floors in the
highest portion of the town stood four feet
deep in water. The people We're, Of course,
badly frightened. With everything that
could float they hurried to the highest spot
on the mainland and waited for the end
Finding after IA day or two that the waters
had apparently ceased to rise, they return
ed and took away all the property that
could be moved by the old fashioned ca
junct to every French trapper's outfit.
The boats We're rowed right into the houses,
and when it came to transporting the bar
rels of good liquor with which the tavern
taprOom was stocked there was many a
poor Frenchman who had an opportunity
of drinking better spirits than he had eve.
tasted before. In fact, the whole settle
nent had about as memorable drunk as
this part of the country had ever seen
Then came what is still remembered az
the big winter Ten Mile creek was frozen
to its bottom, and the snow was very deep.
The founders of Have, who had encamped
along the water front against the day
when the waters should recede and thcr
should come into their own again, We're
forced by the inclement weather to hunt
for new homes. Monroe received many Of
them, and other towns and the adjacent
farms absorbed the rest of the villagers
The waters never went back and the fol-
lowing spring there was a great sale of the
towns buildings. They went cheap. and
the settlers came from miles around to bid
for them.
The houses we're raised before the ice
had gone out OF the creek and were hauled
away by OK teams while the ground was
still in good condition for Shedding. Only
a few OF the houses were left near the vii
lage site, and the only one that can now DO
identified Is occupied by young TrevclS
and stands over mile from where it was
|irst built. The great tavern was taken
bodily to Vienna, Mich. where it stood for
years. Even the pioneer steamer was bro
Ken up, and today some of the planks are
quilt into the house of Levi MORN, whose
lncle plowcd The first street line of Havre
A II that is left of H;.vre is a few piles that
AN still lie seen rotting in Ten Mile creek
Whether the water of Lake Erie actually
rose or whether the land about the town
'ito sank is question. Certainly no
,ther port on western Lake Eric has any
'ecord of such an increase in its waters
>ut II Is argued by those who believe that
he waters rose that the effect would no,
awe been so noticeable at any other point
Is at Havre on account of the low level Of
hc town site. Whatever the cause, the
waters arc high above its streets, and many
fine pike and black bass has been taken
m the site of the old town. although few
IF the many fishers from Toledo who visit
Ten Mile creek are familiar with the story
If the town beneath its surface. Toledo |
Dick cus as Critic