I am sympathetic and in complete agreement with Gary A
Lefkiades Jr’s concerns expressed in his letter in the Resorter and the changes to the Topinabee
Park, including the loss of the majestic old oak trees.
I think we must give the TDA credit where credit is due.
Their professed mission is “to preserve and enhance the unique historical character
and charm of Topinabee”. While many of us do lament the loss of our trees and swings,
I am thankful the TDA took the time to do their research into the true history of
Topinabee. Many local history buffs are unaware that long, long ago, in 1895, before
most of us were born, the resort village of Topinabee, founded only a decade earlier
by the infamous conman Dr Topinabee and his alleged partner, Phineas O’Hare, was
threatened by the uncivilized savage hordes living on the eastern shores of Mullett
Lake.
All summer the village was under constant threat with
pleasure boats full of these unwashed hordes arriving on the shore to use the
TAC swings and walk the gentle uphill slope to the Market for pizza and petrol.
Quarrying cement blocks from a plant in the Charlevoix area, these early volunteers
transported huge modular blocks by freighter canoe to the shores of Topinabee. There, below the newly built MCCR Depot, they
stacked these blocks in ramparts and terraces to build a defensible position
against this threat. Some archeologists have ranked this gargantuan task with
Stonehenge and the effigies on Easter Island. The skirmishes later fought from
these ramparts were sometimes referred to as the O’Hare wars, although I was
unable to find any historical proof that Phineas O’Hare actually took up arms during
those defenses of Topinabee. The
ramparts now visible from Mullett Lake are a hysterically accurate partial recreation
of those walls built to defend Topinabee from unwanted visitors.
The TDA’s efforts rebuilding these ramparts will continue to
preserve the historical character and charm of Topinabee. The new park’s informational
kiosks, politically correct as everything is nowadays will probably not tell
this true story. Please save this personal recollection for your children and grandchildren
to answer their questions about the concrete ramparts on the lakeshore at
Topinabee.
A reenactment of the historic War of the O'Hare's as "invaders" land their craft and plot an attack on the ramparts
A large cruiser class boat driven off by the tall ramparts.
