THE CASTLE OF WHITE OTTER LAKE - A film by Peter G. Elliott
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- This is my 22 minute documentary that tells the true story of Jimmy McOuat who constructed a castle singlehandedly out of red pine logs back in the early 1900's. The film contributed to the castle's eventual restoration which still stands on the shore of White Otter Lake in the wilderness of Northwestern Ontario.
The Castle of White Otter Lake was produced, directed, shot and edited by me, Peter G. Elliott and the script was researched and written by Elinor Barr of Thunder Bay. Jimmy McOuat was played by Nick Kaminecky and the original music is by Cathy Elliott. A special thanks to Gordon Pinsent who narrated the film for me for a very small fee. An extended thanks to friends and family who helped me back in the early '80s.
I shot this film on a $12,000 budget using my 16mm Bolex camera, an Ontario Arts Council grant and an editing room at The National Film Board. The film was shown on CBC's Canadian Reflections and on Global Television and various broadcasters in the British isles during the 1980's.
Peter G. Elliott - Email: railwaytown@gmail.com
Just came from the castle yesterday. ..did routine maintenance. ..cut the grass, whipper snipped, changed some deck boards, cleaned the eave troughs, and reshingled the roof...had assistance from ten junior rangers and four of my own crew...the castle is in need of work and funds have to be raised... the friends of white otter castle is in need of a revamping. ..I am the only active friend member and need assistance. . I was very fortunate to be a log builder who worked on the restoration
Really awesome Don. Do you still need volunteers?
Lost Lakes channel sent me here! Amazing video!
That is why I found this video also. The Lost Lake channel is wonderful!
What a great story.
I had the honour of helping on minor restoration years ago when I was an Ontario Ranger. This castle has always had a special place in my heart ever since. Such beauty.
Hi Krissie,
Thank you for your comments on the film and expressing the love you have for Canada's legendary log castle.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Peter
Merry Christmas to you as well Peter!
What year did you help as a Ranger?
Great documentary.
After having paddled to the castle and visited it myself this summer, this documentary was great to fill in the "holes"! Well done.
I absolutely love this documentary. I honestly cannot stop watching. Well done Peter.
My family used to run a tourist camp in Ignace, Ontario. I remember when the actor and the man who made this documentary interviewed my family. Our trapline ran from the shore of White Otter Lake to the north to Agimac Lake on Hwy 17. I spent many days in these woods and even at the Castle in the summer and winter. Thank you for posting this.
Wow! I've just watched this wonderful film for the first time. Well done!! Many years ago, I used to travel to Ignace to work in the clinic for weeks at a time. It was during those visits that I learned of the WOC and became determined to visit it. This I did with a couple of local teachers in the middle of Winter, travelling to the castle on snowmobile. It was one of the highlights of my visits to Ignace, one that I spoke of many times. In gratitude for my efforts in the clinic, the people of Ignace gave me a print of the castle by Edwin Mathews which still hangs proudly in my home. What a unique treasure. Thanks Peter for doing this. I'm so pleased to now know so much more of it's history and the very remarkable Jimmy McQuat.
+Ralph Hayes
Thank you Ralph for your kind words. That was my first professional film which I commenced when I was twenty two years old back in 1981. I visited that castle three times. I am pleased that it was eventually restored.
Cheers
Peter
Yes, I had a lot of contact with the ppl who were on the restoration committee. Too bad that they didn't secure the windows so that the weather wouldn't invade the inside. That place could be quite an attraction given the right circumstances.
Cheers ... Ralph
I love watching Canadian history this is great.
Glad you enjoyed it. I have another video on here called Brebeuf and the Huron Carol. Take a look at that one. Cheers Peter
Thank you for making this documentary. Such a beautiful region. It's hard to imagine the hardship and loneliness he must have went through. He did sound like a true McOuat from Scotland.
Thank you again.
Awesome! I'm going this summer
Jimmy McQuat haunts the White Otter Castle today.
Great documentary, will never forget the drive I had going from Toronto up to Calgary in the middle of January for work not travelling through the States, all these small town names always ring a bell, Ontario is a thing of beauty so is this Iconic Castle!
What a great story!
I live in Ignace and have been here several times...winter and summer.Everyone should experience this wonderful peaceful piece of Northwestern Ontario,
Thank You for this great documentary !
Thanks Michael. Glad you enjoyed my first documentary made in the early 80's.
Well-done docu! I'd love to visit the Castle some day.
Sad ending but beautiful legacy. So glad Forest Svc did not burn it like so many historic homes in our US Wilderness areas.
I have been there three times and flew over it several times and could even spot it from 30,000 feet above. Great place to visit in August. Less bugs. I even encountered a magical waterspout at that spot. Cheers PE
Peter Elliott
• do you think he was gay ? Building the house for his lover . ? “ couldnt find “ a girlfriend or wife ?? A lot of women in the city would love to be there.
• He hiked 9/10 miles at Christmastime to see a neighbor? What? With snow shoes??
• why would anyone pick such a remote spot, AND THEN WANT TO GET MARRIED? Shouldn’t you get that squared away FIRST?
•. I’m a carpenter. I’ve mostly worked alone since 1990. I don’t believe he worked alone. Probably had 2 or 3 guys helping him alining the boards. The floor joists weren’t hewn; he had a saw mill to cut them.
• it didn’t say HOW LONG it took him to build. In decades, I’m sure.
• Documentary says he didn’t even own the land. Why didn’t he buy the land first?? That was a risky move.
• if he wanted a wife so bad, why didn’t he go into a bigger town and get one? It’s not like he couldn’t leave his house alone for a number of weeks....
• I think he had something going on with the 2 daughters’ father. The one he hiked 10 miles at Christmas time.
Big mysteries
Oh, man. The memories. The canoe trip. The woodpecker nest. The 'copter ride. So nice to see.
Must be a sign to visit. This castle has poped up on the internet a lot in the last few days.
It was featured in a snowmobiling video and also a snowmobile magazine I subscribe to. I'm a sucker for that kind of local legend type of story.
What a great video. Myself and a friend portaged in back in about 1984 while staying at my family cabin in Ignace, it is quite an impressive place!
@canadian Honestly, I do not remember. I do remember on the way out lowering the canoe over an old log dam and farther down the river maneuvering along a log wall that had spikes sticking out from losing its first layer through the years. We fished a bit, can't remember if we got anything since just getting to the "castle" was our goal.
About 30 years ago, I made a snowmachine trip there. It's a beautiful spot and speaks clearly of an obsession to build such a structure. To each his own.
How would one get there by snowmobile? Any map?
@@tjrubi7463 That trip was 30 years ago. I'm sure they still have Snow Machine clubs that keep the trails in shape. They are the ones with the maps you need.
@@pippuppy i bet it was alot diffrent 30 years ago . Thanks for the info 👍
Being from Kenora and a fan of local history, I have heard of this story, but this film was a touching insight into the heart of a legend. Thank you!
U R welcome. Thanks for your comment. It is a magical spot to visit. Peter
i love this story, so beautiful
Just been downhere 3X on my snowmachine , so far, this winter. Never meet anyone. Such a nice winter ride!
How do you get there? Any way you could guide us in?
@@tjrubi7463 You will need a snowmachine for winter travel-takes about 1-2 hours, prob near 2 hours if you haven't snowmobiled B4. I don't have any to rent myself. The area is in NW Ontario, the 2 nearest town are Ignace to the north and Atikokan to the south. For summertime, a canoe trip or flying in is the way to go. Tight for time, fly in, time no problem, canoe in + camp. I don't think I could do the canoe trip anymore, body shot, lol.
I had never seen this before. Thank you for posting.
Awesome story thank you I am inspired , and humbled. What happened to our dreams?
Good to see this again. A memorable tot that site by snowmobile and how noble of Gordon Pinsent to donate his talent with his narration.
I was married on the front deck of the Castle!
That;'s really cool. That fits into what builder Jimmy McOuat wanted to happen at the castle.
Thanks for helping me connect to my Canadian identity.
Thank you for this fascinating story. Well done.
Thank You Sue.
My family just visited the castle this summer. The girls were brought up in Atikokan but had never been to the castle. They did love going there, though they found crossing the lake a bit rough😂 Went in a motor boat not a canoe.
Great Video...Just got back from a visit there . it is fantastic! we paddled from Ignace. I think one of the hardest Portage wise I have ever used. Beats the Moisie for toughness.
Just heard about this & came to YT to see.
I see in the news that "the friends of White Otter Castle" are looking to raise 400,000 dollars for repairs over the next 2 years. I wish them well. It is difficult to maintain wooden historic sites, especially in remote locations.
They did it before when it was a wreck. They had 1.4 million then. But you are right - Canada's history slowly rots away in remote lakes where fur trade posts and even forts once stood. Even the stone buildings need constant maintenance. Where I live in Newfoundland that has a European history that dates back 1000 years has little to show as many re-settled outport villages rot away into the soil. PE
Amazing story, love to watch videos like this, even tho I live o
Hey Don Marion, were you working on the castle during the summer of 1994? Your name seems to be familiar. If so, I may have some pics from the castle during some of the renos. I may even have you in some :)
great legend....to continue this majestic story, I have a passion in building a miniature size castle ( replica ) of the white otter castle...if interested please see kijiji "white otter castle bird house". portion of the proceeds will go to the "friends of white otter castle inc"...thanks
I live a couple hours from atikoken
Trees have grown up since this film.
Over the pond
tabloglloyd is my (Gerry M) You Tube name. It should be spelled tablogloid. I don't remember why it got spelled as posted.