About Tinnerman Canoe Base
Tinnerman Wilderness Canoe Base, more commonly referred to as "Tinnerman Canoe Base" (TCB), is located along the waters of the French River, in Ontario Canada.
The French River
The French River, a part of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System lies 300km/180mi north of Toronto.
This storied and historical river flows from the southwest end of Lake Nipissing to the northeast shores of the Georgian Bay on Lake Huron.
For most of the 18th and early 19th centuries the French River was know as the "Highway to the West", providing a vital transportation route for trade goods in the East and furs in the West. Today, the French River is used almost exclusively for recreation, and has been preserved as the French River Provincial Park. The park includes stunning gorges, rapids, and falls, as well as hundreds of quiet lakes and marshes, and the spectacular Georgian Bay.
Albert Tinnerman's Camp
Mr. Albert H. Tinnerman of Cleveland, Ohio first started Tinnerman as a camp in 1925. Tinnerman and his mother, Caroline, each bought a 5 acre parcel on the main channel of the French River about a mile east of Ox Bay. At that time 5 acres was the largest parcel allowable.
The camp was built by Bud West and his nephew, Lyman Everingham, from the materials barged down the Pickerel River from the C.N.R. bridge at the Warren Dock.
The icehouse and part of the boat house were built first with the main lodge following shortly.
Later, sometime during 1941, what is now known as the "directors cabin" was built.
Bud West also built many other structures in the area, including the "French River Lodge".
The family used this beautiful camp and entertained family, friends and customers until Mr. Tinnerman's death in 1961. Many local residents including Jack Dempsey, Willard Warren, Bud West, and Robert Desrochers guided for the camp. There are still signs of the lovely flower gardens and window boxes that made it a show place.
Tinnerman's Company
Mr. Tinnerman's father was the founder of Tinnerman Hardware later to become Tinnerman Stove and Range Company.
An original "Tinnerman Stove" can still be seen in the kitchen at the base.
Albert Tinnerman, in an effort to find better methods of stove manufacturing became the inventor of the Speed Nut®, a spring steel fastener used to keep porcelain enamel panels from cracking and crazing during manufacturing and shipping.
Tinnerman would eventually explore the use of the Speed Nut® in other industries.
The worthiness of Tinnerman® Speed Nut® fasteners for auto makers was proved in 1936. In a compelling demonstration, a hoist, a cable, a screw and a single Tinnerman® Speed Nut® were used to lift a passenger car off the ground. Tinnerman® fasteners have been used in automotive manufacturing ever since.
As demand for Speed Nuts® flourished, Mr. Tinnerman's stove and range company was soon overshadowed by his fastener business. Accordingly, on January 1, 1940, Tinnerman Products, Inc., was born, with operations dedicated entirely to Speed Nut® production.
During World War II, the advantages of spring tension fastening and Tinnerman Speed Nuts® gained wide military acceptance and were called into service for use in airplanes, tanks, trucks, ships, and other military equipment.*
Today, the successful company still exists as Tinnerman Palnut Engineered Products, Inc.
Donation of the Camp
After Mr. Tinnerman's passing in 1961, his grandson Bill Buttriss now of Westlake, Ohio, tried to obtain a commercial license for the camp. The Ontario government said that any one area would support only so many camps and they felt the lower French had enough camps at that time. Though appealed, a license was not possible for the camp.
It was at this time the family decided to donate the camp to the Cleveland, Ohio Area Boy Scout Council. Interestingly enough, two weeks after the formal donation, Mr. Buttriss received a letter from the Ontario government stating that since one of the Camps in the area had closed its doors (Rainbow Lodge on Bass Creek), the license would now be available.
Tinnerman Canoe Base Today
The Greater Cleveland Council, Boy Scouts of America, started operating Tinnerman as a canoe base in July of 1963.
Scouts from all over the United States, and occasionally other countries, are water-taxied from Hartley Bay Marina to the camp and outfitted for a week of canoeing.
Each crew is assigned a guide and will travel anywhere in the French River area from Lake Nipissing to the Georgian Bay and the Killarney area as planned in an itinerary.
Over 14,000 scouts and leaders have enjoyed the "Land of the Joli Voyageur."
Since each scout is required to do 10 hours of conservation and clean-up work, 140,000 hours of work have helped to preserve the beauty of the French River.**
* Used with permission from Tinnerman Palnut Engineered Products, Inc.
** Portions of this history are from the book "The French and Pickerel Rivers, Their History and Their People", by William A. Campbell, published by Journal Printing, Sudbury, Ontario.