WHAT IS IN A NAME?

SIOUX NARROWS-NESTOR FALLS

“What is in a name?” This is an age-old question first posed by William Shakespeare, that has profound implications. Consider that a name is our identity. It is what we are known by. It is who we are. Bridge & Falls is a very unique name for our small community’s guide. It signifies our history, and puts words to the icons we identify with. Many who are very familiar with our community, will understand the significance of Bridge & Falls, but we thought it would be an interesting story for those readers less familiar with our community.

In 2001, the Township of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls was formed as a result of the provincial government of the day’s direction to decrease the number of municipalities across the Province of Ontario. Prior to 2001, Sioux Narrows and Nestor Falls had been two distinct communities operated by two different governing councils. The name Bridge & Falls nicely brings together the defining aspect from each of these communities. The Nestor Falls and Sioux Narrows bridge, both of which are located directly on Highway 71 which flows through the heart of the entire community.

The Falls portion our name pays homage to Nestor Falls. The falls themselves run under Highway 71 and are the namesake of the community. The falls were named after Mr. Nestor who directed logging operations from a camp he set up close to the natural falls. Mr. Nestor arrived in the Northwestern Ontario area sometime between the turn of the last century and 1915 from the southwest. Logging was raging in the region and he built a number of sluiceways and controlled the flow of the logs over the damn, including the one at the falls. Evidence of this time period still exists today in the form of sluiceways and damns which now function as portages between lakes around Nestor Falls and visible bark at base of falls along the logs path.

The Bridge in our name refers to the iconic Sioux Narrows Bridge which connects the community across Lake of the Woods. The original bridge opened on July 1, 1936. It was a Howe Box Truss construction, which used 200-year-old Douglas Fir beams. It was celebrated as the longest single span wooden bridge in the world. Its construction provided a more convenient route to travel between the Kenora and Fort Frances region. With increased traffic came increased interest in Sioux Narrows, transforming it into the prime tourism location on Lake of the Woods, that still exists today.

In 2003, a condition survey indicated that the original bridge was starting to deteriorate, and required replacement. A new Sioux Narrows Bridge opened on July 1, 2008. The new bridge maintained the look and feel of the original, however steel beams were used to replace the original wooden components.

Names are interesting. When we ask the question: what is in a specific name, we often get a much deeper glance into the history and identity of a place or people that identify with it.