8 A Bridge To The Past 
     
    
   
   
    
     THE WILMOT RIVER 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Wilmot River rises in Springfield and empties into Bedeque Bay. 
     
     In its long and winding travels to the Bay it flows through abundant forests 
     
     and rich farm lands and adds greatly to the pastoral beauty of the area. 
     
     Since time immemorial it has provided fresh water for all living creatures, a 
     
     home for many species of fish and sources of power for several mills. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Wilmot River like many other rivers in Prince Edward Island 
     
     played an important part in local history. Its early service to the first set- 
     
     tlers, that of providing a means of travel, was a help in their search for 
     
     places to build their cabins. The River with several brooks flowing into it, 
     
     offered another mystery for the paddling adventurer and also added power 
     
     to the millrace and the great wheel that turned the machinery for sawing 
     
     lumber or grinding wheat. 
     
    
   
   
    
     One tributary which was known as Read’s Brook provided a short cut 
     
     for early travellers. They followed the brook as far as possible in their 
     
     boats, then portaged to Tilton’s Creek from where they travelled again by 
     
     boat across Malpeque Bay to Princetown. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The River served as a highway in summer and winter for the farmers 
     
     who had produce to get to market. As more land was cleared an increasing 
     
     amount of grain, potatoes, turnips, cattle, sheep, wool and poultry was of- 
     
     fered for sale. George A. Leard in “Summerside, Saints and Sinners” 1958, 
     
     writes: “Produce coming to Green’s Wharf (now Summerside) from the 
     
     cast was hauled at low tide along the rough shore trail until 1840 when a 
     
     road was opened to Read’s Corner.” This produce was sold on the local 
     
     market or shipped to Miramichi, New Brunswick; Pictou, Nova Scotia or 
     
     Newfoundland. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The River provided ready access to Dunk River where a ship-building 
     
    
   
   
    
     industry was underway, and to Bedeque; another important centre in the