Filling In The Gaps 59 
     
    
   
   
    
     COMMUNICATIONS, ROADS AND BRIDGES 
     
    
   
   
    
     Communication in the early days of settlement in Wilmot Valley, 
     
     except with the members of ones own family was a seldom enjoyed 
     
     pleasure. On the rare occasions when journeys were undertaken by boat, 
     
     some distance might be travelled without meeting a familiar person with 
     
     whom to stop and chat. The same might apply to the long treks along the 
     
     narrow winding woodland trails. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Although an allowance was made for roads in the Holland survey, 
     
     these roads were not built until the adjacent land was cleared. The 
     
     Blueshank Road appears on the early maps and gives the impression that it 
     
     was always there. This straight and level highway has been widened and 
     
     improved, gravelled and paved and kept in good repair over the years. The 
     
     back-breaking work of building a road in the early 1800’s is hard to 
     
     visualize in this modern age of giant bulldozers, carry-alls and road graders. 
     
     The pioneer in his heavy homespun breeches, an axe over his shoulder and a 
     
     shovel in his hand had to first cut down the trees and dig out the stumps. As 
     
     the settlement grew more men were available to help level the trail and make 
     
     it wide enough for the two-wheeled carts. The split log drag was brought 
     
     into use and later the horse-drawn steel bladed road machines. Crossing the 
     
     Wilmot River presented a problem but the mill dam was used for this 
     
     purpose at first. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The dam provided a short cut for the travelling public and was a great 
     
     convenience. In the horse and buggy days almost any landowner would 
     
     allow a track to be made across his property especially in winter. These 
     
     winding sleigh roads would lead the traveller far away from the main road 
     
     but usually shortened the journey. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Today’s motorist does not look for ways to save miles especially if it 
     
     means travelling on a narrow clay road after a rainstorm. Just a little more 
     
     gas, a little more speed, and the longest way ’round is often the smoothest 
     
     way home!