Appendix A - the Gatineau Valley Historical Society

Old Chelsea, by path or trail through the bush...
Reporter for "The Evening Citizen" of 1930.
Grandma Maxwell to her grandchildren. .. "why,
children... we didn't have nice roads, as you now
have... to go to some neighbours, one or five
miles away, we would follow a blazed trail, made
by cutting the bark of trees, along a straight line...
would make the line always straight was for
someone to go to the point aimed at and blow a
horn while the other fellow followed and chopped
the bark." Anson Gard
An 1881 survey plan of Old Chelsea shows the
Scott Road as Peel Street. .. Padden Road as North
Street. .. Chelsea Road as High Street.
Wheeled scraper with team used all summer on
Meech Lake Road. Wm. Ryan
Jim Hammond rolled roads in winter with big
wooden roller. Wm. Ryan
Motion at a meeting of West Hull Council (1875)
that statute labour on all roads will be one day for
every $200 of valuation, or pay $1.25 if not
executed, was defeated. A new motion setting the
penalty at $1.00 was carried.
The road through Old Chelsea village did not run
straight across Chelsea Brook as it does now as
Brigham's mill was in the way. The road therefore
turned south in the village opposite Peel Street
(Scott Rd.) crossed the creek at the tannery and ran
on up to Kingsmere.
"Recollections of Early Days in the Gatineau Hills"
collected and recorded by Sheila C. Thomson 1965
page 49
Scott Road. .. The following deeds of sale
conveyed to Michael Scott much of the land on the
north side of the present Scott Road. The Scotts
had their residence where the old movie theatre
work shop of the Crawleys was later located.
173