Zeverely rapids Bridge - OPTIONAL STOP

The Zeverely rapids are one of many that can be found along the Frederik House River, a north-flowing tributary of the Abitibi. 

Part of the James Bay and Moose River drainage basins, the Frederick House River flows 100 kilometres from Night Hawk Lake in the city of Timmins to its mouth at the Abitibi River in Cochrane.

Both the river and the associated Hudson's Bay Company Frederick House post (1785–1821) are named for Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, son of George III of the United Kingdom.

In 1785 the Hudson’s Bay Company established the Frederick House fur trading post to prevent Canadian fur traders in the Abitibi region from intercepting the passage of furs to Moose Fort (Moose Factory) on James Bay.  

The post proved difficult to supply because both the Frederick House and Abitibi Rivers were difficult to navigate.  

Throughout its operation, it encountered intense, occasionally violent competition, particularly from a rival concern on nearby Devil’s Island. As a result, it never flourished.

The post was finally abandoned in 1821 when the merger of the Hudson’s Bay and North West companies effectively ended the struggle for control of trade in the area.

In December 1812 a man called Capascoos murdered everyone at the Frederick House post including its manager, two labourers and nine native people.  

In March of 1813, two traders found the Frederick House post robbed and ransacked.  European provisions and guns were missing and the corpses of two native persons lay in the dwelling house.  

When the snow melted 12 more bodies were found. A reward was offered for Capascoos, but he was never caught.  

In 1911 a steam shovel building the Ontario Northland Railway unearthed the remains of the fort and several skeletons were found in shallow graves.