Foran's Lodge ~ Opeongo Mountain Resort

A Brief History on the Occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Business
August 22, 2004

In about the year 1830 John Foran and Anne Dunnigan set out from Offlay County, Ireland to seek their fortune in Canada. They settled in that part of Upper Canada today known as Renfrew County in a location about 2 miles west of Douglas. In the late 1840's they moved to the north shore of Lake Clear near the present location of the resort. With the opening up and settlement of the Opeongo Road in the late 1850's, John and Anne moved to a lot on the South Range. This lot is in the location of the present Kosmack Farm. Their eldest son, James married Ann Gallagher and settled on Lot 7, Range C North adjacent to present day Foymount. In 1861 James and Ann Foran brought into this world the child that became the man who founded this business; Peter John Foran (1861 ~ 1941).

Peter John Foran married Ellen Kelly (1865 ~ 1945) and they proceeded to create a large family typical of that era. Their children included Nina (Plaunt), Michael James, Mary Violet (Koneczny), Clinton, Alice Sophia (Gregg), Edward Arnold known as Ernie, Sylvester, Simon and Beatrice (St. Cyr)

In 1889 Peter John and Ellen acquired their first property at Lake Clear from Peter’s father, James. It was Lot 11, Concession 12 and was the former farm of William Henry Killeen. It comprised 136 acres. In 1893 they added to their holding acquiring 36 acres that were part of Lot 15, Concession 11. Five years later they purchased the substantial holdings of Thomas Maher located at the foot of Maher’s Hill. It consisted of Lots 18 to 21 in Concession 10 and extended east from the present beginning of Mulberry Lane to a point just opposite of Haines Island. Always looking to purchase more land if the price were right, Peter John and Ellen added another 136 acres to their holdings in 1909 with the purchase two more farms to the rear of the present day resort. Again in 1912 they added 198 acres buying Lot 13, Concession 12 from Dennis Killeen. By the time of his death, Jack (Peter John) and Ellen owned a tremendous amount of land and frontage at Lake Clear as well as some farms in Cormac.

The Foran family at Lake Clear were astute in the ways of business and conducted extensive farming and livestock undertakings. Jack (Peter John) owned several ranches and farms in the area and operated a lumber and sawmill business. In 1929 he decided to take advantage of the growing number of people with time available for leisure activities. The Canadian Pacific Railway had started this trend building large resorts along their scenic routes to cater to those with pockets deep enough to afford the luxury of travel. It is assumed that Jack realized that others, not so well off financially, might be able to afford a less expensive version of the CP Rail vacation. Also, the automobile was fast bringing people from the city out into the country. The growing network of roads coupled with cheap transportation suddenly made a Lake Clear excursion a possibility for an increasing number of people. To capitalize on this, Jack built what he named the Pavilion and a few rustic cottages overlooking Lake Clear. Then as now, the attraction was great fishing with bragging rights over who caught the biggest Lake Trout always in dispute. Saturday evenings the Pavilion lit up and came to life with the lively fiddle playing of local legends. Folks came from farm and field to stomp and dance away those mild summer evenings with fishermen and families from the towns and beyond. Sometimes an illegal drink or two was sipped as Jack tried unsuccessfully for a number of years to get Sebastopol Township to switch from dry to wet. Good folks had good times and Foran’s Lodge was on it’s way to becoming a Lake Clear institution.

By now Peter John and Ellen were into their sixties and it was time for a new generation to take over. Their daughter Beatrice, had married Fred St.Cyr and some time over the next few years the ownership of the resort passed into their hands. Over the years, their children; Harold, Freddie, Lillian and Christine grew up at the resort and developed a life long love of people and the outdoors. Additional cottages were added and life rolled on through the war years and into the recession of the 1950's. However, the recession of the early 1950's was a lot less noticeable around Lake Clear. The reason for this localized prosperity could be found up the mountain at Foymount. Here the Canadian government was building a multi-million dollar military base to support a set of radar units that formed a section of the Pine Tree Line. (The Pine Tree Line was a string of radar stations designed to scan the northern skies for possible Soviet bombers bent on attacking U.S. or Canadian targets.) With the new base came hundreds of new people in the form of military staff and civilian technicians. These new folks would often spend their off hours down at the lake renting boats and cottages from the St. Cyr family and later coming back with friends and families for summer holidays. Along with the base, electricity came to the area and the cottages were wired and plumbed to keep up with the times.

In the late 1960's Beatrice and Fred’s son, Harold became involved in the business and developed a love of guiding the hunting and fishing guests that came to the resort. Under his direction a campground was started on the land behind the lodge and cottages to take advantage of this new and growing tourism industry. Harold was also interested in politics and was elected for a term as Reeve on the Sebastopol Township Council. Harold also decided that the owner of a growing business should have a modern home to live in so a new house was built next to the lodge. However, Harold wanted to take his life in a new direction and in the mid 1970s he decided to put Foran’s Lodge on the market. It quickly sold and Harold moved on to northern Ontario where he has owned a number of hunting and fishing lodges.

1978 brought the resort new owners and a new name. Gary and Lise Jessup along with Lise’s brother, Norbert Dorion formed a numbered company and bought most of the resort property from the St. Cyr family. (A small cottage lot was severed off for Beatrice to use as a summer cottage) The property was renamed Opeongo Mountain Resort to reflect its’ location in the Opeongo Hills and to provide a more attractive name for marketing the property as a full service vacation destination. Gary and Lise became the live in partners taking up residence in the house that Harold had built. They, along with their two children, Kevin and Nickie lived at the property during most of the next eight years. Under the new name the campground was expanded, new docks were built, new wells drilled, washrooms constructed and a barn was disassembled from another site and moved onto the resort property. A canteen was opened across from the house and soon became the summer hot spot for tasty fries and large ice cream cones. The new owners also began to offer some interesting new events to entertain resort guests. Boat races, lumberjack games and summer visit from Santa were some of the new entertainments enjoyed by guests and the Lake Clear community. However, by 1986 the Jessup and Dorion families decided it was time to move onto other adventures and the property was once again put up for sale.

At the same time a young family from Baltimore, Maryland was in the market for a resort property in eastern Ontario. Bob Peltzer knew the area in southern Renfrew County quite well. From the time he was eight years old, his dad had taken him on numerous hunting and fishing vacations to the area from Cloyne to Calabogie. When Bob grew up and married he shared his love of this area with the love of his life, his wife Christine (Spicer). Beginning in 1985, Bob and Christine made the decision to look for a resort property and in the spring of 1986 they found Opeongo.

Owning Opeongo Mountain Resort was part of many changes to lives of the Peltzer family. Not only were they moving from urban to rural but they were moving to a new country some 700 miles from most friends and family. It was a major undertaking that required the entire family to take a role. While the children, Jessica and James, were still quite young, they learned quickly that even the smallest hands can still be helpful. Bob brought to the resort his many years experience in small business and his skills as a teacher. Chris brought her artist’s eye and skill as a people person. The kids brought their energy and cute antics to make instant friends of the resort’s guests.

Over the years from 1986 until now, the Peltzer family has left their mark on the property. Events at the resort have taken on a major role and now seem to be as strong a reason for coming here as fishing has been over the years. Ghost Walks are held each Saturday night and events range from pancake breakfasts to crawdad races and frog jumping contests. Each summer weekend features some different event. The Peltzer family also has a strong sense of preservation. Starting in 1987, Bob began to rebuild those cottages originally built by Peter John Foran. Over the following 5 years, new plumbing, wiring, insulation, windows and more were added to give the cottages a new lease on usefulness. Bob also expanded the campground, installing modern septic, electrical and water systems and eventually establishing 30 new, modern camp sites.

Over the years the Pavilion became known as the lodge and was used for a variety of things. Aside from the ongoing dances, meals were served, folks were married and stories were told. A store operated out of the lodge off and on over the years and during its’ later days it became an amusement arcade. However, time had taken its’ toll and by 1986 the lodge was in fairly bad shape. The roof leaked and sagged and one wall bowed outwards like a balloon. Most folks suggested a bulldozer as the best remodeling tool. The Peltzers had other ideas.

Starting in the fall of 1995 the decision was made to bring the vision of restoring the lodge to its’ former glory into reality. Since the goal was to preserve the building and give it longevity well into the next century, a proper foundation had to be laid. The lodge was raised off its’ stones and the area under it excavated for a modern block foundation. The following spring, Henri Jorzik of Foymount was hired to construct the stone fireplace which would be the centerpiece of the restoration. The stone used for this construction came from the foundation of an old milk shed off the original homestead at the back of the resort property. Henri was assisted by a young man, Danny Coughlin and the son of the resort’s owner, James Peltzer. The fall of 1996 saw construction begin on the shell of an addition to the back of the building. Over the next 3 years the old section of the building was carefully rebuilt with new wiring, plumbing, and insulation. With the exception of a few contracts for technical projects such as heating, Bob Peltzer undertook nearly all the restoration work himself. It was a slow and tedious labour that at times seemed like it would continue without end. However, in the fall of 1998 the lodge was used again for the first time in over 15 years. Although the walls were still unfinished, and the lighting supplied by an extension cord from the house next door, 102 guests set down to Thanksgiving dinner. The torch was passing. Interior work continued over the next 18 months and in May of 2000 the new century saw the rebirth of house that Peter John built in 1929.

This year we celebrate 75 continuous years of this business serving the public. It should be considered a work in progress: always ongoing and never finished. The resort has seen many changes since the day Peter John Foran set his plan in motion but one thing has remained the same: The people. Today as in 1929 the people who come to this resort leave relaxed and fulfilled. Yesterday as today this place refreshes the human soul. May it continue to do so for another 75 years!

Written by Bob Peltzer with special thanks to Lawrence P. Foran for the early history of the Foran family and the property and to Lillian St. Cyr for some Foran family photographs.