‘Dolmen Stones’ – White River and Ignace

A Mystery with Various Answers

by Back Roads Bill

A common proverb says, “Truth is in the eye of the beholder.” There are many examples of rather significant known truths now known to be wrong. For instance, the earth was once believed to be the center of the universe.

There are many mysteries off of the back roads. There are mystery stone configurations around the world like Stonhenge, Britain’s greatest prehistoric monument. Stonehenge remains a mystery as scientists ask: was it a health spa, or a cemetery?

Dolmen Mystery Stones

There are dolmen stones in northern Ontario.   A dolmen usually consists of three or more upright stones supporting a larger stone. It remains unclear when, why, and by whom the earliest dolmens were made.

The oldest known dolmens are in Western Europe, where they were set in place around 7000 years ago. Archaeologists still do not know who erected these dolmens, which makes it difficult to know why they did it. They are generally all regarded as tombs or burial chambers, despite the absence of clear evidence for this. Human remains, sometimes accompanied by artifacts, have been found in or close to them, which could be scientifically dated, but it has been impossible to prove that these archaeological remains date from the time when the stones were original. Most date from the early Neolithic period (4000 to 3000 BC). Dolmens were usually covered with earth or smaller stones to form a barrow, though in many cases that covering has weathered away, leaving only the stone “skeleton” of the burial mound intact.

In North America many people have attached different theories and legends to the dolmen–some of them are: these are burial markers, it’s a Viking marker; a way to communicate as route way markers or it is a glacier erratic.

Dennis Smyk a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, is the editor of the Driftwood newspaper in Ignace and a licenced avocational archaeologist. He has identified and registered hundreds of archaeological sites throughout northwestern Ontario. “I can’t “write up” the one we visited because they are not recognized as archaeological sites (unless one finds other stuff [Native artifacts or pictographs] on the sites). I have a difficult time accepting that the glaciers deposited so many large stones on top of two or more smaller ones. I think I may have mentioned I noted one in a photo illustrating a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. I contacted officials who shrugged it off because of the attitude about them. The Ignace site (and its location below) was found by my friend, Andy Kasaboski.”

Most prescribe to the erratic theory.   A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests these are found just about everywhere in northern Ontario. “Erratics” take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres. Erratics can range in size from pebbles to large boulders. Since they are transported by glaciers, they are one of a series of indicators which mark the path of prehistoric glacier movement. Their lithographic origin can be traced to the parent bedrock, allowing for confirmation of the ice flow route.

When you visit a number of dolmen sites your mind starts to behave like the proverbial pendulum.   Is it by happen stance the melting ice occurred in such a way the larger boulder became supported by the smaller?

See the Stones for Yourself

There are three dolmen stones to find, with the directions, maps and coordinates, these are easy to discover. Start with entering the coordinates on Google Earth and zoom out to the main access roads or points.

One is found in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area adjacent to Quetico Provincial Park. Start at the Sawbill access point campground, which is 37 km north of Tofte, Minnesota (County Rd. 2); 109 km from the Canadian border (57 km SW of Thunder Bay on Highway 61). This can be a day trip or overnight loop route.   To find the dolmen, paddle north along the Kelso River.   Before you reach Lajenida Lake, you’ll see the dolmen on the eastern shoreline, on a slightly elevated bedrock outcrop, about 20 m from the waterline. It’s easy to miss, so keep your eyes peeled.   Locals claim the dolmen had runes (old Norse inscriptions)–now gone–carved into it. Found at WGS 84 15T E 656208 N 5309535 or N47° 55’ 12.3” W90° 54’ 32.8”. There is a YouTube video (with a map) – ‘Kelso River Route: The Hunt for the Viking Dolmen,’ (4: 58).

Two, travel northwest of Thunder Bay on Hwy 17 to Ignace. West on Hwy. 17 for 24 km to the Doreen Lake Rd., heading south to south east for 24 km. Turn ESE or left on to Moosehide Rd. Drive 2.5 km and you will cross a small bridge and another 2.0 km and you will come to an access with lakes on both sides of the road. Take the lake (referred to as Devil’s Gap Lake) on the south or right side. Paddle south to the east shore (1 km) of the first lake (no name). Portage to the second no name lake and paddle to the SE bay and the dolmen is close to the water’s edge on the SE shore 15 U 581575 5455282 or N49° 14’41.5” W91° 52’ 45.1” (also a day trip). Topo maps 52 G5 Ignace and 52 G4 White Otter Lake will help. (There is a great set of pictographs on Devil’s Gap Lake – part of the Turtle River Provincial Park canoe route- south of the gap on the west shore.)

Three is near White River, west of Wawa; also a day trip. At the north end of town, just past the mill, turn west or left off of Highway 17. Cross the railway tracks and the White River bridge on the Domtar 600 Rd. , heading southwards. At 8.9 km there is a junction, turn south, then drive another 20.3 km from the junction. These are good logging roads. Access is on Soulier Lake, paddle to NE corner, through the wetland to the Pokei River (Topo 42 C6 – Pokei Lake). The dolmen stone is another 2 km, on the south side of the small river island. 16 U 625113 5360902 or N 48° 23 21.3” W85° 18’ 38.3”

The truth about the dolmen stones rests with what you want to see, hear, and know.; maybe we never want to know? The pursuit of finding other stones continues, along with the mystery.