The people of Killarney had been dependent on water travel for more than 140 years when Highway 637 was officially opened in the summer of 1962.
Killarney was known by its Ojibwe name -- Shebahonaning (safe, or narrow, passage) -- when its first white settler, Etienne Rocbert de la Morandiere, arrived here with his family in 1820. The mode of travel to and from the village changed over the years, but until the building of the Killarney Highway, the route remained the same -- over the water.
Over the water by canoe, sailboat, steamer, tug, and motor boat. Across the ice on foot, on skates, by dog team, horse and sleigh, and automobile. In later years...
Norgoma, last steamer to call regularly at Killarney. She brought passengers and freight until 1963, one year after Highway 637 was officially opened.
de la Morandieres regain Indian status
Descendants of the de la Morandiere family inside and outside the community, whether searching for evidence of Indian or Metis Status or simply for knowledge about their family history, will find the following to be of interest.
It concerns the children of Charles and Josephte (Sheppard) de la Morandiere, and in particular their sons Pierre Regis, Dominique and Charles Alfred. Because it relates to Indian Status, a brief history of the laws surrounding the practice of enfranchisement and the Indian Register is presented first to set the information in context.