Most of us can’t imagine going to school
by canoe, never mind only having six other classmates. Every
morning Bill brought into that canoe, his books, his rifle
and a bag of traps eager with great anticipation of another
exciting and adventurous day.
 At twelve years old the natural wonders of a beaver dam
on Godffrey’s pond , trapping mink along the creek and
exploring the bush was unrivaled. It was all that he could
do to stay put in that little schoolhouse off the canal.
Of course like any good story the boy needs a travelling companion.
Enter ‘Darkie’, you guessed it Bill’s dog,
a black lab and his best friend. Darkie would travel alone
from Deerhurst everyday to meet Bill at 3:00 sharp.
 The two of them would trek down South Portage Road, which
led to the creek and disappear into the bush, returning home
when it was pitch black. These adventures would last throughout
the fall and into the winter. “Mink pelts are at their
best in November” says Waterhouse. Bill recalls skinning
a mink in his family basement one night when his parents were
entertaining a bridge party. With a mischievous boys smile
on his face he explains… “Mink have pouches like
skunks and I accidentally cut it open. needless to say, my
parents guests went home early that night.”
 Throughout the year there was always the Speckled trout to
catch, lizards to chase, and of course the beavers to watch.
Godffrey’s Pond became famous for the best Speckled Trout
fishing in the area.
Bill’s father had purchased the 400 acres home to the
now famous fishing hole for the private use of Deerhurst guests.
Bill then a teenager, realized that trapping was quite cruel
and instead felt the need to protect the wildlife. Bill applied
for a license to declare the property a nature sanctuary and
traded in his gun for a camera. At the same time Bill knew
that a more permanent and accessible path to the pond was required
and contracted Bordie Boothby, a new contractor, to clear the
first road to the pond in the mid 60’s.
Some of these pine trees planted by Bill & Bob will
be used to build an authentic wilderness cabin within the
sanctuary. Jeremy Waterhouse and Roy Vanduzen check out
the trees. |
Today Bordie Boothby is a very successful contractor and is
synonymous with Huntsville aggregation and development. He
was the man who would also build the first road in Phase I
at Woodland Heights.
Bill, along with childhood chum Bobby Rye planted all the
pine trees on lots 18 & 19 Phase III, in 1947. Robert Rye
is now the attorney for Woodland Heights.
The efforts of developing Hidden Valley sub-division & Ski
Hill, and the development of Deerhurst kept Bill very busy.
Although out of sight, the Beaver Pond was not out of mind.
Bill purchased the 400 acres from his father in 1975 and in
1988 bought the 100 acres adjacent to the Beaver Pond and the
now 500-acre property is Woodland Heights. That famous Beaver
Pond now sits within a nature sanctuary as promised
by that small boy. The world famous Naturalist Robin Tapley
has agreed to spearhead the growth and evolution of the Sanctuary.
It is remarkable how these early trips to the Beaver Pond
would soon shape the future. Today, 58 years later Woodland
Heights is the finest residential resort community in Muskoka
and the Beaver Pond is as adventurous as ever.
  
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Left – Maurice Willard Waterhouse a.k.a. ‘Partridge
Bill’. The outfit was a gift from ‘Speed’ Jack
Wadsworth purchased in Cincinnati.
