We came across Dyer Memorial on a beautiful fall day of geocaching. There were a couple of caches located at this spot and having been up Williamsport Road to launch kayaks for the paddle through Arrowhead Provincial Park a few weeks before, we knew it wasn’t that far beyond.
About 2 kilometres off Williamsport Road you’ll see the sign to the right to Dyer Memorial. It’s more of a track than a road but is easily navigable, and winds high above the Big East River to a small parking area.
A long set of flagstone steps lead up to the monument and the peaceful parkland surrounding it. The monument was erected in 1956 by Detroit lawyer and longtime Huntsville visitor, Clifton Dyer, in memory of his wife Betsy. The plaque reads:
“ERECTED IN FOND MEMORY OF BETSY BROWN DYER 1884-1956 BY HER HUSBAND CLIFTON G. DYER 1885-1959 AS A PERMANENT TRIBUTE TO HER FOR THE NEVER-FAILING AID, ENCOURAGEMENT AND INSPIRATION WHICH SHE CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR MARRIED CAREER AND AS A FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR THEIR ASHES.”
Clifton Dyer was a Detroit lawyer who brought his wife to Huntsville for their honeymoon in 1916. For many years after that, they revisited the spot, staying in a cabin above the Big East River. They even visited in the winter making the trek to the cabin by horse and sled and spent their time skiing in the area.
When Betsy died in 1956, her husband was determined that Betsy would never leave the place she loved so much, so he began the project to construct the memorial as the final resting place for her ashes.
After Clifton passed away 3 years later his ashes were also interred within the monument and a trust was set up to manage and maintain the memorial and surrounding area. For decades it was well-kept until the trust money began to run out and the dedicated caretaker also died and nature and the forest began to reclaim the area.
By 2010 the natural elements began to take over and the site was in danger of becoming overgrown and forgotten. Muskoka Conservancy stepped in and in the ten years under their protection the area has once again become a place of tranquility and serenity and a lovely spot to visit. In 2016, numerous trees were planted to create the Dyer Memorial
Forest.
There are some lovely trails leading from the memorial – and if you enjoy geocaching, a couple of caches to find.
Take a picnic, explore the trails and enjoy the tranquility.
Dyer Memorial is about 10 minutes out of town. The road up to the car parking area is not maintained so probably not best for low slung vehicles, but an SUV should be able to navigate the road with little issue. There are no services here so bring snacks and water.
