Oiseau Bay Cottage Resort
Our History
For over a century, Oiseau Bay has been shaped by the people who lived, worked, and returned to this stretch of the Ottawa River. What began as a single campsite grew into a working farm, a gathering place, and a long-standing family property. The story below traces the origins of Oiseau Bay, its early years, and the stewardship that has carried it forward to today.
For over a century, Oiseau Bay has been shaped by the people who lived, worked, and returned to this stretch of the Ottawa River. What began as a single campsite grew into a working farm, a gathering place, and a long-standing family property. The story below traces the origins of Oiseau Bay, its early years, and the stewardship that has carried it forward to today.
In 1917, Oiseau Bay’s story began by chance. While on a Canadian canoe trip, American entrepreneur P.K. Smith pitched his tent along the shores of the Ottawa River at what is now Oiseau Bay. Waking to the sunrise and the quiet beauty of the surroundings, he wrote in his journal that he would “never spend a whole year cooped up in an office again.” That moment marked the beginning of a lifelong connection to the land.
The following year, P.K. purchased the property where he had camped and set out to establish what became Oiseau Bay Farm. He built the River Cabin on the very spot of his first night’s camp, followed by the Farmhouse for his year-round caretaker and the Lodge, which served as a summer home base for himself and friends. In 1944, the final building was added, the White Cottage, constructed to provide refuge for a couple fleeing wartime Europe.
The following year, P.K. purchased the property where he had camped and set out to establish what became Oiseau Bay Farm. He built the River Cabin on the very spot of his first night’s camp, followed by the Farmhouse for his year-round caretaker and the Lodge, which served as a summer home base for himself and friends. In 1944, the final building was added, the White Cottage, constructed to provide refuge for a couple fleeing wartime Europe.
Over the years, Oiseau Bay grew into a thriving and remarkably self-sufficient farming operation. The land supported expansive hay and oat fields for work horses, an operational lumber mill, and one of the property’s most ambitious undertakings: a large hydro-electric dam. This achievement made Oiseau Bay Farm one of the earliest properties in the area to generate its own electricity.
Over the years, Oiseau Bay grew into a thriving and remarkably self-sufficient farming operation. The land supported expansive hay and oat fields for work horses, an operational lumber mill, and one of the property’s most ambitious undertakings: a large hydro-electric dam. This achievement made Oiseau Bay Farm one of the earliest properties in the area to generate its own electricity.
In the 1970s, P.K.’s descendants sold the property to a group of local residents from Deep River, including John Hilborn, a renowned nuclear scientist at Canada’s Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. In 1999, John’s son, Cameron Hilborn, took over stewardship of the farm and began a careful, long-term restoration of the historic buildings, returning them to their original grandeur while preserving their integrity.
In the 1970s, P.K.’s descendants sold the property to a group of local residents from Deep River, including John Hilborn, a renowned nuclear scientist at Canada’s Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. In 1999, John’s son, Cameron Hilborn, took over stewardship of the farm and began a careful, long-term restoration of the historic buildings, returning them to their original grandeur while preserving their integrity.
Today, Oiseau Bay remains a place where history and nature meet. Cameron and his family continue to care for the property, welcoming guests to stay in the same buildings that have stood along the river for generations. These cabins now host people drawn to the same qualities that inspired P.K. Smith nearly a century ago: nature, adventure, independence, and curiosity. We believe he would be proud to see the legacy continue.
The historic photographs featured here are courtesy of P.K. Smith’s grandchildren—Chip, Colleen, and Marjorie—and offer a rare glimpse into the early days of Oiseau Bay. Our sincere thanks to them for helping preserve and share this history.
