The Township of Ear Falls

There are different versions of the story of how Ear Falls came to get its name. The following are three versions of the story found in the museum archives:

Ear Falls was once known as Otahwaka Powitek to the Ojibwa people. This area was believed to be haunted by the spirit of a giant beaver which lived between the upper and lower falls. It was said that when the beaver was swimming, its ears could be seen rising and falling in the foaming water. It is from this myth that the name Ear Falls was adopted.

Legends have produced the names of many local spots, and one such name is Ear Falls. According to information provided by Gerald Bannatyne, a collector of artifacts, aboriginal people living on Goose Island were travelling past the rapids which are now known as Ear Falls, when they saw something that frightened them.