94-560: The Township of Muskoka Lakes is a municipality of the District Municipality of Muskoka , Ontario , Canada. It has a year-round population of 7,652. The municipal offices are located in Port Carling . The area now covered by the township was opened for settlement and organized in 1870 into the following geographic (and sometime municipal) townships of Watt, Cardwell, Humphrey, Christie, Medora and Wood. In 1971,
188-697: A Forest Management Plan prepared according to Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry requirements. The planning process includes public consultation opportunities at several stages of preparation. The 2010–2020 approved Forest Management Plan for the Algonquin Park Forest, the 2015–2020 Phase 2 Plan, and the associated Annual Work Schedules and Reports are available on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's website. An Act to establish "Algonquin National Park of Ontario"
282-468: A dense clay, the soil in the region turned out to be poorly suited to farming. As news of the difficult conditions spread back to the south, development in Muskoka began to falter, but development of the steamship revived industry. In a time when the railroads had not yet arrived and road travel was notoriously unreliable and uncomfortable, the transportation king was the steamship . Once a land connection
376-522: A large Indigenous population, but written evidence suggests that until very recent years it has harboured only nomadic groups. Largely the land of the Ojibwa people, European inhabitants ignored it while settling what they thought were the more promising area south of the Severn River . The Ojibwa leader associated with the area was "Mesqua Ukie", for whom the land is believed named, as he was liked by
470-479: A larger total protected area. Its size, combined with its proximity to the major urban centres of Toronto and Ottawa , makes Algonquin one of the most popular provincial parks in the province and the country. Highway 60 runs through the south end of the park, while the Trans-Canada Highway bypasses it to the north. Over 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometres of streams and rivers are located within
564-486: A lesser extent, Germany began to arrive. As the land south of the Severn was settled, the government planned to open the Muskoka region further north to settlement. Logging licences were issued in 1866 which opened Monck Township to logging. The lumber industry expanded rapidly, denuding huge tracts of the area. Road and water transportation was developed and used later to facilitate town settlement. Road transportation took
658-420: A living from the rocky soil soon found demand for overnight accommodations arriving on their doorsteps. Some made the switch quickly and converted to boarding houses and hotels. The first wilderness hotel, called Rosseau House, was built at the head of Lake Rosseau in 1870. It was owned by New Yorker William H. Pratt . The idea caught on and the number of tourists increased, establishing the tourist industry as
752-431: A number of ancillary developments, with settlements springing up to supply the workers. Bracebridge (formerly North Falls) saw some leather-tanning businesses develop. Tanners used the bark from lumber to tan hides, turning what would otherwise be a waste product to effective use. The District was created in 1868, through the withdrawal of townships and unorganized territory from three other jurisdictions: together with
846-584: A pristine wilderness canoe journey through vastness of the park, allows the tourist to enjoy the interior of Algonquin Park in ways inaccessible by any other means. The "Friends of Algonquin Park" organization publishes an authoritative map and guide called Canoe Routes of Algonquin Park . Although there are numerous drive-in campgrounds in Algonquin, the park is better known for its interior camping; that is, campsites which are only accessible by canoe or hiking in
940-614: A review of the District's local government arrangements. The report was released in June 1969, and its recommendations were substantially adopted by the new Minister Darcy McKeough , and subsequently implemented in January 1971, when the entire District was formally established as an upper-tier municipality consisting of the following municipalities: As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada ,
1034-399: A transitional area between the geographic regions. Muskoka is a summer destination for Toronto residents and was the #1 most searched Canadian destination for vacation rentals in 2017. It was ranked #1 for Best Trips of 2011 by National Geographic , and was a finalist for the same distinction in 2012. The municipality's name derives from a First Nations chief of the 1850s. Lake Muskoka
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#17327872935091128-419: A video presentation. The museum is open seasonally. One annual feature worthy of note at the museum is "Logger's Day", typically held in late July or early August each year. This festivity includes musicians, a logger's old style lunch, activities for children, interpretive actors, and forest industry representatives. Canoe camping is one of the most popular activities. This wilderness experience, essentially,
1222-481: A year – two issues in spring, two in summer, one in the fall, and one in the winter. Opened in 1992, the Algonquin Logging Museum is located by the park's east gate. A 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) trail features a recreated logging camp, a steam-powered amphibious tug called an " alligator ", logging equipment and interpretive panels about logging industry activities in the park. Exhibits include
1316-418: Is Orthic Humo-Ferric Podzol . The most common soil series on till upland is Monteagle , while Wendigo dominates the outwash area. Classic podzol profile development with a well-defined eluvial (Ae) horizon is the rule; however, in some areas this horizon has been obliterated by disturbance such as earthworm activity. Concerns about effects of non-native earthworms on park soil ecosystems have not led to
1410-434: Is based on investigations into scar marks which are left in the growth rings of trees that survive forest fires. Data obtained from such scar marks make it possible to approximate the date of a past fire. Industrial logging continues in significant portions of the park's interior. After 2013 amendments to the park management plan, 65.3% of the park (498,785 hectares) remains in the recreation/utilization zone where logging
1504-549: Is displayed to enable a visitor to be oriented to the size and geography of the park. In a flow-through style, exhibits continue with many taxidermied species set in their native surroundings, then progresses, in a chronological manner, through an extensive collection of artifacts relating to human intervention in the park. The centre also includes a video theatre, a gift shop, a panoramic outdoor viewing deck, and an art gallery—"The Algonquin Room"—with changing exhibits of art related to
1598-402: Is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with late summer/early fall being the wettest months and the winter months being the driest. As a result of its beauty, Algonquin Park became recognized by nature preservationists. It quickly became popular with anglers , though hunting was prohibited. The landscapes of Algonquin Park attracted artists such as Tom Thomson along with members of
1692-492: Is permitted. Numerous methods of logging take place throughout the park including clear cutting , selection cutting and shelterwood cutting . As of 2009 , the Algonquin Forestry Authority is currently reviewing an application that would allow for expansion of current logging roads and the addition of new ones. Forestry activities in Algonquin, including logging are carried out in accordance with
1786-529: Is populated with several villages and towns, farming communities, lakeside vacation hotels and resorts near golf courses , country clubs , and marinas . Its regional government seat is Bracebridge and its largest population centre is Huntsville . Muskoka is geographically within the Central Ontario region of the province, although it is treated as part of Northern Ontario and even Eastern Ontario by some government programs due to its status as
1880-540: Is possible to spend several days in the interior with few or no sightings of other campers. Park staff maintain portages between all major and even smaller lakes, and interior campsite reservations can be made through the main Ontario Parks reservation system. There are also three areas of back-country hiking trails, with sub-loops ranging from 6 to 88 kilometres (3.7 to 54.7 mi) long. These hiking trails have their own dedicated campsites, typically located on
1974-408: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Muskoka Lakes had a population of 7,652 living in 3,529 of its 9,443 total private dwellings, a change of 16.2% from its 2016 population of 6,588 . With a land area of 774.46 km (299.02 sq mi), it had a population density of 9.9/km (25.6/sq mi) in 2021. Timber was initially the greatest economic attraction for
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#17327872935092068-547: The American War of Independence , the British North America government feared invasion from its new neighbour to the south. The authorities began exploring the region, hoping to develop a settled population and find travel lanes between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay. The first European known to have caught even a glimpse of Muskoka or Haliburton was a French youth, usually identified as Étienne Brûlé , and
2162-556: The Group of Seven . Thomson served as a guide in the park, often working from Mowat Lodge. He did much of his painting at Canoe Lake , and a favourite campsite of his was behind Hayhurst Point, a peninsula overlooking the central portion of the lake. Many of Thomson's most significant paintings are of Algonquin Park, including The Jack Pine and The West Wind . He died under mysterious circumstances at Canoe Lake in 1917. A plaque recognizing his national historic significance stands at
2256-474: The Highland Inn , near Park Headquarters. Built on a hill behind Algonquin Park station, the two-storey year-round resort was an immediate success. Soon other guest lodges were established in the park. To the west side of Highland Inn, land was cleared and raised wooden platforms erected, on which tents (supplied by the hotel), were put up to meet the requirements of the rapidly growing tourist trade. At
2350-538: The Nipissing II plied the lakes of Muskoka for decades before decommission in 1914. In 1924, the vessel was outfitted with twin propeller engines and in 1925 was relaunched with an Ojibwe name, Segwun , meaning "springtime." Royal Mail Ship Segwun is still in operation today in Gravenhurst, Ontario, functioning as a pleasure cruise vessel and still delivering mail. World War I caused a significant dip in
2444-605: The Ottawa River , mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District . Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Additions since its creation have increased the park to its current size of about 7,653 km (2,955 sq mi). The park is contiguous with several smaller, administratively separate provincial parks that protect important rivers in the area, resulting in
2538-643: The Pleistocene epoch left a mantle of glacial till plus sandy and gravelly outwash deposits. Soils in the park are mostly coarse-textured and of poor quality, typical of the Canadian Shield. The hilly western side (which includes all of the Highway 60 Corridor) has a stony fine sandy loam glacial till which holds water better than the very coarse outwash soils which dominate the eastern side. The dominant soil classification on well drained forest soils
2632-488: The "United Provisional Judicial District of Muskoka and Parry Sound", but it did have its own District Court and Surrogate Court This would continue until 1899, when Muskoka and Parry Sound were divided into separate provisional judicial districts. In 1967, the Muskoka District Council was advised that J.W. Spooner , Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs , had appointed Donald M. Paterson to conduct
2726-610: The 1930s. Four research facilities exist: Harkness Laboratory of Fisheries Research, Wildlife Research Station, Timber Research Station, and the visitor centre. Over 1800 scientific papers have been published on research done in the park, covering almost every aspect of the park: wildlife, geology, forestry, history, human impacts, etc. In addition, the Park forms a radio quiet zone for the Algonquin Radio Observatory (ARO). Algonquin Park has been home to many historic summer camps including: Camps are members of
2820-675: The 1950s and 1960s, it became clear that a long-term plan to manage the park was required. Six years of consultation with park users resulted in the 1974 publication of the Algonquin Master Plan, a management plan that sought to ensure that the park could continue indefinitely to serve all of the competing park interests. Three major changes came about as a result of the plan. One, the park was divided into zones with different specified purposes and uses: Nature Reserve and Historic (5.7% of land area), Wilderness (12%), Development (4.3%) and Recreation-Utilization (78%) zones. Logging in
2914-622: The District Municipality of Muskoka had a population of 66,674 living in 28,571 of its 47,560 total private dwellings, a change of 10% from its 2016 population of 60,614 . With a land area of 3,839.47 km (1,482.43 sq mi), it had a population density of 17.4/km (45.0/sq mi) in 2021. Algonquin Provincial Park Algonquin Provincial Park is an Ontario provincial park located between Georgian Bay and
Muskoka Lakes - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-537: The District of Muskoka." Its constituent municipalities were: Its authority did not extend to the geographic townships. Provision was made in 1888 for a procedure to erect the District into a provisional county, but it was never invoked and was quietly repealed in 1911. The District, unlike a county in Ontario, did not initially have the status of being a separate judicial district. Such an identity followed that for municipal purposes until 1888, when it became part of
3102-631: The European Canadians. The tribe lived south of the region, near present-day Orillia . They used Muskoka as their hunting grounds. Another Ojibwa tribe lived in the area of Port Carling, then called "Obajewanung". The tribe moved to Parry Sound around 1866. In the present day, Muskoka contains four First Nations reserves: Until the late 1760s, the European presence in the region was largely limited to seasonal fur trappers , but no significant trading settlements were established. Following
3196-572: The Forestry Branch), and Aubrey White (Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands). Their report recommended the establishment of a park in the territory lying near and enclosing the headwaters of five major rivers, those being: the Muskoka , Little Madawaska River (including Opeongo ), Amable du Fond River, Petawawa River, and South rivers. The commissioners remarked in their report: "the experience of older countries had everywhere shown that
3290-576: The GTR as affiliates of the Highland Inn. A second railway, the Canadian Northern (CNoR), was built across the northern portion of the park, opening in 1915. Both lines later became part of Canadian National Railway . The beginning of the end of rail service in the park happened in 1933 when a flood damaged an old Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway trestle on Cache Lake. The trestle
3384-633: The Muskoka County Council. The township is located on Canadian Shield and thus is marked with outcrops of igneous rock and evergreen trees. Although inland from both Lake Huron 's Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe , the township contains the Muskoka Lakes consisting of Lake Muskoka , Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph , amongst many other smaller lakes. Protected areas in Muskoka Lakes include Hardy Lake Provincial Park and Torrance Barrens Conservation Area. The township contains
3478-412: The Muskoka census division but are independent of the District Municipality. Geography drove history in the Muskoka region. Studded with lakes and rocks, the good land offered an abundance of fishing, hunting, and trapping, but was poorly suited to farming. The Muskoka and Haliburton area, with its chain of lakes and rivers, its fur-bearing animals, its fish, wild fruit, and maple sap, would have supported
3572-549: The Norma and Miller Alloway Muskoka Lakes Library main branch in the town of Port Carling , and three small branches housed in the community centres of Bala , Milford Bay, and Walker's Point. District Municipality of Muskoka The District Municipality of Muskoka , more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka or Muskoka , is a regional municipality in Central Ontario , Canada. It extends from Georgian Bay in
3666-642: The Ontario Camping Association. Algonquin is almost entirely underlain by the Precambrian -era metamorphic and igneous rock of the Canadian Shield . Quartz-feldspar gneiss and granite are among the most common types. More mafic rock such as hornblende-biotite gneiss and gabbro are occasionally found. The Brent Crater has Ordovician period sedimentary rock, chiefly limestone and sandstone . Glaciation during
3760-509: The Oxtongue River towards Lake of Bays and eventually on to Trenton . In the same year the park headquarters was established near the logging camp. The arrival of the railway had provided easy access for the lumbermen as well. The Gilmour firm decided to put up a sawmill closer to their source of timber. By 1897 the village of Mowat had grown to 500 residents and there were 18 km (11 mi) of railway siding. The same year saw
3854-573: The Visitor Centre dock on Canoe Lake, erected by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada . Friends of the painter erected a cairn and totem pole memorial on Hayhurst Point, near the north end of the lake. Algonquin is popular for year-round outdoor activities. There are over 1,200 campsites in eight designated campgrounds along Highway 60 in the south end of the park, with almost 100 others in three other campgrounds across
Muskoka Lakes - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-476: The area within Algonquin had been under license for some time, it was intended to make the park an example of good forestry practices. Only licenses to cut pine would be issued. The commissioners had recommended that when the hardwood was mature, it too should be cut. Researchers believe that smoke from a forest fire in Algonquin Park was responsible for New England's Dark Day of May 19, 1780. This
4042-532: The area's beauty was recognized by nature preservationists. To manage these conflicting interests, the Ontario Government appointed a commission to inquire into and report on the matter. The act to establish Algonquin Park was drawn up in 1892 by this five member Royal Commission , made up of Alexander Kirkwood (the chairman and Commissioner of Crown Lands), James Dickson (Ontario Land Surveyor), Archibald Blue (director of mines), Robert Phipps (head of
4136-438: The availability of the automobile, improved roads, and the newly affordable fiberglass boat. Suddenly owning a summer cottage became possible not only for the adventurous or the wealthy, but for many in the middle class. They traveled by private automobiles, and the steamship companies were forced to retire their ships one by one, until the last sailing in the late 1950s. The District was formed from unorganized territory which
4230-545: The boundaries of the District were formally defined by statute: Although the townships were part of the District, they were still allied with their original counties for municipal purposes. This was rectified in 1877, when all of the District was declared to be within Simcoe County. This lasted until 1888, when it was separated from that County. The passage of the Free Grants and Homestead Act of 1868 , opened
4324-519: The centres of wealthy vacationers' lives, and families conducted extended stays that could stretch for weeks or months in the summer. As families became seasonally established, they began building cottages near the hotels; at first simple affairs replicating the rustic environment of the early camps. Later they built grander homes, including in some cases, housing for significant domestic staff. Initially cottagers relied on rowboats and canoes for daily transport and would sometimes row substantial distances. In
4418-733: The communities of Bala , Bala Park, Bardsville, Barlochan, Beaumaris , Baysville, Bear Cave, Beatrice, Bent River, Brackenrig, Cedar Village, Dee Bank, Dixon's Corners, Dudley, Duffy, Echo Beach, Ferndale, Foot's Bay, Glen Orchard, Gregory, Gull Rock, Hekkla, Inverness Lodge, Juddhaven, Mendora, Milford Bay, Minett, Morinus, Mortimers Point, Park Beach, Port Carling , Port Keewaydin, Port Sandfield , Raymond, Redwood, Roderick, Rossclair, Rosseau Falls, Rostrevor, Shannon Hall, Sunset Beach, Thorel House, Tomelin Bluffs, Torrance, Ufford, Ullswater, Valley Green Beach, Walkers Point, Willow Beach, Whiteside, Windermere , Woodington, Woodward Station and Ziska. In
4512-513: The country; its role in inspiring artists, which in turn gave Canadians a greater sense of their country; and historic structures such as lodges, hotels, cottages, camps, entrance gates (the West Gate was designed by George H. Williams, Chief Architect and Deputy Minister of Public Works for the Province of Ontario), a railway station, and administration and museum buildings. Algonquin Park is
4606-443: The current municipal structure took hold when Cardwell Township, Watt Township, Medora and Wood Townships, Bala , Port Carling , Windermere and part of Monck Township were merged. Muskoka is governed by an elected Town Council consisting of a Mayor, District Councillors and Councillors representing each of the town's three wards . In addition, three Regional Councillors each represent a ward each. The Mayor and Councillors sit on
4700-532: The era of the steam and gasoline launch, tourists relied less on muscle power and more on motors. With the boats, the wealthier summer people built boathouses, often elaborate structures in their own right, in many cases designed with the look and feel of the main "cottage". In 1887, the Nipissing II was built in Glasgow, Scotland and assembled in Gravenhurst, Ontario . Originally a side paddlewheel steamer,
4794-538: The era of widespread settlement to Muskoka. Settlers could receive free land if they agreed to clear the land, have at least 15 acres (6.1 ha) under cultivation, and build a 16x20 ft, or 320-square-foot (30 m ) house. Settlers under the Homestead Act, however, found the going hard. Clearing 15 acres of dense forest is a huge task. Once the land was clear, the settlers had to attack Muskoka's ubiquitous rocks, which also had to be cleared. Consisting largely of
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#17327872935094888-400: The first chief ranger of Algonquin Park, was responsible for establishing park boundaries, constructing buildings, and posting notices to warn hunters and trappers against trespassing. He liaised with timber operators, oversaw the removal of settlers and their homes, and notified local Algonquin natives that they could no longer hunt, trap or live in the area. Park rangers began patrolling
4982-540: The form of the Muskoka Colonization Road, begun in 1858 and reaching Bracebridge in 1861. The road was roughly cut through from the woods and was of corduroy construction. Logs were placed perpendicular to the route of travel to keep carriages from sinking in the mud and swamps. This made for extremely rugged travel. The railroad pushed north to support the industry, reaching Gravenhurst in 1875 and Bracebridge in 1885. The lumbering industry spawned
5076-462: The government to open the entire Muskoka lake system to navigation. He urged installing locks in Port Carling and opening a cut between Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph at Port Sanfield . The government was eager to reinforce development in light of the faltering agricultural plan, and built the big locks in Port Carling in 1871. Cockburn's steamers had access to the entire lake system. Through
5170-588: The great steamers of the Muskoka Navigation Co, such as the Sagamo . Making regular stops up the lakes, including at Bracebridge, Beaumaris, and Port Carling, tourists could transfer to smaller ships, such as the Islander. These could reach smaller ports. Improving transportation links opened smaller or more remote upper Muskoka lakes (Fairy, Vernon, Mary, Peninsula and Lake of Bays) to tourism around
5264-401: The latest version being published in 1999. The park has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Climate Classification Dfb ) with long, cold, snowy winters and warm summers. In winter, temperatures frequently drop below −20 °C (−4.0 °F) while in summer, temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86.0 °F) 9 days per year. Precipitation averages 810 mm (32 in) per year, which
5358-479: The northern and eastern edges. There is also the Whitefish Lake group campground with 18 sites of various sizes to accommodate groups of 20, 30, or 40 people. Interior Camping is possible further inside the park at sites accessible only by canoe or on foot. The Algonquin Visitor Centre features exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the park. A large and detailed relief map of southern Ontario
5452-580: The official opening of the railway between Ottawa and Depot Harbour . Park headquarters were also relocated in 1897 from Mowat to a point of land on the north shore of Cache Lake, adjacent to the railway. The O. A. & P. S. put up a station there it named Algonquin Park. The railway, taken over by the Canada Atlantic Railway in 1899, was in turn sold to the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) in 1905. In 1898 George W. Bartlett
5546-420: The only designated park within the province of Ontario to allow industrial logging to take place within its borders. In the 19th century, the logging industry cut the large white pine and red pine trees to produce lumber for domestic and American markets, as well as square timber for export to Great Britain. The loggers were followed by small numbers of homesteaders and farmers. Even at that time, however,
5640-480: The park in 1896 provided the first easy access to the area. While the park's purpose was to control settlement within its boundaries, the families of railway workers as well as those of the lumbermen took up residence in the park. The village of Mowat on the west side of Canoe Lake was first established in 1893 as a logging camp for the Gilmour Lumber Company . From there, logs were driven down
5734-506: The park was limited to the Recreation-Utilization zones, but was separated as much as possible from users of the park interior in order to maintain the park's natural environment. Each year only a small percentage of the park is being actively logged. Two, all existing timber licenses were cancelled, and all logging in the park is now done by the Algonquin Forestry Authority, which supplies timber to 10 private mills outside
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#17327872935095828-407: The park's creation saw portions of six new townships added to the existing park's boundaries (Paxton, McCraney, Finlayson, Butt, Ballantyne, and Boyd). The first four were put up for auction that same year. The production of the lumber companies operating in the park at the time increased from 680,000 m (288 million board feet) in 1886 to 809,000 m (343 million board feet) in 1896. Peter Thomson,
5922-486: The park, are seldom seen, especially if appropriate precautions to avoid attracting them are taken. Wolves may be heard, but will likely remain distant from campers. Fishing is allowed in the park for holders of valid Ontario fishing licences, with the purchase of a daily or seasonal vehicle permit as well available through the Ministry of Natural Resources . Fish such as bass, yellow perch, trout and pike can be found in
6016-483: The park, the game protected, and forest fires were suppressed. By 1910 wildlife numbers were increasing. Thousands of people had visited the great pleasure resort and it was said to be undeniably one of the most beautiful natural parks in the Dominion , if not on this continent . All this had entailed a large expenditure by the government, which was recovered chiefly through the maintenance of timber licenses. There
6110-449: The park. Other activities include fishing, mountain biking , horseback riding , cross country skiing , and day hiking. The park has 19 interpretive trails, ranging in length from 1 to 11.7 kilometres (0.62 to 7.27 mi). Each trail comes with a trail guide and is meant to introduce visitors to a different aspect of the park's ecology or history. Algonquin is home to a Natural Heritage Education program. The most popular aspect of
6204-515: The park. Some notable examples include Canoe Lake and the Petawawa , Nipissing , Amable du Fond , Madawaska , and Tim rivers. These were formed by the retreat of the glaciers during the last ice age . The park is considered part of the "border" between Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario . The park is in an area of transition between northern coniferous forest and southern deciduous forest . This unique mixture of forest types, and
6298-483: The park. Three, rules were put in place to limit the impact of recreational use of the park. Almost all cans and bottles are banned in the interior, and limits are placed on the number of people per campsite, and the number of people who can enter the park interior per day at each access point. Also, the use of boat motors is limited, both in power and to a few of the larger and more accessible lakes. The master plan has been reviewed and updated four times since 1974, with
6392-412: The program are the weekly wolf howls. These are held (weather and wolves permitting) on Thursdays in the month of August, and sometimes in the first week of September if there is a Thursday before Labour Day. Park staff attempt to locate a wolf pack on Wednesday evening and, if successful, they announce a public wolf howl the next day. The park also publishes a visitor's newsletter, The Raven , six times
6486-469: The region. The soil is poor and rocky and consequently is not especially suited to agriculture . As the resource industries dried up, the area soon embraced tourism as its economic base because of its proximity to Toronto and the rest of Southern Ontario . For many Ontarians, this is the centre of cottage country . The Muskoka Lakes Township Public Libraries offers research, literature, and cultural resources to local residents. The libraries consist of
6580-548: The shores of Muskoka's four major lakes: Lake Muskoka , Lake Rosseau , Lake Joseph and Lake of Bays . In recent years, various Hollywood and sports stars have built retreats in Muskoka, including Steven Spielberg , Tom Hanks , Mike Weir , Martin Short , Harry Hamlin , Cindy Crawford , and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell . There are six municipalities in Muskoka (in descending order of population): The aboriginal reserves Wahta Mohawk Territory and Moose Point 79 are in
6674-512: The shores of small lakes. Although some lakes have sites for both canoe and hiking access, the sites are designated by type of use. Interior camping can provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The eerie call of the common loon can be heard from every campground and loons can be seen on almost every lake. Moose, deer and beaver can often be seen, especially along waterways, given sufficiently quiet campers. Otters are also present, but less frequently seen. Black bears, although present in
6768-657: The steamer Emily May up the lake to Orillia, and rowed across Lake Couchiching . They walked up the Colonization Road to Gravenhurst, where they vacationed. They liked what they saw and repeated the journey every year, bringing friends and relatives. These early tourist pioneers increased demand for transport services in the region. People were drawn by the fishing, natural environment, and an air free of ragweed, providing relief for hay fever sufferers. Early tourists built camps, but were joined by others desiring better accommodations. Farmers who were barely scratching
6862-765: The steamships, people built cottages farther afield. Demand began dropping for passenger billets on the steamship lines. Meanwhile, demand increased for air transportation. The earliest runways of Muskoka Airport were laid out in 1933. The airport has been intermittently upgraded. It was used strategically during World War II as a training field for the Norwegian Air Force after the Nazi occupation of Norway. The demands of World War II slowed residential development in this area. Wartime shortages kept many Americans at home and many Canadians were engaged in war activities. Postwar prosperity brought another boom based around
6956-418: The summer, or ski or snowshoe in the winter. Algonquin Park provides some of Canada's best canoeing , with hundreds of navigable lakes and rivers forming a 2,000-kilometre-long (1,200 mi) interconnected system of canoe routes. The two main access points to start a trip are located on Canoe Lake and Lake Opeongo. The further a camper proceeds from these access points, the more wild the park becomes, and it
7050-417: The tourist activity for the area and hence the economy. After the war, however, significant advances in the automobile brought demand for improved (paved) roads. These two developments, motorboats and private cars, brought greater overall development of the area; they also stimulated the spread of development around the lakes, as people no longer needed to be near major landings. Freed from the ports of call of
7144-535: The turn of the 20th century, with steamers out of Huntsville servicing hotels like Deerhurst on Peninsula Lake . The Portage Railway between Peninsula Lake and Lake of Bays enabled comparatively easy access to the latter, resulting in a blossoming of tourism there, with 21 hotels eventually springing up, among them notably the Wawa and Britannia hotels and perhaps culminating in the Bigwin Inn . The hotels became
7238-538: The unorganized territory lying between the southern boundary of Humphrey and the Severn River , bounded on the west by the western boundary of Humphrey extended southerly to the Severn River The townships of Stisted, Chaffey, Franklin and Ridout (all from Victoria County) were transferred to the District in 1873, while Humphrey Township was transferred to the Parry Sound District . In 1876,
7332-477: The up-and-coming money earner in the 1880s. The steamship era gave rise to the area's great hotels: Rosseau, Royal Muskoka , Windermere, Clevelands House, Beaumaris, and many more. When the railroad reached Gravenhurst in 1875, the area grew rapidly. Travel from Toronto , Pittsburgh , and New York City became less a matter of endurance than expenditure. Trains regularly made the run from Toronto to Gravenhurst, where travellers and their luggage were transferred to
7426-467: The village of Mowat, abandoned by Gilmour Lumber Co. in 1900, the mill's former boarding house became Mowat Lodge in 1913. The Highland Inn was enlarged, and new camps were built. Nominigan Camp, consisting of a main lodge with six cabins of log construction, was established on Smoke Lake. Camp Minnesing on Burnt Island Lake was created as a wilderness lodge. Both, open only in July and August, were built by
7520-458: The waterways of the park. The further an angler is willing to travel from an access point, the better the fishing. The backcountry lakes do not receive heavy fishing pressure. The non-profit Friends of Algonquin Park operate a tourist information station, CFOA-FM. A direct bus shuttle from Toronto is being run by Parkbus , a non-profit initiative, which is supported by the park. Algonquin Park has been an important arena for research since
7614-530: The west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border of Algonquin Provincial Park in the east. A two-hour drive north of Toronto , it spans 6,475 km (2,500 sq mi). It has some 1,600 lakes, making it a popular cottaging destination. This region, which, along with Haliburton , Kawartha Lakes , and Peterborough County is referred to as " cottage country ", has over 2.1 million visitors annually. Muskoka
7708-452: The wholesale and indiscriminate slaughter of forests brings a host of evils in its train. Wide tracts are converted from fertile plains into arid desert , springs and streams are dried up, and the rainfall, instead of percolating gently through the forest floor and finding its way by easy stages by brook and river to the lower levels, now descends the valley in hurrying torrents, carrying before it tempestuous floods." Although much of
7802-436: The wide variety of environments in the park, allows the park to support an uncommon diversity of plant and animal species. It is also an important site for wildlife research. Algonquin Park was named a National Historic Site in 1992 in recognition of several heritage values including: its role in the development of park management; pioneering visitor interpretation programs later adopted by national and provincial parks across
7896-484: The year was in 1610 or 1611. In 1826, Lieutenant Henry Briscoe became the first European man known to have crossed the middle of Muskoka. The explorer David Thompson drew the first maps of the area in 1837 and possibly camped near present-day Beaumaris. Canada experienced heavy immigration from Europe in the 19th century, and Muskoka was no different. Large numbers of settlers from the United Kingdom , and to
7990-538: The years he added more ships; when he died in 1905, his Muskoka Navigation Company was the largest of its kind in Canada. Shortly after the arrival of the steamships, another industry began to develop as agriculture never could. 1860 two young men, John Campbell and James Bain Jr , made a journey that marked them as perhaps the first tourists in the region. Taking the Northern Railway to Lake Simcoe , they took
8084-570: Was Frank MacDougall , the park's chief ranger from 1931 to 1941. He was the first ranger to supervise the park by airplane, flying a Fairchild KR-34 . He eventually became deputy minister for the provincial Ministry of Lands and Forests, and the portion of Highway 60 which passes through Algonquin Park has been named the Frank A. MacDougall Parkway in his honour. Construction of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway (O. A. & P. S.) through
8178-489: Was appointed as the second superintendent of Algonquin Park, replacing the late Peter Thompson. Placed under the direction of the Premier of Ontario to make the park self-sufficient, Bartlett worked to make the park more attractive to tourists by encouraging short-term leases for cottages, lodges, and camps. Changes came about in 1908, when Hotel Algonquin was opened at Joe Lake. The Grand Trunk Railway opened its first hotel,
8272-413: Was changed to Algonquin Provincial Park in 1913. The boundaries of the park included 18 townships within the District of Nipissing , covering an area of 3,797 km (1,466 sq mi) of which 10% was under water. The tract of land was to be set apart, as a public park, health resort and pleasure ground for the benefit, advantage and enjoyment of all the people of the province. The year following
8366-413: Was deemed too dangerous to use and too expensive to fix, ending through service on the southern line (old O.A. & P.S.). Service from the west ended in 1952, and from the east in 1959. Service on the old CNoR line through the north end of the park ended in 1995. Many of the trails in the park still make use of portions of the old railway rights-of-way. As recreational use of the park increased during
8460-543: Was made to the southern part of the lake in Gravenhurst, the logging companies could harvest trees along the entire lakefront with relative ease. Steamships gave them the way to ship the harvest back to the sawmills in Gravenhurst. Sometimes called the Father of Muskoka, Alexander Cockburn began placing steamers on the lake system. Starting with his steamship the Wenonah , Ojibwa for "first daughter", in 1866 Cockburn pressed
8554-563: Was no fee for camping permits, though a nominal charge was introduced for fishing and guides' licenses when "an Act to establish the Algonquin National Park of Ontario" was again passed by the legislature, March 19, 1910. This new legislation included the original area as well as portions of ten townships annexed into the park since 1893, and allowed for further expansion by the addition of adjacent townships, should it become necessary. Another notable figure in park management
8648-412: Was only partially surveyed into geographic townships by 1868. Surveying was completed in the coming years, and most, but not all, townships became organized municipally. The first townships were organized in 1869. In 1970, four geographic townships still existed in the District. In 1873, the organized townships were formed into a municipality similar to a county, known as the "Municipal Corporation of
8742-652: Was passed by the Liberal government of Oliver Mowat in the Ontario Legislature , May 23, 1893 (56 Vic., c.8). The name "Algonquin" refers to the Algonquin people , indigenous inhabitants of the area. Although called a "national park", Algonquin has always been under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. No provincial parks existed until Algonquin, but there was a new movement to create national parks since Banff's establishment in 1885. The name
8836-751: Was then the hunting grounds of a troop led by Chief Yellowhead or Mesqua Ukie or Musquakie . He was revered by the government, who built a home for him in Orillia where he lived until his death at age 95. Muskoka has 60,000 permanent residents, but an additional 100,000 seasonal property owners spend their summers there, making it a major summer colony . Due to the region's popularity and high property costs, hundreds of Muskoka properties are available for short-term rental through online platforms. Many of Muskoka's seasonal properties are large summer estates, some of which have been passed down through families for generations. Most of these properties can be found along
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