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69-638: Muskoka Lakes Association ("MLA") was established in 1894 in what is now the District of Muskoka on Ontario , Canada . It is Canada's oldest continuously operating cottage association. The MLA represents cottagers' interests in a variety of manners designed to promote the responsible enjoyment and conservation of the lakes in Muskoka . The MLA is based in Port Carling , the seat of the Township of Muskoka Lakes, but MLA

138-492: A cut between Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph at Port Sandfield. The government was eager to reinforce development in light of the faltering agricultural plan, and built the locks in Port Carling in 1871. Cockburn's steamers now had access to the entire lake system. The first stop for the semi-weekly steamer, Wenonah , was Walker's Point eight miles from Gravenhurst where fisherman could access good bass fishing at Shanty Bay. Through

207-463: 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

276-512: 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

345-482: 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

414-413: A living from the rocky soil soon found demand for overnight accommodation, resulting in the first boarding houses and hotels. The first wilderness hotel was built at the head of Lake Rosseau in 1870, called Rosseau House. It was owned by New Yorker W.H. Pratt. The idea caught on and tourists came establishing the tourist industry as the up-and-coming money earner in the 1880s. The steamship era gave rise to

483-420: 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

552-899: 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 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

621-548: A number of ancillary developments including, as mentioned, transport but also settlements began springing up to supply the workers and Bracebridge (formerly North Falls) saw some leather tanning businesses develop. Tanners used the bark from lumber to tan hides thereby using what otherwise would be a waste product. The passages of the Free Grants and Homestead Act of 1868 brought opened the era of widespread settlement to Muskoka. Settlers could receive free land if they agreed to clear

690-431: 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

759-600: 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 ,

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828-577: A snow storm the day before. The other plane's two dead crew members were brought to the surface in 1941, leaving Campbell and Bates' bodies on the lake's 140-foot bottom. They were recovered in 2010, and the plane, Nomad 3521, was recovered in October 2014. Between 1942 and 1945, at the Muskoka Airport, the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNAF) trained Norwegian pilots during World War II at what

897-442: Is a lake advocacy group that focuses on maintaining the Muskoka area for future generations of cottagers, as Lake Muskoka is a major hub for many cottagers in the area. The Muskoka Lakes association was formed in 1894, therefore has been functioning for over 120 years. The Muskoka Lakes Association also focuses on Lake Muskoka's sister lakes – Lake Joseph , as well as Lake Rosseau . The MLA currently represents thousands of people in

966-500: Is also a founding partner of Safe and Quiet Lakes, which is an association of volunteers. Lake Muskoka was referenced by cartoon character Chris McLean in the fictional Fresh TV hit show, "Total Drama Island", in which teenage contestants complete challenges in order to win US$ 100,000. The lake that is mentioned surrounds an island named Camp Wawanakwa, yet the island is in fact, not real. The island made appearances in seasons 1, 4 and 5 and

1035-599: Is considerably older than the Township of Muskoka Lakes , which bears a similar name; its endeavors are not limited to the geographic area of the Township. MLA operates throughout the district of Muskoka covering the approximately 1600 lakes in all six Area Municipalities: Georgian Bay , Muskoka Lakes , Lake of Bays , Huntsville , Bracebridge , and Gravenhurst . MLA's activities can be divided into two main categories: political and social. MLA represents cottagers' (mostly waterfront property owners') political interests at both

1104-464: Is referred to as " cottage country ", has over 2.1 million visitors annually. Muskoka 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

1173-532: 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

1242-568: The District of Muskoka or Muskoka , is a regional municipality in Central Ontario , Canada. It extends from Georgian Bay in 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

1311-526: 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

1380-478: 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

1449-475: 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. Lake Muskoka The first mention of Muskoka in any records was in 1615, when territory

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1518-743: The District and Town or Township ("Area Municipalities") level, reporting regularly to its constituents. Politically, the MLA is actively involved in water quality issues., taxation, and development planning. Socially, MLA sponsors events throughout the year, including regattas, sporting events, agricultural events, and the Antique Boat Show in Gravenhurst . Specific recurring events include: MLA has approximately 200 volunteers serving 13,000 cottage members District Municipality of Muskoka The District Municipality of Muskoka , more generally referred to as

1587-532: 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

1656-618: 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

1725-483: The MLA campaigned for the federal government to require all pleasure crafts to have working lights. The many issues that surround safe and respectful boating continue to be a primary concern of the MLA. The MLA aims to reduce boating issues through their partnership with BOATsmart!, by encouraging boaters to receive proper and practical boating instructions. The MLA does so by providing discounts to MLA members towards BOATsmart! boating courses. The Muskoka Lakes Association

1794-430: The Muskoka area, both local and seasonal. One of the primary focuses of the MLA is to invest in the quality of the lake itself. They started with the contemporary Water Quality Initiative in 2000, however "early MLA water testing began in 1972"; over 100 volunteers, in 2013, collected water samples from designated sites in order to facilitate this initiative. These samples are used to analyze various bacteria counts in

1863-412: 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

1932-510: The Sagamo, which made regular stops up the lakes, including Bracebridge, Beaumaris, and Port Carling. Tourists there could transfer to smaller ships such as the Islander, which could enter smaller ports. Vacationers often remained in the region for weeks or even months in the summer. As families became seasonally established, they began building cottages near the hotels. At first simple affairs replicating

2001-994: The Water Quality Initiative, the Muskoka Lakes Association extends environmental advocacy by holding seminars in partnership with the Muskoka Conservancy as well as the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The seminars act as " a vehicle to inform shoreline owners on manageable ways to protect the quality of our lakes and rivers and encourage the preservation of natural water’s edge habitats. Lisa Noonan, Office Manager, Muskoka Lakes Association." The MLA also holds an annual Seedling Day in mid-late spring in which waterfront residents can preorder and purchase native plants to help prevent erosion of their shoreline. The Muskoka Lakes Association has always largely focused on water-based issues. Almost 100 years ago,

2070-463: The area of Port Carling was called Obajewanung. The tribe moved to Parry Sound around 1866. Largely unsettled until the late 1760s, the region had its European presence in largely limited to seasonal fur trapping, but no significant trading settlements were established. Colonial government interest increased following the American Revolution ; fearing invasion from its new neighbor to the south,

2139-484: The area's great hotels: Rosseau, Royal Muskoka , Windemere, and Beaumaris. The area grew rapidly when the railroad reached Gravenhurst in 1875. Indeed, travel from Toronto, Pittsburgh, and New York became less a matter of endurance than expenditure. Trains regularly made the run from Toronto to Gravenhurst where travelers and their luggage were transferred to the great steamers of the Muskoka Navigation Co. such as

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2208-438: 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

2277-532: 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

2346-519: 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

2415-416: The difficult conditions spread back to the south, it looked as though development in Muskoka might falter but for a fortuitous development. Since the railroads had not yet arrived, and road travel was notoriously unreliably and uncomfortable, the transportation king was the steamship. Once a land connection was made to the southern part of the lake, in Gravenhurst, the logging companies could harvest trees along

2484-527: The entire lakefront with relative ease so long as they had the means of powering the harvest back to the sawmills in Gravenhurst. Alexander Cockburn, sometimes called the Father of Muskoka, began placing steamers on the lake. Starting with the Wenonah , Ojibwa for first daughter, in 1866 Cockburn pressed the government to open the entire Muskoka lake system to navigation by installing locks in Port Carling and opening

2553-468: 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,

2622-531: 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

2691-529: 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

2760-459: The government began exploring the region in the hopes of finding travel lanes between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay In 1826. Lieutenant Henry Briscoe became the first white man known to have crossed the middle of Muskoka. David Thompson drew the first maps of the area in 1837; camped at the present-day Bala during the evening of August 13/14, 1837; and later possibly camped near present-day Beaumaris. Canada experienced heavy European immigration in

2829-401: 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

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2898-506: 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

2967-452: The industry, reaching Gravenhurst in 1875 and Bracebridge in 1885. Road transportation took the form of the Muskoka Colonization Road, which was begun in 1858 and reached Bracebridge in 1861. The road was roughly hewn from the woods and was of corduroy construction and so logs were placed perpendicular to the route of travel to keep carriages from sinking in the mud and swamps, which made for extremely rugged travel. The lumbering industry spawned

3036-450: The lake, they built cottages farther afield and demand for the steamships dropped. World War II caused another decline as wartime shortages kept many Americans at home and many Canadians were engaged in war activities. Postwar prosperity brought another boom based around the automobile and the newly affordable fiberglass boat. Owning a summer cottage became more attainable for many in the middle class, resulting in further development around

3105-542: The lake. The steamship companies retired their boats one by one until the last sailing in the late 1950s. During World War II , a crash into Lake Muskoka occurred involving a Northrop Nomad A-17A, which still contains the remains of the British pilot, Peter Campbell, and Canadian pilot, Ted Bates. The pair collided with another Nomad over southern Lake Muskoka and all crashed into the lake's icy depths on December 13, 1940, while searching for another pilot that had gone missing in

3174-473: The land, have at least 15 acres (61,000 m ) under cultivation, and build a 16 by 20-foot (6.1 m) house. Settlers under the Homestead Act, however, found the going hard. Clearing 15 acres (61,000 m ) of dense forest is a huge task, but once the land was clear, they were greeted with Muskoka's ubiquitous rocks, which themselves had to be cleared. The soil in the region turned out to be poorly suited to farming, consisting largely of dense clay. As news of

3243-623: The last one recorded by the FTL in Canada took place in August 1944 when a Fairchild PT-19 Cornell trainer with pilot and student aboard lost its wing and crashed into the ground south of Gravenhurst; both on board died. The bodies were recovered from the dense undergrowth and a wing section was found, but no wreckage was recovered. Not long after, another Fairchild crashed for the same reason, but both occupants escaped by parachute. The Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA)

3312-402: The look and feel of the main cottage. World War I caused a significant dip in the tourist activity for the area and hence the economy. Technological advancements in the motorboat and the automobile resulted in greater overall growth of the area and development spread across the area, including the construction of better roads. As vacationers no longer needed the steamships in order to reach

3381-463: The mid-19th century, especially from Ireland, which experienced famine in the 1840s. As the land south of the Severn was settled, the government planned to open the Muskoka region further north to settlement. Logging licenses were issued in 1866, which opened Monck Township to logging. The lumber industry expanded rapidly denuding huge tracts of the area, but also prompted the development of road and water transportation. The railroad pushed north to support

3450-405: The province, although it is treated as part of Northern Ontario and even Eastern Ontario by some government programs due to its status as 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

3519-456: The rustic environment of the early camps, but later grander including in some cases housing for significant staff. Initially, cottagers relied on rowboats and canoes for daily transport and would sometimes row substantial distances. Eventually, the era of the steam and gasoline launch came and people relied less on muscle power and more on motors. With the boats came the boathouses, often elaborate structures in their own right mimicking in many cases

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3588-649: 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

3657-572: The steamer Emily May up the lake to Orillia, rowed across Lake Couchiching, and 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. The early tourist pioneers increased demand for transport services in the region, drawn by excellent fishing, natural beauty, and an air completely free of ragweed providing relief for hay fever sufferers . Early tourists built camps but were joined by others desiring better accommodation. Farmers who were barely scratching

3726-752: 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

3795-417: 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

3864-498: The treaties made between the indigenous peoples and Province of Canada , which sold about 250,000 acres (1,010 km ) of land in the area to the province. He was so revered by the Ontario government it they built a home for him in Orillia , where he lived until his death at age 95. Geography drove history in the Muskoka region. Studded with lakes and abundant with rocks, the land offered an abundance of fishing, hunting, and trapping but

3933-525: 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

4002-521: 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,

4071-477: 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

4140-594: The water, the amount of dissolved organic carbon, phosphorus, temperature trends, and calcium. In 2013 the MLA collected over 1100 water samples from the Muskoka area. As seen in the 2013 Water Quality Report, the Muskoka Lakes Association focuses on 18 key areas affecting the Lake Muskoka region: Alport Bay, Arundle Lodge, Bala Bay, Beaumaris, Boyd Bay, Browning Island, Dudley Bay, East Bay, Eilean Gowan, Muskoka Bay, Muskoka Sands, North Bay, Stephen's Bay, Taylor Island, Walker's Point, Whiteside Bay, and Willow Beach. Beyond

4209-477: 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

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4278-505: The years he added more ships and when he died in 1905, his Muskoka Navigation Company was the largest of its kind in Canada. RMS  Segwun , built in 1887 as Nipissing , is still in service as at 2019. In 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

4347-423: 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

4416-481: Was a finalist for the same distinction in 2012. The municipality's name derives from a First Nations chief of the 1850s. Lake Muskoka 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

4485-485: 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

4554-471: Was occupied by indigenous peoples, mainly consisting of the Algonquin and Huron tribes. Early European explorers to the region like Samuel de Champlain came to the area, followed by missionaries . The name "Muskoka" comes from the name of an Ojibwe or Chippewa tribe chief named Musquakie , which means "not easily turned back in the day of battle". Also known as Chief Yellowhead, it was Mesqua who signed

4623-412: 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

4692-508: Was poorly suited to farming. Largely the land of the Ojibwa people, European inhabitants ignored it while settling the more promising area south of the Severn River. The Ojibwa leader associated with the area was Mesqua Ukie for whom the land was probably named. The tribe lived south of the region, near present-day Orillia, and used Muskoka as their hunting grounds. Another Ojibwa tribe that lived in

4761-442: Was then called " Little Norway ." One of the planes from a training mission crashed off of Norway Point, killing the pilot. The aircraft was accidentally recovered by a cable crew snagging the plane in 1960 and the pilot was found inside. For reasons unknown the plane was cut free and fell back to the bottom with the pilot still inside. Authorities are investigating this site as time allows. The RNAF's first fatal accident in Muskoka and

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