Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario

 

The Muskoka District Municipality, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka, or simply Muskoka (the official name is the District Municipality of Muskoka) is a Regional Municipality located in Central Ontario. Muskoka 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. Located approximately two hours north of Toronto, Muskoka spans 2,500 square miles (6,475 km²). Muskoka has some 1,600 lakes, making it a popular resort destination. Indeed, this region, which, along with Haliburton, is referred to as "cottage country", sees over 2.1 million visitors annually. Muskoka is a scenic area sprinkled with picturesque villages and towns, farming communities, and lakeside vacation hotels and resorts near to golf courses, country clubs, marinas and wooden boats. The regional government seat is Bracebridge. This area encompases Lake of Bays township, Georgian Bay township, Muskoka Lakes township and the towns of Huntsville, Bracebridge and Gravenhurst. Visitors often erroneously refer to the area as "The Muskokas"; the region should be simply referred to as "Muskoka".

Muskoka has just over 50,000 permanent residents, but an additional 100,000 seasonal property owners spend their summers in the region every year, making this a major summer colony. Many of the seasonal properties are large mansion-like summer estates, some of which have been passed down through families from generation to generation. Most of these expensive properties can be found along the shores of Muskoka's three major lakes, Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau, and Lake Joseph. In recent years, various Hollywood and sports stars have built their retreats in Muskoka, including Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Mike Weir,^[1] Martin Short and Nancy Dolman, [1] as well as Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Also, Eddie Van Halen and Catherine O'Hara are rumoured to have resorts here.

The soap opera Paradise Falls, about a fictitious cottage community, was shot partly on location here, to take advantage of the scenic background.

There are six municipalities in Muskoka: the towns of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville; and the townships of Georgian Bay, Lake of Bays, and Muskoka Lakes. The Wahta Mohawk Territory and Moose Point 79 are also in the district.

Many summer camps are located in the region, to take advantage of the lakes there, which offer opportunities for canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, waterskiing, and other water activities, and to provide a refuge from hot, smoggy cities during the summer months.

Census Subdivisions

• Town of Bracebridge
• Town of Gravenhurst
• Town of Huntsville
• Township of Georgian Bay
• Township of Lake of Bays
• Township of Muskoka Lakes

Senior administrators

• Gord Adams, Chair and CEO
• Jim Green, Chief Administrative Officer
• David Royston, Commissioner of Legal Services and Regional Solicitor
• Tony White, Commissioner of Public Works

Historic townships

Baxter township named for the Honourable Jacob Baxter, MPP for Haldimand County, Ontario from 1887 to 1898 and was Speaker of the Ontario Legislature from 1887 to 1891.

Brunel Township named for noted civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Engineer-in-Chief to the Great Western Railway of England. Known in Canada for constructing the steamship Great Western

Cardwell township named for Viscount Cardwell, Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1864 to 1866.

Chaffey Township named for a relative of Hon. Stephen Richards, Benjamin Chaffey, a Brockville contractor who helped build the St. Lawrence canals. Chaffey's sister was the wife of Hon. Stephen Richards.

Draper Township named for judge Hon. William Henry Draper, Solicitor General of Upper Canada in 1837 and Attorney General of Upper Canada in 1840

Franklin township named for Arctic explorer Admiral Sir John Franklin.

Freeman township named for John Bailey Freeman, MPP for the North riding of Norfolk County from 1879 to 1890.

Gibson township named for Thomas Gibson MPP for a Huron riding from 1867 to 1898.

Macaulay township named for Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir James Buchanan Macaulay (b1793-d1859) , veteran of the War of 1812.

McLean township named for Archibald McLean (b1791-d1865) a veteran of the War of 1812 he became Chief Justice of Upper Canada.

Medora township named for Mrs. Medora Cameron wife of a Toronto lawyer. She was also a niece of Hon. Stephen Richards, Commissioner of Crown Lands, hence the honour she received.

Monck township named for Viscount Monck, Lord of the Treasury in the Palmerston Administratio in Great Britain fro 1855 to 1857 and governor-general of British North America form 1861 to 1868.

Morrison township named for Mr. Angus Morrison who represented the North riding of Simcoe County from 1854 to 1863. Morrison was also a director of the old Northern Railway of Canada, Muskoka's pioneer railway, the terminus of which was Gravenhurst. Morrison was also Mayor of Toronto from 1876 to 1878

Muskoka township and district and lake are named for one of the principal Chief of the Chippawa Nation. In 1815 he signed the treaty which the Indian title to a vast territory was surrendered to the Crown. The name mean "Red Ground."

Oakley township named for one (which one is uncertain) of 13 villages of the name in Great Britain, 12 of which are in England, one in Scotland.

Ridout township named for the Ridout family, a very prominent Toronto family. They came from Sherborne in Dorsetshire, England, hence the name of Sherborne township, Haliburton County, which adjoined Ridout township on the East and hence also Dorset, a village in the township. Thomas Ridout was Surveyor-General of Upper Canada.

Ryde township named for the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

Sinclair township, named for Donald Sinclair MPP for the North Riding of Bruce County from 1867 to 1883.

Stephenson township named for Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson of locomotive fame, Robert Stephenson designed the Victoria Tubular Bridge at Montreal, then the greatest Canadian bridge.

Stisted township name for Major General Henry William Stisted, Lieutenant-Governor Ontario from Confederation, July 1, 1867 to 1868.

Watt Township name for James Watt of steam engine fame.

Wood township named for Hon. Edmund Burke Wood, Provincial Treasure in the John Sandfield Macdonald Government. In 1874, appointed Chief Justice of Manitoba.

Camp

Camp Ramah in Canada (Ullswater) is located in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, on Skeleton Lake.

References

Bracebridge Gazette, November 11, 1937, an address by Redmond Thomas, Assistant Editor of the Bracebridge Gazette delivered the a meeting of the Men Teacher' Federation of Muskoka.

External links

• District of Muskoka
• Doitinmuskoka Area Guide
• Muskoka Golf Course Guide
• Historical Glimpses of Stephenson Township
• Boating Muskoka Lakes
• Ontario Tourism Investment Communique Muskoka

Subdivisions of Ontario
Regions	Eastern Ontario · Central Ontario · Golden Horseshoe · Greater Toronto Area · Southwestern Ontario · Northern Ontario · Northeastern Ontario · Northwestern Ontario
Counties	Bruce · Dufferin · Elgin · Essex · Frontenac · Grey · Haliburton · Hastings · Huron · Lambton · Lanark · Leeds and Grenville · Lennox and Addington · Middlesex · Northumberland · Perth · Peterborough · Prescott and Russell · Renfrew · Simcoe · Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry · Wellington
Districts	Algoma · Cochrane · Kenora · Manitoulin · Nipissing · Parry Sound · Rainy River · Sudbury · Thunder Bay · Timiskaming
Regional municipalities	Durham · Halton · Muskoka · Niagara · Oxford · Peel · Waterloo · York
Single-tier municipalities	Brant · Brantford · Chatham-Kent · Greater Sudbury · Haldimand · Hamilton · Kawartha Lakes · Norfolk · Ottawa · Prince Edward · Toronto
Separated municipalities	Barrie · Belleville · Brantford · Brockville · Gananoque · Guelph · Kingston · London · Orillia · Pembroke · Peterborough · Prescott · Quinte West · Smiths Falls · St. Marys · St. Thomas · Stratford · Timmins · Windsor
See also	Ontario communities · Ontario municipalities

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