A LOCAL HISTORY READING LIST

　
MUSKOKA, PARRY SOUND, HALIBURTON
Barry, James P., Georgian Bay, the Sixth Great Lake, approx. 140 p.
Describes development of Georgian Bay in the 1840's, harbours from Collingwood beyond Parry Sound, railroads, lumbering.

Devitt, Ed H., Reynolds, Nila, Echoes of the Past, A Brief, Illustrated History of a Central Region in Southern Ontario, Undated but circa 1960, 84 p.
Includes two Muskoka and ten Haliburton townships from Lake of Bays, Dorset, Haliburton, Minden, from presettlement,, lumbering, colonization roads, settlement, to the present time of the townships, local towns and points of interest written by a number of authors, profusely illustrated with photos and maps.

Hind, Andrew, and DaSilva, Maria, Ghost Towns of Muskoka, 2008, approx. 275 p.
Includes a detailed description of Rosseau Falls, Falkenburg Junction, Dee Bank, Uffington, etc.

Irwin, W.H., Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Simcoe including the District of Muskoka for 1872-3. 283 p. Reprinted in 1985 by the East Georgian Bay Historical Foundation.

LePine, John, The Famine of 1880. East Georgian Bay Historical Journal, Volume 3, 1983, p.1-15. A description of the hardships of the settlers in a broad part of Muskoka and Parry Sound Districts from a devastating hail storm in August 1879 and killing spring frosts in 1880 and the relief efforts provided through two provincial Colonization Road inspectors and brought about by many local citizens.

Long, Gary, This River, The Muskoka. 1989, 180 p.
A description of the Muskoka River from its origin in Algonquin Park to Georgian Bay, its geology, glacial history, hydrology, water falls, mills, lumbering, hydro, photos, maps.

Macfie, John, That’s History, Essays on Parry Sound’s Past.
While covering the very early development of Parry Sound and surrounding agricultural area, it includes early surveys of the Muskoka lakes, building of the Parry Sound Road (now Hwy 141). It includes a story of the Boake Rosseau Lake Lumber Co on Shawanaga Lake (on the CNR line P.S. to North Bay, north of P.S.), the counterpart of the Boake Skeleton Lake Lumber Co on Skeleton Lake.

McMurray, Thomas, The Free Grant Lands of Canada from practical experience of bush farming in the free land grant districts of Muskoka and Parry Sound, 1871. Reprinted by Brad Hammel, 2002, 176 p.
McMurray was publisher of the Bracebridge Northern Advocate in 1871. He describes his arrival at the South Falls in 1861 and his land grant. Although he acknowledges severe criticism of the colonization of these north lands from Barrie and Orillia, he is an highly enthusiastic supporter of the settlement project and an an active promoter of projects to improve conditions in this new area. Describes the soils, scenery, crops, roads, notes on a number of villages as they exist in 1871, hints to prospective settlers, and stories of the area.

Murray, Florence B., Muskoka and Haliburton, 1615-1875, 1963, 400p.
A collection of historical documents and letters dealing with the development of the area.

Page H.R., Guide Book and Atlas of Muskoka and Parry Sound Districts, 1879, approx.100 p.
Has a history and a map of each township, showing concessions and lots with the name of the settler on each lot. Has maps and sketches of some of the early settlements.
Available in most libraries, one of a series of oversized books of historical atlases printed in 1870-1880's by various publishers.

Pryke, Susan, Explore Muskoka, 1999, approx.165p.

Sheffield, Susan M., The Companion Guide to Muskoka District Post Offices, 1861-1999, 2001, 272 p.
Shows the detailed history of post offices for many of communities around Skeleton Lake, some no longer exist.

BRACEBRIDGE
Boyer, Robert J., Bracebridge, A Good Town Grew Here, 1861-1914. 1975.

Thompson Nancy R, (editor), Bracebridge, A Good Town Continues, 1915-1999. 1999, 125^th Anniversary Book Committee, 384 p.

Petry, Bob, Bracebridge, An Early Settlement of Muskoka, 1999, 340 p.
Early history, 1885 on. Good reference.


HUNTSVILLE
Pryke, Susan, Huntsville with Spirit and Resolve, 2000, 255 p.
A detailed description of the town from 1886 to 1955. Some nice photos.

Rice, Harman E., A Brief Centennial History of Huntsville, 1964, approx 50 p.
Describes railroads, lumbering, industries, Limberlost, etc.

Research Committee of Muskoka Pioneer Village, Pictures of the Past, Huntsville and Lake of Bays, 1994, 159 p.
Lots of photos around Huntsville and the area.

GRAVENHURST
Gravenhurst Historical Committee, The Light of Other Days, around 1976, 125 p.
Published as a tribute to 80 years of Gravenhurt and 100 year Centennial of Canada. Covers the years 1826-1966, and short articles events and buildings in town. Includes a trip over the portage or the Muskoka Road from Washago to Gravenhurst. Some nice photos.

Gravenhurst Book Committee, Gravenhurst, An Album of Memories and Mysteries, 1993, 160p.
Limited printing, available in Gravenhurst Library, A good reference.

PORT CARLING
Judd, Anne Duke, Indian River Tales (Pt. Carling). 1995, 139 p.

Porter, Cecil, Gravenhurst, Early Days, Early Ways, 2011, 176 p.
Covers the development of early Gravenhusrt to about 1890. Well illustrated.

Tattley, Richard, Port Carling, The Hub of the Muskoka Lakes, 1996, approx.70 p.
Discusses the early history of the area, building of the locks, lumbering, lodges, tourism, etc up tp 1990's.
　
PORT SYDNEY
Kidd, Ryan and Scott, David, These Memories I Leave to You, The Story of Mary Lake Settlers. 2003, 124 p. Available in General Store, Pt. Sydney.

CARDWELL TWP.
Hekkla Historical Society, History of Cardwell Township, 1866-1950, circa 2011, 184 p.
Available from Edith Smith, Ullswater or Earl Marchand, Huntsville.

STISTED TWP.
Demaine, Marjorie, Chronicles of Stisted Township, 1976.

WATT TWP.Dennis, Lloyd, Marching Orders, A Memoir, 1988, 217 p.
A depression era boy growing up in the Huntsville, Skeleton Lake area. A part tells of his family experiences at Bert Simms lodge in Simolean Bay where his father worked as a clerk and in maintenance. When Sims lost his business in the depression, the Dennis family also lost their home and had to return to the logging camp life behind Huntsville. Lloyd Dennis was an educator and coauthored the Hall-Dennis report in 1968 which gave a new direction to education in Ontario. Lloyd died in Orillia around 2010.

Shea, Bert, History of Sheas and Birth of a Township.
Emigration from Kerry, Ireland, through Lindsay, arriving in 1863 in Ufford, establishing their cabin, clearing their farm, transporting their seed, pigs, supplies, yoke of oxen from Washago. Describes the very early development of the township.

Shea, William A., History of the Shea’s and the Paths of Adventure, 1966, approx. 260 p.
Several short stories of their family in Ufford in Watt Twp in the 1860's, until about 1900. Several logging stories on Three Mile Lake, a log boom on Skeleton Lake, a Christmas dinner with a trout from Skeleton Lake.

Windermere and Area Community Archive, www.windermerearea.ca/Archive.
On line are records for area Women’s Institutes, local histories.

Ontario Heritage Foundation - Windermere, 2004, 6 p.
Featured Plaque of the Month, August 2004 describes Windermere with several references.

Dee Bank Falls, www.waterfalls of ontario.ca
The falls are accessible from the North Shore Road, 300 m. from Musk Rd 24. Site of a grist mill and a sawmill, and a dam for the log drives, all long gone.

SKELETON LAKE.
Young, Lenore, Two Muskoka Surprises, Skeleton Lake and Wilson’s Lodge, 2005, 84 p.
Describes the history of the Wilson family arriving in Muskoka in 1877 as Free Land Grant immigrants and the life of 3 generations around the lake to the death of May Wilson in 1997, some references to the Bullen family, based on Robert’s diaries until 1934, then notes and memories to 1997. Many photos.

DeLoye, Cary, Muskoka Family Heritage, 100 Years at Skeleton Lake, One Family’s Story, 2012, Limited distribution.
Begins with Harry Bullen’s arrival in Allensville with his parents and siblings in 1815 and covers 6 generations on Skeleton Lake. Bullens connected to the Wilsons when Robert Wilson married Louisa Bullen. Describes the travel from Detroit in 1915 by train to Utterson, by wagon across the floating bridge at Long Lake to Luckey Road (The Townline), then later the car trip from Toronto to Luckey Road. Today the two cottages are owned by the DeLoye’s and the Baumgartner’s.

Morris, Chuck and Janine, Simolean Bay, A Slice of Paradise, 2012, 86 p. Limited distribution.
Includes an early history of Muskoka and Watt Twp, pioneer families, and the transition to todays municipal boundaries. The ownership of each lot around the bay is described in detail and includes Camps Winnebago and Kewanee, and old family names such as Breise, Olsen, Sims, Danson, Greer, Edwards.

ARCHIVES, MUSEUMS
Gravenhurst Archives, located in Gravenhurst Library.

Windermere Women’s Institute, Windermere and Area Community Archive.
Holds a few of the local Tweedsmuir Women’s Institutes local histories, and other local histories.
www.windermerearea.ca

Port Carling, Muskoka Lakes Museum.
www.mlmuseum.com

LUMBERING
Angus, James T., A Deo Victoria, The Story of Georgian Bay Lumber Co, 1990.
Follows the company through three periods, Anson Dodge 1867-1873, Dodge Family 1873-1896, Sheppard Family 1896-1942. A massive lumbering enterprise extending from Lake Simcoe, Collingwood to Byng Inlet and laterally to the North Channel and Lake Nipissing.

Bragg, Roger, Muskoka Wood Manufacturing. East Georgian Bay Historical Journal, Volume 2, 1982, p.93-124. A description of logging log drives in largely Cardwell Twp, around Axe and Buck Lakes in the early 1900's by this lumber company and its later owners.

Barry James P., Georgian Bay, An Illustrated History, 1992, approx. 250 p.
Describes the first settlement, shipping, fishery, logging, and present day recreation.