Shadow River River at End of Property River at End of Property bear-shadow-river-postcard.jpg Shadow River is located at the very north end of Rosseau Lake in Muskoka. “The Shadow River is one of the most wonderful natural curiosities of the Muskoka district; it empties its water into the bay on the shores of which Port Rosseau stands. Its course can be explored inland by boats for about five miles, the stream varying throughout from twenty to sixty feet in width. Tall elms and ranks of tapering pines line the banks, and below them the sedgy shores, heavy with foliated ferns and wreaths of moss, overhang the edge. The surface is as motionless as glass and everything is duplicated in marvelous detail, each leaf and branch having its reflected counterpart even more distinct than it appears itself.” – from Muskoka and the Northern Lakes of Canada, 1886 Tekahionwake, better known as Pauline Johnson, the celebrated Six Nations poet, spent much of her time paddling Shadow River in the late 1800s. The river possesses a calm, passive quality, and it is easy to understand Johnson’s particular fondness for it. Shadow River is predominantly a wetland ecosystem, broken up by bands of open bedrock. April is the best time to paddle the upper Shadow, as it usually runs high at this time. At peak flow, the river is barely a canoe length in width but deep enough to float a boat. The reflections on the river of the overhanging oaks evoke a kind of lightness that has been the subject of much prose, poetry, photography and testimonials for well over a century. For the more adventurous, the upper three kilometres of the river provide a mix of meandering creek wetland and Precambrian rock outcrops, with some of Muskoka’s most picturesque chutes and cascades. The lower section can be paddled up- or downstream without difficulty at any time of the season. Look for beaver activity here, great blue herons along weedy shorelines, osprey circling overhead, several species of ducks, Canada geese, muskrats and deer. Mostly second-growth hemlock and pine fringe the shoreline; a generous ground cover of wintergreen, serviceberry and ferns blankets the upper river landscape, and maple and oak form a canopy over the lower course. Read more…

The History of Muskoka, Ontario, Canada Introduction The Muskoka District is located in Ontario, Canada. It is compromised of the townships of Georgian Bay, Muskoka Lakes, Town of Huntsville, Town of Bracebridge, Town of Gravenhurst, and Lake Of Bays. The Muskoka region and its tourism has in part thrived due to its amazing collection of rocky and rugged landscapes. The rocky base of the Canadian Shield is a visible exposure of the earth’s early formation revealed during the last ice age. Rock in the Muskokas has been dated back as far back as 1.5 billion years, it is part of the initial crust of the Earth. The Muskoka region with its Canadian Shield is rich in its the natural beauty of lakes, vast forests and breathtaking views. The trees include black spruce, white spruce, jack pine, tamarack, poplar, white birch and balsam. There are over 1,600 beautiful fresh water glistening lakes making Muskoka a one of the most popular tourists destinations in the world. The term Muskoka was first mentioned in records in 1615. The territory was mainly occupied by Algonquin and Huron tribes Indians. One of the earliest explorers to the region was Samuel De Champlain. The name Muskoka is assumed to come from the name of a Chippawa tribe chief called “Mesqua Ukee” which means “not easily turned back in the day of battle”. Mesqua Ukee signed the Muskoka area treaties between the Indians and Province of Canada. First Settlers To Muskoka In the beginning it was considered turning Muskoka into a large Indian reserve. However, Muskoka’s substantial forestry potential and the need to find locations for the large number of settlers in southern Ontario altered the idea. The Province of Ontario then started encouraging settlers to locate into Muskoka with the Free Land Grant and Homestead Act of 1868. The Free Land Grand and Homestead Act transferred 200 acres of Muskoka land to families if they meet the following conditions. The party had to be 18 years or older, they wanted to use the land for settlement and cultivation. The settler would have to clear 15 acres of the land, build a 16″ by 20″ or greater house, live on the property for at least 6 months of a year for 5 years. Once the party did this, they would apply for a land patent and become the owner of the property. Read more…