Manitoulin
Island...
"God's Country"
Historical Background
The Government
of Upper Canada designated Manitoulin Island as an Indian Reserve in the early
1800's. Through the Huron Robinson Treaty and the Manitoulin Treaty the land
was ceded and the settlers began to arrive. Wikwemikong First Nation chose
not to cede and to this day is the only Unceded Reservation in Canada.
There is evidence
of much earlier occupation of Manitoulin by prehistoric people dating back
over 9,000.years. Tools, spears, and arrowheads, manufactured by these people
have been found at an archaeological site, an ancient quarry near Sheguiandah.
The first
settlers were fishermen, or farmers. The farms were mainly family farms maintained
to predominantly feed the family. Manitoulin now boasts a number of "Century
Farms". Farming is still an important segment of the Manitoulin economy. For
many years Little Current boasted the "World's Largest One Day Cattle Sale".
This annual sale is the 2nd Friday in September and brings cattle buyers from
far and wide.
Manitoulin
still has a number of families involved in the fishing industry, most notable
is Purvis Bros who have maintained a fishing fleet out of the Silver Water
(Burnt Island) area for 5 generations. We also have companies and families
involved in aquaculture.
Lumbering
developed throughout Manitoulin. This saw the creation of saw mills and logging
camps. The story goes that after the great Chicago fire a lot of Manitoulin
timber found its way to Chicago for the rebuilding. Although in a decline,
timbering is still an important part of our Manitoulin economy. There is still
the harvesting of timber and we have numerous productive sawmills in different
areas of the island. Some of the harvested timber finds its way to the pulp
mill in Espanola.
The early
settlers arrived by boat, as that was the only source of transportation. Ships
of various sizes, some sail or steam powered brought the settlers and supplies
to the small communities that developed along the coastlines.
In 1913 Manitoulin
was joined to the mainland with the creation of a swing bridge in Little Current.
The bridge was built for the Algoma Eastern Railway, and built by the Canadian
Bridge Company of Walkerville, Ontario at a cost of $285,000. The bridge is
574 feet long, (swing portion is 325 feet), 22 feet high and is 14 feet wide.
An automobile motor operates the swing mechanism, although it is in the process
of being changed to operate by electricity. This bridge, which is still in
operation today, was built to allow the train to come to Manitoulin. The railway
never extended beyond Little Current. As road access was created the same
rail bridge is used as our link to the mainland. When the bridge was first
constructed it stayed in the open position and only closed when a train approached.
Today the bridge remains closed except during the summer when it opens on
the hour for the boats, large and small to proceed on their way. Since this
is a single lane bridge the traffic flow is controlled by Manitoulin's only
stop lights. The Little Current Swing Bridge was one of the first bridges
to be listed in the Ontario Heritage Bridge Program in 1983.
Quality
of Life
The
Manitoulin District has a rugged natural beauty
that lends itself to a relaxing,
comfortable lifestyle. The area boasts of sparkling waters, deciduous forests,
magnificent views, great boating and an abundance of fish and wildlife.
Manitoulin
Island is a port of call for many species of birds as they return to their
nesting grounds or migrate south for the winter. Cardinals and Blue Jays are
among a list of birds that can be found at bird feeders in the area.
There are numerous deer populating the area and it is not a rarity to see
them.
Geology
Manitoulin
Island is a continuation of the Bruce Peninsula. It is also part of the Niagara
Escarpment. Manitoulin Island is mainly limestone with very small deposits
of oil and natural gas.
The
fossils of the area are renowned world-wide. They represent some of the oldest
existing fossils formations and have been studied by experts in the field.
The fossils have been dated as far back as the Silurian period. This period
is part of the Paleozoic Era dating between 395 to 440 million years ago.
Flora and Fauna
The
Manitoulin District is a haven for an amazing range of plant and animal life.
It is the meeting point between North and South in Ontario, and more than
1,500 species of plants have been documented.
The
mossy floors of the hardwood bushes are home to unparalleled numbers of trilliums
and ladyslippers, while the shorelines provide a perfect nursery for the unusual
insectivorous pitcher plant.
Manitoulin
is a virtual cornucopia of fruits and berries, with apples, pears, cherries,
wild strawberries, raspberries, sand cherries, currants and countless other
delectables growing in profusion. From tiny violets to mighty oak trees, they
can all be seen on Manitoulin Island.
Hand
in hand with abundant plant life grows lavish wildlife. Waterfowl find Manitoulin's
marshes, inlets and lakes to be an ideal nesting ground, so seeing or hearing
lonely loons and majestic Canada geese is not unusual. There are also frequent
sightings of the Great Blue Heron and Sandhill Crane. Whitetail deer thrive
on Manitoulin, as do beaver, otter, muskrat, squirrels, wolves and foxes,
as well as numerous other critters, large and small.
And last
but not least, the people on Manitoulin Island are exceptionally friendly
and always willing to lend a hand. Whether you are a friend of a friend of
a friend, or a stranger to our island, most Islanders are usually the one
of the friendliest bunch of people you will ever meet!
Soil
There are
eighty one different soils classified in the District. Sixty percent of the
soil is Farmington Loam, a calcareous loam till over limestone bedrock at
a depth of less than one foot.
There
are plants that grow in this area that are not indicative to a Northern Ontario
environment. The soil conditions provide a good source of growth material
for these plants. One such example is the "Pitcher Plant" that requires specific
soil conditions to grow. It can be seen on shorelines in the area. Cedar trees
also do well in the area.
Manitoulin Tourism & Commerce
Tourism,
as well as being the largest,
is also the fastest growing industry in the Manitoulin
District. There are many seasonal businesses, such as resorts, recreation facilities,
and gift shops that rely solely on tourist patrons. Local retail stores also
see their greatest sales during the major May to September tourist season. In
addition, it is felt that the tourism industry in the area has the potential
to be developed into a year round economy. Like, the summer months, Manitoulin
Island can offer several different fun and exciting activities to experience
throughout the winter. To name a few, there is snow mobiling, ice fishing, cross
country skiing, skating and so much more.
Tourists
choose Manitoulin Island to visit primarily for the breathtaking scenery; cool,
clear streams and lakes,
lush agricultural land, dense forest and dappled glades,
all combine to create a spectacular location for relaxation and excitment. More
and more businesses base their establishment towards the needs of a tourist,
whether it be souvenir
shops, leisure activities or accommodation, it benefits
the entire island by offering the attractions and spark to continuing tourist
and potential tourist down the road.
Based on a
short research project, most tourists are from Ontario. Whether they are from
neighbouring towns or southern cities, people in Ontario think highly of Manitoulin.
Not only
Ontarians, but Canadians also find time to visit the island. The top three
provinces to visit Manitoulin are, British Columbia, Western Quebec and Alberta.
Many Americans
visit the island, especially people
from Michigan, Ohio and New York.Most
tourists from the United States are boaters sailing the Great Lakes, however,
there are many people, who drive and camp here as well.
The island
also has frequent visits from many countries across the world. The top seven
are Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, England, Austria, Austrailia, and Belgium.
The most popular
accommodation facilities are as listed in order:
| Campgrounds |
30% |
| Unknown |
21% |
| Hotels/
Motels |
19% |
| Housekeeping
Cottages |
15% |
| Friends
& Relatives |
6% |
| Bed
& Breakfasts |
5% |
| American
Plan Resorts |
2% |
Places to Experience
- Golf Courses
- Scenic
Lookouts
- Hiking
Trails
- Boardwalks
- Trail Rides
- Airports
- Festivals
- Pow Wows
- Farm Tours
- Farmers
Market
- Cemeteries
- Marinas
- Lighthouses
- Museums
- ...and
so much more!
Artwork courtesy of Melanie Stephens
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