ONTARIO HERITAGE FOUNDATION PROVINCIAL PLAQUE PROGRAM APPLICATION
FIRST NATIONS AT LAKE OF BAYS
Submitted by: Township of Lake of Bays Heritage Advisory Committee September 2015
DRAFT
CONTENTS
1. Application…………………………………………………….………….……3
2. Settlement of North Portage……………………………………….…..…...6 • Historical Information
3. Proposed Location of Plaque …………………………. ……….…..….…9
4. Proposed Text for Plaque ….………………………………….……..…….10
5. Project Partners…………………………………………………………..….11 • Confirmed Financial Contributors • Confirmed Contributors of Support
6. Letter of Support (Dorset Community Planning Group)………....…..12
DRAFT
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R s.u. mu, c. mm»..- 5. mad for mum mum Yruslmm-Imq -n v..m-w rlinuul ‘rm Ilovmalim ml rIu| be mm wlh um umrliznknnsFm ImheHnIumIIlov1‘pLe- mum It: EmnmrwaCanninlnx, mm H-M91mu, coAdehsae sue=nsu¢,1u.mm,om.na >454; 03,416-114490.! .nny2nIo DRAFT mmnusnsanit Prv-'rv=-’-IPI-cv=Pvusv-maupucauon PluI3n13 Page 5 of 13 Historic Plaque Application to the Ontario Heritage Trust, Sept. 2015 First Nations at Lake of Bays (925 words) According to the Master Plan of Heritage Resources for the District Municipality of Muskoka and the Wahta Mohawks published in 1994; “Perhaps more than any other area in Muskoka, the discoveries in and around Lake of Bays indicate the richness of the archeological heritage resource throughout the District.” It is because of this richness that the Township of Lake of Bays wishes to see an appropriate Ontario Heritage Trust plaque erected at a park owned by the Township at the Dorset narrows. The Lake of Bays area in the northeast section of Muskoka District is part of a geological formation known as the Algonquin Dome. This dome is a mass of igneous rock that rises some 150 meters above the waters of Lake Huron. The Algonquin Dome is the southern end of the Canadian Shield that extends from the Arctic Ocean to the Great Lakes and underlies the entire eastern half of the North American continent. The glaciers carved lakes and rivers into this geology and created a beautiful area that was rich in wildlife. After the glaciers receded, evidence of the earliest human existence in Muskoka dates back to the discovery of tools estimated to be between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. Archeologists have also found evidence of trade routes used by First Nations coming from north, south, east and west and converging in Muskoka where the Severn River meets Georgian Bay. This trading economy operated in the Middle Woodland Period between 0 and 500 A.D. and included both Algonquian and Iroquoian groups. The First Nations presence at Lake of Bays by the nineteenth century consisted of seasonal camps of Anishinabek people pursuing the abundant wildlife during the summer season. They called it Lake Nagatoagoman, meaning lake of many forks, and harvested the bounty of the area for hundreds of years, pursuing a sustainable lifestyle from one generation to the next until their displacement by Europeans. RegisteredDRAFT archaeological sites with evidence of their activity around Lake of Bays include Norway Point, Bigwin Island, Dorset narrows, Point Ideal, Rat Bay and Paint Lake. Artifacts have also been found on Turner’s and Raynor Islands. Vegetable gardens were maintained on Norway Point and maple sugar was made in local forests. Page 6 of 13 Trade routes extended all the way to Montréal with Wahta Mohawks. Eventually, the Wahta left Montréal and settled in Muskoka in 1881; they still maintain a reserve in the District near Mactier, which includes a successful business harvesting cranberries. Lake of Bays has also been known as Trading Lake, suggestive of the role it played for First Nations and trappers. The Hudson Bay Company opened a trading post in Orillia in the 1860s. Members of the Ojibwa were encouraged to bring furs from the Algonquin and Oxtongue areas to this post. Thomas Goffat, who was in charge of the Orillia post, also opened an outpost on Bigwin Island where the golf clubhouse now stands. The Bigwind family is well known and maintained a summer camp on Bigwin Island and at Cedar Narrows (now Dorset). Another prominent aboriginal family that lived near Baysville was called Menominee (which means wild rice in Ojibwa). A bay at the south end of Lake of Bays bears their name, as does a lake on Brunel Road. This family grew corn and potatoes and raised livestock and eventually surrendered their land around Baysville in the 1870s and moved to the Parry Island reserve. Another summer camp was located on Paint Lake. In addition to abundant fish and game, the red clay found there mixed with animal fat to create red ochre paint. The Yellowhead family also had a significant presence on Lake of Bays. They spent summers in Dorset, reportedly on a site now occupied by Robinson’s store. The family name in Ojibwa was Misquuckkey. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, the name "Muskoka" is likely from "Misquuckkey," the Algonquin chief whose name appears on two treaties surrendering parts of the area to Britain in November 1815. Chief Yellowhead was born about 1769 and died in 1864 and was buried in Orillia. In the War of 1812, the Yellowhead and Bigwind families fought against the American invaders and suffered loss of life and injuries in the Battle of York in 1813. Chief YellowheadDRAFT was hit in the jaw by an American musket ball. In 1830, Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, directed Yellowhead and his people to a reserve between Atherly Narrows (at the top of Lake Simcoe) and Georgian Bay. By 1836, more land was needed for British settlement and the band was moved again to Rama in 1838-39. They returned to Page 7 of 13 Lake of Bays in summers for hunting and trading. They had already learned that the land in Muskoka was unsuitable for farming and developed cultivated land in their new settlement areas. The final act of securing Muskoka from the First Nations was in 1850 with the Robinson Treaty. Signed in Sault Ste. Marie with 36 Chiefs and the Honourable William B. Robinson acting for Her Majesty Queen Victoria, a swath of the mid- northern region of Ontario was signed over for £2,000 pounds sterling and a £600 annuity. They were promised hunting rights except for any land that may be sold or leased to individuals by the government. Chief Joseph Bigwind, who also lived at Rama and traveled to Lake of Bays throughout the 19th century, signed other documents surrendering or selling Muskoka land. His descendent John Bigwind was known to local settlers and visitors well into the 20th century. Chief John Bigwind died at age 102 in 1940. Sources: The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2008. Master Plan of Heritage Resources for the District Municipality of Muskoka and the Wahta Mohawks, published in 1994. Chippewas of Rama First Nation Web site (www.mnjikaning.ca) DRAFT Page 8 of 13 Proposed Site Location Map We propose that the plaque be placed in beautiful downtown Dorset within the Township of Lake of Bays in the narrows of Lake of Bays. The proposed plaque site is a park area owned by the Township. This park area, rich in cultural heritage, was vital to the trading that was done by the natives and the settlers and is a registered archaeological site of aboriginal existence. It can be seen from the old Dorset bridge. The earliest version of this bridge was a log structure built by First Nations people before the arrival of Europeans. DRAFT Page 9 of 13 Proposed Text for Plaque First Nations at Lake of Bays Evidence of the earliest human existence in Muskoka dates back to the discovery of tools estimated to be between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. The First Nations presence at Lake of Bays consisted of hunting, fishing and farming during the summer season. They called it Lake Nagatoagoman, meaning lake of many forks. Registered archaeological sites with evidence of their activity include Norway Point, Bigwin Island, Dorset narrows, Point Ideal, Rat Bay and Paint Lake. Artifacts have also been found on Turner’s and Raynor Islands. Lake of Bays has also been known as Trading Lake. Prominent families visiting the lake included the names Yellowhead, Bigwind and Menominee. The Hudson Bay Company opened a trading post in Orillia in the 1860s and an outpost on Bigwin island. Members of the First Nations were encouraged to bring furs from the Algonquin and Oxtongue areas to this post. DRAFT Page 10 of 13 Project Partners The Township of Lake of Bays Heritage Advisory Committee consists of the Mayor, two members of Council, and five members of the public. Under the authority of the Ontario Heritage Act, and of the Official Plan of Lake of Bays, the Township of Lake of Bays Heritage Committee aids in identifying and preserving significant natural and built heritage and cultural landscape. Confirmed Financial Contributors Township of Lake of Bays Heritage Committee $1,000.00 Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation $1,000.00 Bruce MacLellan $500.00 Other Miscellaneous Contributors $1,500.00 Total Funds Raised $4,000.00 Confirmed Contributors of Support Prepared Muskoka Futures Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce grant application for funds towards the plaque Dorset Community Partnership Letter of Support attached Conducted research and Bruce MacLellan, see attached information about wrote the 1,000 the author. background paper. DRAFT Page 11 of 13 July29 2010 Mr. Bruce MacLe1lan Dear Mr. MacLellan Ruth Ross and Nancy Tapley have drawn our attention to the plan you have to place an Ontario Heritage Plague celebrating First Nations in the Community of Dorset. Having worked with First Nations across Canada I see this as a very important undertaking. The Dorset Commtuiity Planning Group is working hard to be as inclusive as possiblein its efforts to build a strong and vibrant community. Many of our projects celebrate our heritage, our culture and arts, our community spirit and our business success.Your initiative is very much in keeping with the goals of our group and it will be complementaryto our projects. Some of our community group members are working hard on a heritage walk meant to bring integration to our cultural and heritage attractions and it appears that you project is in keeping with the goals of that project as well‘ As the lead facilitator for the group I trust you will accept this as our letter of support for this very worthwhile lmdertaking. Good luck with the initiative and pleasefeel free to attend the next meeting of the Dorset CommunityPlanning Group September 15 where you can inform the group of your project in more clemil. S" l 0%olin Dorset Community Planning Group F O Box.158 Dorset, Ontario POA 1E0 DRAFT Page 12 of 13 Bruce MacLellan Bruce MacLellan is President of the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation (www.lakeofbaysheritage.ca). He has also served as a Director of the Ontario Board of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. He is the author of two books about Lake of Bays history: Post Cards from Lake of Bays was published in 2007 and Back Again at Lake of Bays in 2010. The two hardcover books have sold almost 2,000 copies to people interested in the history of the lake. With his wife and children, Bruce has been a seasonal resident and taxpayer at Lake of Bays for over 25 years. DRAFT Page 13 of 13