Evolution in the Mapping of and Southern By A. Wayne Caston, M.Se.» P.Geo. Introduction tier municipalities such as the The first printed map showing a signif­ 'new’ Counties of Haldimand icant portion of what is now southern and Norfolk emerging from the Ontario was published in 1632. Since former Regional Municipality. then, the mapping of Ontario as a dis­ The intent of this article is to tinct physiographic region evolved provide a brief and somewhat with increased exploration and more selective introduction to the evolution Initial Mapping of Canada accurate surveying methods. Since in mapping the Ontario peninsula from and the Ontario Peninsula much of is bounded the mid 1600’s to the early 1900’s, and by Lakes Huron (including Georgian to trace the evolution of one particular John Cabot was the first European Bay), Erie and Ontario, not to mention administrative district - Wellington recorded to have made landfall in what the St. Lawrence and Rivers, County, and one prominent topograph­ is now Canada, likely near or on Cape some (mainly older) geographers refer ic feature - the Niagara Escarpment - Breton Island, in June of 1497. Cabot to the region as the ‘Ontario over this period of significant explo­ apparently then sailed north to the Peninsula’, but is generally identified ration and development. This evolu­ northern tip of Newfoundland before as southern Ontario. tion can be divided into two distinct returning to England. The earliest Later, as settlement increased in the phases - French exploration and map­ known cartographic depiction of the interior, geographic Townships were ping until 1763, and the British colo­ New World was a manuscript sea chart surveyed and administrative districts nization until Confederation. Evolution or portolan by de la Cosa, dated 1500 and their boundaries evolved as well. of distinct administrative districts took (Burden, 1996), which illustrated This administrative evolution, despite place in this latter phase. In addition, Cabot's findings from his first voyage. an interval of about one hundred years, some comments about antique maps This chart can be considered the earli­ re-emerged in the 1970fs with the des­ and surveying, with selected local est known map, based on actual explo­ ignation of Regional Municipalities examples, will be made. rations, of any part of Canada. and several other new municipal struc­ The first known printed map to tures. This evolution has continued NOTE : This article follows the stan­ depict America was published in 1506 into the late 1990's with many munici­ dard mapping convention of using by Contarini - Roselli, and the first to pal amalgamations such as ’s diagonals (/) to indicate a new line o f use the name ‘America’ was published new ‘mega city’, and now into the the map's name as inscribed in the car­ a year later by Waldseemuller (Burden, twenty-first century with new single touche or title block of the map itself 1996). The first map devoted to the New World appeared in 1511 (Burden, 1996). One of the earliest maps to depict the name ‘Canada’ was pub­ lished in 1582 by Lok (Kershaw, 1993). For the remainder of the 16th century, the eastern coast of Canada and the St. Lawrence River, as well as the Arctic, were actively explored and mapped. The first European to explore the interior of the Ontario peninsula was Samuel de Champlain in 1615 - 16. In 1632, Champlain published a map (no title) based on his explorations; the first to delineate, however crudely, the lands north of Lakes Erie and Ontario, east of , south of Georgian FIG U R E 1 Bay and west of the Ottawa River. The

4 The Ontario Land Surveyor, Summer 2003 River. The Bressani map also included and establishment of the French repub­ an inset map of the south shore of lic in 1792. and the , Jacques-Nicolas Beilin's maps of the showing the location of Ste-Marie (‘PARTIE OCCIDEN­ Among the Hurons. Also shown is an TALE / de la / NOUVELLE FRANCE engraving of the martyrdom of / ou du /CANADA /...’- large format, Brebeuf and Lalement. Sanson and and CARTE DES / LACS DU CANA­ Bressani were among the first cartog­ DA I ... - small format), first published FIG U R E 2 raphers to use descriptions of mission­ in 1744, were among the first larger aries and traders, most frequently the scale maps of the Ontario Peninsula. only inland waterways depicted were Jesuit Relations or annual reports, to Beilin's large format of the map (the those we know as the Trent - Severn update and improve their maps of 1755 version is shown on the cover system, on which Champlain travelled Canada's interior. and adjacent to the title of this article) during his return trip to Quebec. With the exception of Coronelli's is particularly notable because it is Nicolas Sanson’s famous map of map (‘PARTIE OCCIDENTALE / du believed to be the first to identify the 1656, ‘LE CANADA, ou / NOU- CANADA / ...’) first published in Grand River (‘R. d’Urse ou la Grande VELLE FRANCE, &c./ ...,’ in both cl685, Guillaume del’Isle’s ‘CARTE / Riviere’). On this map, Beilin identi­ large and small (1657) formats, was DU CANADA (first published in fied Lake Simcoe as ‘Lac Taronto’ and the first to depict all six of the Great 1703) was the first to show enclosed indicated the location of an indian vil­ Lakes (although the shorelines of shorelines of the Great Lakes, and to lage (‘Tejajagon’ or ‘Tejaiagon’) on Lakes Superior and Michigan were not position them correctly in their geo­ the site of Toronto. In 1757, Beilin enclosed). Sanson's map also identified graphic relation to one another published the first maps to identify ‘Ft. Lakes ‘Ontario’ (‘ou Lac de St. (Kershaw, 1993). Del'Isle’s map of Toronto’ in its present location. Refer Louis’), ‘Erie’ (‘ou du Chat’) and Canada, which evolved through nine to FIGURE 3. Superior (‘Superieur’) for the first separate states over a period of 130 Persistent cartographic errors form time. Several inland waterways within years, is generally considered to be one an intriguing insight, not only into nav- the Ontario Peninsula were also delin­ of the outstanding eated but not identified (FIGURE 1 - maps of Canada in the this particular example is the Dutch 18th century. FIG­ ’piracy’ version of 1683). However, URE 2 is the ninth several settlements were identified - and final state St. Pierre, St. Francois, St. Michel, St. (c l798) of del'Isle's Joseph, Alexis and so on. Sanson was map; notable is the Lasermap Image Plus/GPR is pleased to announce its acquisition of an the Royal Geographer to Louis XIII. removal of all traces Franceso Guiseppe Bressani's map of of royalty (crown, 1657 (‘Novae Franciae Accurata / fleurs-de-lis, and Delineatio 1657’), also made an del'Isle's title of The latest generation of Optech's airborne attempt to delineate, but did not identi­ ‘Premier Geographe lidai equipment provides up to 50,000 real fy, several major inland watersheds, du Roy’) as a result of elevation data points every second, and one of which was likely the Grand the French revolution, incorporates all of the most up-to-date features, including first and last returns and intensity. The system, currently the first of its kind in North America, has completed field trials and is already in production.

BIG REPUTATION LASERMGP ~^Z-mnBcnus MEMBER OF THE GPR GROUP

www.lasermap.com • E-mail: [email protected] Tel/Fax: 819-647-3085 FIGURE 3 (1757 version of small format)

6 The Ontario Land Surveyor, Summer 2003 al prominent and persistent errors in Admiral was alleged to have discov­ the mapping of Canada as well. ered the “Western Sea” (‘Mer de In the early 1740fs, for example, l'Ouest’) in what is now central British Jacques - Nicolas Beilin interpreted the Columbia / Alberta, and at least one reports of two Jesuit missionaries north-west passage from the Pacific describing the same two islands in Ocean, through what is now the Alaska Lake Superior (Isle Royale and Isle panhandle towards the north-east and Maurepas, now called Michipicoten on to the Arctic Ocean. De la Fuente's Island) with sufficient variation that he notes were apparently rediscovered in concluded that there were four larger the 1740's. While some cartographers islands in Lake Superior, and included accepted these ‘discoveries’ with little them in his maps. Refer, for question, and added them to their example, to FIGURE 3. The maps, others noted the ‘discoveries’ 'phantom' islands were named but questioned their authenticity las Tmm jmmtixRekf dxm m SupfA&ieirt s m l » jWeoiiTeife atfriiii&s* a im,sbnanl'Mj'peffml m m m eJ te Isle Philippeaux [Isle Minong] (Didier Robert de Vaugondy, for exam­ Fmiie m Belhtm xtg J$&w L vavm t intern?tityvw hC trfe and Isle Pontchartrain. Given ple - refer to FIGURE 4). It appears deM-Jwph Jh*E?k puHtih' miySS, ^epandmt l& Beilin's stature as a cartogra­ that Admiral de la Fuente was a fig­ wkffer, kmmm ymdam Ta strife eff<& /## Sum m it * pher, and particularly as the ment of someone's imagination, since MilftmiifiM?, King's 'First Geographer’, the Spanish government had no record FIG U R E 4 other cartographers (Bonne, of the Admiral's voyage or even of the Robert Vaugondy, et al) accepted his Admiral himself! igational and mapping accuracy, but error without question, and included With the defeat of the French and also into politics and competition. the phantom islands on their own maps the signing of the Treaty of Paris in Some antique map collectors base their for several decades afterwards. 1763, the British colonization of the collections on such errors. One of the Another Canadian cartographic Ontario Peninsula's interior, and the best known examples is ‘California as error was the ‘discoveries’ of Admiral active surveying of Townships, was an Island’. However, there were sever­ de la Fuente in the 1640's. The soon to commence. The Kertland map identifies the survey grid, gravel and other roads, town plots, taverns, and railways. Wellington County was fortunate to have had two separate County atlases published; the time span of almost thir­ ty years (1877 and 1906) between them, provides an opportunity to com­ pare development in the County during the period. County atlases were pro­ duced primarily for commercial pur­ poses - to identify factories, offices, residences and land holdings of sub­ scribers, and to provide space to adver­ tisers. FIG U R E 5 The first Wellington County atlas, “Topographical and Historical Atlas of Mapping of the Wellington 1849, but it was 1854 before the pres­ the County of Wellington, Ontario, ...” County Area ent County boundaries were finalized was published by Walker & Miles of (Morley, 1972). The map of WEST / Toronto in 1877. In addition to a map The lands comprising Wellington CANADA by John Tallis & Co., pub­ of the entire County, maps of all the County, as we know it today, were lished in 1851, indicates quite clearly Townships, and plans of ten towns and included in the Western and Home the boundaries of Wellington District villages, were included in the atlas. Districts of Upper Canada established and Wellington County prior to 1854. Amaranth, East Luther and East in 1791, and in the Home District as (FIGURE 6). These boundaries Garafraxa Townships were still depict­ realigned in 1798. Nichol Township excluded part of Puslinch Township, ed as part of Wellington County in this was the first of Wellington's local but did include Waterloo, Wellesley atlas. The Township maps and plans municipalities to be established (in and Wilmot Townships of today's are significant since many identify 1816). Waterloo Region; Mornington property owners for both the rural and The first plans of townships located Township of Perth County; Amaranth, urban lots. The division of farm land in what is now Wellington County East Luther, East Garafraxa and among subsequent generations of orig­ were published in ‘DIAGRAMS / OF Melancthon Townships of THE / Townships / IN / UPPER ; and CANADA, / SHEWING THE LOTS Normanby, Egremont, Proton, PURCHASED / FROM HIS Bentinck, Glenelg, Holland, MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT . / BY Derby and Sullivan THE / Canada Company’ in 1827 - 28 Townships of to (Winearls, 1991). Volume II (Home the waters of . and Western Districts) of this publica­ The first map of Wellington tion identified plans for Erin, County, as the distinct admin­ Garrafraxa (sic), and Eramosa istrative unit we know today, Townships. Also in this 1827 - 28 peri­ was published in 1855. The od, J. McDonald, a surveyor from ‘MAP / of the County of , published maps of his com­ WELLINGTON / Province of pleted survey of the lands acquired by Canada West.’ was compiled the Government from the Chippewa by E.H. Kertland, a civil engi­ Indians in 1825. These maps included neer and land surveyor, printed the laid out Townships of Guelph and by Maclear & Co., Nichol, as well as a town plot of Lithographers of Toronto Guelph. (Winearls, 1991). Copies of The Wellington District was estab­ this map are held in the lished in 1837. Prior to this, much of National Archives of Canada, the region was included in the Gore Archives of Ontario, British District (see FIGURE 5). The County Library and the Metropolitan of Wellington itself was established in Toronto Reference Library. FIGURE 6 (entire map shown on page 31)

The Ontario Land Surveyor, Summer 2003 9 inal or early land owners can frequent­ An interesting sidelight to the map­ (S.D.U.K.) in 1832 - ‘NORTH AMER­ ly be inferred if not substantiated by ping of cities and towns in late 19th ICA / SHEET III / UPPER CANADA reviewing these maps. century Ontario, was the production of /....’. The Society published a series of The 1906 Wellington County atlas, ‘bird's eye views’ of urban areas. As atlases of the world over a period of “Historical Atlas of the County of with county atlases, these were usually more than thirty years. The maps in Wellington, Ontario” was published by produced for commercial purposes - to these atlases are significant today the Historical Atlas Publishing Co. of show prominent factories, offices and because of their geographic accuracy, Toronto, and is considered by some to residences - and to sell the views to the quality of engraving and cartographic be superior to Walker & Miles’ 1877 owners of those buildings and proper­ clarity, particularly in the earlier part of version (Morley, 1972). Certainly the ties. Among the earliest produced was the 19th century. It is interesting to seventy-one page ‘Historical Sketch’ a view of in 1867, and eventual­ note that the American branch of the was more comprehensive than the pre­ ly included many towns and cities in S.D.U.K. later became the vious version. In addition, a total of Ontario. However, the publishing of Smithsonian Institution. thirty-four plans of villages, towns and bird’s eye views continued into the Through the use of almost continu­ the City of Guelph were included in early 20th century, with Dawson City, ous hachuring or shading, the map's this later version. Both versions were Yukon, in 1902. engravers (J. & C. Walker) identified reprinted in 1972, but even the reprints but did not name the Escarpment from are now quite expensive. It is interest­ Mapping of the Niagara Grimsby westwards to Hamilton, and ing to note that a number of ‘national’ Escarpment then northwards to Port Boucher on atlases (for example, the “Illustrated Natawasauga (sic) Bay. FIGURE 5 Atlas of the Dominion of Canada”, Among the first printed maps to more shows the Niagara Escarpment and published by both Belden and Parsell or less correctly delineate the Niagara also clearly indicates the name of the in 1881) were ‘customized’ for Escarpment as a major topographic Blue Mountains and the line of hills increased sales regionally by including feature was one published by Baldwin (Oak Ridges Moraine) running perpen­ maps of specific counties and town­ & Cradock of London for the Society dicular to the Escarpment and meeting ships. for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge it near the source of the Credit River. Delineation of the Escarpment did not portation. One of the first road maps of latitude, is delineated by almost one extend past Port Boucher, probably published for this specific purpose was hundred survey monuments erected by because the lands westward to Lake the ‘ONTARIO / AUTOMOBILE Arthur Saint Cyr, D.L.S. and George Huron and north of Goderich, includ­ ROAD / MAP’ produced by Rand White - Fraser, D.T.S. The map was ing all of the Bruce Peninsula, were McNally & Company (Chicago and prepared by the Topographical Surveys still Indian Territory at this time. It was New York) in 1918. It can be left to Branch of the Department of the not until the early 1850?s that a treaty one’s imagination to consider the crite­ Interior in 1900, and is signed by E. was signed, and the Peninsula was sur­ ria used to determine the actual suit­ Deville, Surveyor General. veyed into Townships, and opened to ability of a road for automobile travel It is likely that this map was also settlement. at this time. used to advance the Canadian case dur­ The Baldwin & Cradock (S.D.U.K.) Significant events also shaped the ing the Alaska Boundary dispute, map of 1832 became a primary source evolution of mapping in other areas of which was settled (to Canada's disad­ for locating the Niagara Escarpment on Canada. For example, the Klondike vantage, as a result of the British rep­ many subsequent maps. For example, gold rush of 1898 spurred the resentative siding with the United Tallis’ map - ‘WEST CANADA’ (FIG­ Canadian government to survey both States) in 1903. While many surveys URE 6), published in several atlases in international and territorial boundaries were undertaken, the definition of the the 1850's and 1860's faithfully ren­ in order to prevent American incur­ boundary had originally relied on the dered the S.D.U.K. shading of the sions into Canadian territory. One such verbal descriptions of explorers, Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine, map (FIGURE 7 - detail) indicates the traders and missionaries. The bound­ albeit at a smaller scale. Tallis maps major trails from the Pacific tidewater ary was still in a considerable state of are, however, notable for being among (Skagway, Dyea and Haines Mission) flux when the Russian Empire sold the last highly decorative engraved towards Dawson City - the Chilcoot, Alaska to the United States in 1867. maps, and for their pictorial vignettes White Pass and Dalton Trails. While The discovery of gold in the Klondike, such as the ‘Falls of Niagara’. the international boundary is some­ and the desire to control access to the what ephemeral (only a provisional interior, made accurate determination The evolution of mapping in Ontario boundary point at the summit of the of the international boundary a priority. forged ahead as the automobile White Pass is indicated), the primary Teddy Roosevelt's famous 1901 became an established mode of trans­ territorial boundary, the 60th parallel statement, “Speak softly and carry a Battery MtGr*> RE-CELLING

Send your batteries to the company Ontario Land Surveyors have come to trust.

I'mningti We rebuild rechargeable battery packs for all electronic field equipment

All packs rebuilt with latest in high capacity battery technology Call Ahead For 24 Hour Rush Service

Repairs to Mast Radios Sc Bar Finders fhfrnnni

www.surveybattery.com

Toronto Area C anada I USA cy&tii 'Vj)

(416) 823-0489 DIAS 1-888-215-6328 fax (905) 822-3305

DIAS

ELECTRONICS

DIAS & DIAS ELECTRONICS FIG U R E 7 1110 KOS BLVD., , ON L5J 4L6 The Ontario Land Surveyor, Summer 2003 11 big stick,” was made, at least in part, as REFERENCES MAPS CITED a veiled threat that, if the negotiations - Belden, H. & Co., 1881, Illustrated - 1632, Champlain, Samuel de, Carte for the finalization of the Alaska - Atlas of the Dominion of Canada, de la Nouvelle France,... Canada boundary did not go in favour (Toronto) H. Belden & Co., 115+ p. - 1683, Sanson, Nicolas d'Abbeville of the United States, invasion might - Belden, H. & Co., 1906, Historical (d'Winter), LE CANADA, ou / not be out of the question. Atlas of the County of Wellington NOUVELLE FRANCE, &c. /... Ontario, (Toronto) Historical Atlas - 1657, Bressani, Franceso Guiseppe, Conclusions Publishing Co. 71 + ‘Lf p. Novae Franciae Accurata / - Burden, P.D., 1996, The Mapping of Delineatio 1657 The evolution of mapping for any North America, A List of Printed - 1703, Del'Isle, Guillaume, CARTE / region provides interesting insights Maps 1511 - 1670, (Rickmansworth) DU CANADA / OU DE LA / NOU­ into the exploration and development Raleigh Publications 568 p. VELLE FRANCE /... of that area. As explorers pushed into - Kershaw, K.A., 1993, Early Printed - 1755, Beilin, Jacques - Nicolas, Ontario's interior, rivers, lakes and Maps of Canada 1540 - 1703, (Homann Heirs edition), PARTIE shorelines were delineated. As munici­ (Ancaster) Kershaw Publishing OCCIDENTALE / de la / NOU­ palities were surveyed in preparation 319 p. VELLE FRANCE / ou du / CANADA for settlement, town plots were also - Kershaw, K.A., 1996, Early Printed - 1755, Beilin, Jacques - Nicolas, established. Villages grew and flour­ Maps of Canada Volume II, 1703 - CARTE DES / LACS DU CANA­ ished, and sometimes disappeared with 1799, (Ancaster) Kershaw DA/... little trace. For example, Wellington Publishing 301 p. - 1795, Didier Robert de Vaugondy County is no exception. Among the - Mika, N. & H., 1985, The Shaping (updated and corrected by C - F villages in Wellington County identi­ of Ontario from Exploration to Delamarche), CANADA, LOUISIANE, fied as late as 1918 were Corwhin, Confederation, (Belleville), Mika ETATS -UNIS. Gourock, Living Spring, Dracon, Publishing Company 280 p. - c l828, Colonial Department, Map / Conn, Farewell, Goldstone, Wyandot, - Morley, W.F.E., 1972, INTRODUC­ of the / BRITISH POSSESSIONS / Lebanon, Derrynane, Hollen, TION (to Beldon, 1906 reprint) in / NORTH AMERICA Mosborough, Stirton and Egerton. - Pedley, M. S., 1992, Bel et Utile, - 1832, Baldwin & Cradock (Society Little remains of these except, perhaps, The Work of the Robert de for Diffusion of Useful Knowledge), as a crossroads familiar only to land Vaugondy Family of Mapmakers, NORTH AMERICA / Sheet III / surveyors or older local residents. (Tring, UK) Map Collector UPPER CANADA / with parts o f.... However, it is fair to say that maps can Publications - c l851, Tallis, John & Company, and do provide very important sources - Walker & Miles, 1877, Topo­ West / Canada of historical information; perhaps graphical and Historical Atlas of the - 1900, Department of the Interior sources that are too often overlooked. County of Wellington, (Toronto) (Canada), Topographic Surveys An interesting and useful general Walker & Miles, [reprint edition, Branch, MAP OF THE COUNTRY reference on the early settlement and 1972] pp. 47-96 / ADJACENT TO THE 60TH PAR­ mapping of Ontario is “THE SHAP­ - Winearls, Joan, 1991, Mapping ALLEL OF LATITUDE / FROM ING OF ONTARIO from Exploration Upper Canada 1780 - 1867, TESLIN LAKE TO ALSEK RIVER to Confederation” (Mika, 1985). For (Toronto) University of Toronto /... anyone interested more particularly in Press 986 p. - 1918, Rand McNally & Company, the provenance of maps, surveys or ONTARIO / AUTOMOBILE plans in southern Ontario, a standard ROAD / MAP reference is Winearls' “MAPPING UPPER CANADA 1780 - 1867: An A* Wayne Caston is a Waterloo, Ontario based Professional Annotated Bibliography of Manuscript Geoscientist with businesses in aggregate resources planning, develop­ and Printed Maps” (1991). Not only ment and management consulting, and as a dealer in antique maps. does Winearls deal with general maps Wayne is also a Regional Councillor for the Association of of the Ontario Peninsula, but also with Professional Geoscientists of Ontario* cities, towns, and townships (including Caston Cartographies specializes in maps of Canada with special official Township plans based on orig­ emphasis on 17th and 18th century works of French cartographers inal surveys), Of particular interest to and also undertakes appraisals of antique maps, plans and surveys land surveyors are the listings of all under provisions of the federal Cultural Property Import and Export subdivision plans registered during the Act. Wayne can be contacted at (519) 884-0314 or by e-mail: period, and official nautical charts A [email protected] of the Great Lakes shorelines.

12 The Ontario Land Surveyor, Summer 2003 The Ontario Land Surveyor, Summer 2003 31