A
Brief History of Parry Sound
If
you travel across this country it is not hard to find people who
have been to Parry Sound. Both major rail lines and the Trans
Canada Highway run through the town and until recently it was
an important port of call for Great Lakes' passenger ships. You
could hardly venture anywhere east or west in Canada without passing
through Parry Sound.
The area was first inhabited by Huron natives. It was located
on a natural canoe route that snaked through the Thirty Thousand
Islands and connected the interior to the St. Lawrence River and
on to the Atlantic Ocean. The early European explorers used the
route to open up the north and west to the fur trade. The century
between 1660 and 1760 was marked by bitter Indian warfare. The
Iroquois eventually destroyed the more trade-oriented Hurons.
There is still a strong native presence in the area with thriving
aboriginal communities at Parry Island, Moose Deer, Gibson and
Shawanaga.
Originally the only settlement on this side of Georgian Bay consisted
of a sawmill and a few shacks at the mouth of the Seguin River.
You might see an occasional fur trading post or a band of wandering
natives. The most dramatic sight would be the miles and miles
of virgin pine. So much pine that the loggers of the day thought
it could never be logged over. They proved themselves wrong and
by the early 1920's the huge stands of pine were completely gone.
By 1867 primitive roads had been built, but by far most of the
traffic to isolated settlements was by steamer. The treacherous
storms of Georgian Bay claimed many of these vessels, such as
the "Waubuno", a ship that sunk with all hands lost
off Copper Head in 1879.
The most important single person in the development of the town
of Parry Sound was "Governor " William Beatty. He, his
father, and his brother James brought out William Gibson, a Willowdale
surveyor who established the first saw mill in 1856. Beatty surveyed
the townsite, built roads, ships and churches and encouraged settlers.
He was a man of exacting moral views and enforced his own brand
of prohibition under what came to be known as the "Beatty
Covenant".
In 1868 the Free Grant Lands Act was passed. This brought an influx
of settlers and by 1874 the entire area was settled. The McKellar
and Dunchurch areas boast the better farming land. The thin soil,
large quantities of shield rock and the harsh winters defeated
a great many of the early settlers.
Over the years industry has come and gone. Some notables are Canadian
Industries LTD and Dominion Industries at Nobel, Rockwell Industries
in Foley Township and the still present Shaw Almex. Tourism, however,
has become the mainstay of the community. The area's Festival
of the Sound is a major musical event that brings visitors from
all over the globe. Our year round recreation facilities and accommodations
are world class. By far the most spectacular part of a Parry Sound
experience is the Georgian Bay. It only takes one cruise among
the thirty thousand islands to see why people return time after
time.
So, if you are visiting the area for a few days or just passing
through, take a good look at Parry Sound. Check out the scenery,
historical buildings, ghost towns and other attractions. It will
be an experience you'll never forget.
Written
by John Maddeford
©
Parry Sound Bed & Breakfast Association
