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• Muskoka Lakes Fall Paradise

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Fall  Feature: Muskoka Lakes Fall Paradise

The Muskoka Lakes District has been known as "Muskoka's playground" for more than a century. It's a unique area where incredible wealth blends seamlessly with the breathtaking beauty of the Canadian Shield. The Muskoka Lakes District centers around Muskoka's three largest and most picturesque lakes, known as Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau, and Joseph.

The Muskoka Lakes District has been the destination of tourists and adventurers since the land first opened up for settlement. The District's first settlers were two young men who came up from Toronto. They journeyed to the area by way of train, steamship, rowboat and finally, by foot. These men were so taken by the beauty of the area that they continued to come back annually, bringing different friends each time. In 1864 they formed the "Muskoka club". Membership in the Club continued to grow for decades, as did the memories of beautiful times shared with friends amid the vast, untouched beauty of the Lakes.

Another of the earliest tourists was A.P. Cockburn who visited the area in 1865. Cockburn was so impressed by the lakes, their islands, and the surrounding forests that he offered to supply the area with a steamship, if the government would put in a set of locks and a channel to open up the lakes.

Cockburn did follow through on his promise and launched his first steamship, the Wenonah in 1868. The government kept its promise too, and dredged the channel in Port Sandfeild and opened the locks at Port Carling in 1871, thereby connecting all three of the majestic Muskoka lakes.

The roads at the turn of the century, though in existence, were not very good and with the abundance of waterways, boat travel was (and still is) the preferred method travel for people in the area. The ease of travel provided by the steamer combined with the opening of the locks, made the region that much more accessible to tourists and settlers alike.

In the 1880's some of the area's wealthiest visitors began buying up property in the area and with their purchase, came the advent of the celebrated Muskoka cottages and boathouses. While some of the first in the area were rather rustic, by the 1890's it was in vogue to have one's summer cottage professionally designed. Land owners hired prominent architects in their home-town to design their summer abode; hence the exquisite designs for their cottages were all so unique and individual in style (as are the boat houses that accompany them). What's most remarkable is the fact that most of these buildings, though designed by so many different people, all blend so harmoniously with the surrounding waterscape.

Boats were always a necessity in the area, but with the increasing number of affluent cottagers, and the advent of the gasoline engine, the boat building industry in Muskoka really began to flourish. In the early 1900's several local companies fashioned large handmade yachts (many of which have since been restored and still travel the lakes today). These vessels, handcrafted from wood, further added to the charm and mystique of the region.

In the early 1900's, through the 1920's the Muskoka Lakes area was in its heyday. Dozens of fancy resorts opened up and the number of tourists continued to explode. It was a grand time, with musicians and bands playing at several different venues, along with dance halls, boat races and many other high-spirited activities. It is during this time as well, that many famous movie stars began to frequent the area (a trend that continues today), though few are aware of the California connections that prompted this interest.

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One would think that such incredible wealth would spoil the land, or at least spoil its people, but this is not the case. While some people treasure their privacy, the area as a whole, continues to offer a warm welcome to its four season visitors.

The Muskoka Lakes area continues to be one of Canada's most unique and remarkable destinations. It continues to inspire artists and craftsmen alike and like a magnet it keeps drawing its visitors back year after year. A person truly hasn't lived if they've not had the opportunity to experience the depth of Muskoka Lake's majestic charm.

Article provided by: Your Host Destinations: Your Host Destinations offers float plane and boat tours of the Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario. Check our their website for more information or contact: Your Host Destinations Inc.,
75 Cascade Street
Parry Sound, ON
Canada P2A 1K4

Toll Free: 866-371-2673
Email: dawn.maurice@ yourhost destinations.com

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