cbe report final_hr - Haliburton County Community Cooperative Inc

Mapping and Inventory of
Cultural Sites In
Highlands East
Sarah Ouellet
1917
Professor: Dan Longboat, Indigenous Environmental Studies Program
INDG 3902
Trent University & U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research
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Abstract
The purpose of this project is to create a comprehensive inventory of
cultural sites in Highlands East and map that information to make it more accessible to the
public. The intention is also to provide an easy reference for staff and visitors to learn
about the history of the municipality and to bring archival research to life in the form of a
map.
This material will be used as a basis for developing the cultural assets in the
municipality for the development of tourism and economic growth. The project researches
the Highlands East area and provides detailed information collected via archival research
of tangible cultural sites and resources. The community will decide which sites it wishes to
expand on in the second stage, again to strengthen the development of tourism and
economic growth in Highlands East.
This project is the first stage of a cultural mapping and inventory plan of the
Municipality of Highlands East that will develop on the strengths of the community based
upon cultural sites and local history. This project identified cultural sites in the municipality
and includes a literature review about tourism development in rural areas. The inventory
of sites includes brief historical information about the site coupled with cartographic
information from Google Maps. Also included in the conclusions are recommendations for
future development of the Highlands East cultural mapping projects and its outliers.
Generations of families have lived in Highlands East. Older inhabitants of
Highlands East carry stories that bring richness to the community. By combining cultural
interests, adventure tourism interests, and eco-tourism development together, Highlands

East can create a stronger community by reaching its full potential in tourism and
economic growth. This second stage in the project is a move towards this goal.

Acknowledgments
This project has been a great learning opportunity for me personally. I
would like to thank the supportive staff at U-links, Heather Reid and Stacy Kirkbride and to
the staff at the Municipal office of Highlands East, Irene Cook, Sharon Stoughton-Craig and
Donna Graham.

Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1
Literature Review
Adventure Tourism................................................................................................................ 5
Cultural or Heritage Tourism ................................................................................................. 6
Eco-Tourism ........................................................................................................................... 7
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 8
Methodology
Profile of Study Area and Cultural Site .................................................................................. 9
Research Approach................................................................................................................ 9
Data Collection: Books and Web Search................................................................................ 10
Data Organization.................................................................................................................. 10
Profiles of Cultural Sites in Highlands East
Community Profiles...............................................................................................................11
Bicroft................................................................................................................................... 12
Cardiff................................................................................................................................... 13
Glamorgan............................................................................................................................ 15
Monmouth ........................................................................................................................... 19
Conclusion
Future Research: ..................................................................................................................26
Concluding Comments.........................................................................................................27
References...............................................................................................................................28

INTRODUCTION
The project aims to begin the first stage of a cultural mapping and inventory
project for the Municipality of Highlands East that will develop and strengthen the
community and provide a basis for harnessing the cultural assets in the municipality for
economic development. It will also act as an easy reference for staff and visitors to learn
about the region’s history.
The project researches the area and provides detailed information collected
through research of tangible (cultural sites) and intangible cultural resources (people and
their stories) and aims to bring these together cartographically. Following the first stage of
the project the Municipality will then decide which aspects it wishes to expand on so as to
forward the future development of tourism and economic growth.
Geographers have found that cultural mapping projects have led to
heightened economic gain through tourism. These projects are especially prominent in rural
areas where alternative industries are lacking. Cultural mapping projects in addition to
generating income for the communities, also have the ability to expand the community’s
understanding of the significant cultural sites within their region.
The Mapping and Inventory of Cultural Sites In Highlands East Project was
designed in partnership with The U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research and the
Municipality of Highlands East to create a comprehensive inventory and map of cultural sites
so as to make this information more accessible to the general public. The relevant cultural
sites include:
• The Red Cross Outpost Museum
• Kidd Schoolhouse Genealogy Museum
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• Cardiff Dragon Fly Art Installment
• The Monmouth Library – the former site of the Historic Orange Hall
• The Gooderham Community Centre – the former site of the Agricultural Society
The purpose of the project, again, is to enhance tourism and economic
benefits for Highlands East, and to develop a better understanding of the cultural value of
the area. There were three main objectives:
• The first objective was to conduct research, compile information, and write a report
on the region’s cultural sites. A literature review is included regarding the relevance
of cultural landmarks for tourism development in rural areas.
• The second objective was to create an inventory of sites and include a cultural profile
and analysis to provide information to select sites for further development.
• The third objective was to create a map identifying each site.
To fulfill the three objectives of the Mapping and Inventory of Highlands East
Project a series of research approaches were completed pertaining to the study area of
Highlands East. Data collection for the objectives consisted of site visits, textual and
worldwide web/media research. Data was collected and the information organized
according to relevant objective and cultural site.
The Municipality Of Highlands East was incorporated in 2001, and is the
amalgamation of the former townships of Bicroft, Cardiff, Glamorgan and Monmouth. With
a population of 3,089 people and a seasonal population of roughly 13,000 it covers an area
of 701.32 km2. (highlandseast.ca, August 2010) This project begins to uncover the history and
cultural significance of cultural sites to the development of the Municipality of Highlands
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East. The majority of people living in Highlands East are between the ages of 40 and 75 with
88.2% of the population being over 15 years of age (Statistics Canada, 2006). The literature
review covers the relevance of cultural landmarks for tourism development in rural areas.
Ultimately, the project provides a starting point for the municipality to continue with a largescale
cultural mapping project.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Cultural landmarks can be the key to rural areas for economic and tourism
development and sustainable living in the country. Many rural towns suffer economic
decline. Tourism can create a market for new businesses and services. Developing tourism in
a rural area can establish community pride for which to build a stronger municipal economy.
Tourism Development in Rural Areas
Lack of fertile land due to the prominence of Canadian Shield has frustrated
farmers in the Highlands East since the times of early settlement. Many people followed the
promise of free land north only to find the land non-arable: “[fertile] land in the more
southerly townships had already been bought up so that anyone who wanted to have his
own farm had to look further north and the Province’s attempt to settle the northern
Townships by offering free land was irresistible to many.” (Bates, 2007)
Controversial mining options create division and have detrimental environmental risks,
which outweigh the potential benefits in best case scenarios. In Highlands East: “Mining has
never had a significant impact on the economy of the community, its potential has certainly
been investigated...and found that it was not economically feasible.” (Bates, 2007)
Lumber and logging has been an economic strength of the area in the past:
Some who became settlers first came to work for the lumber companies that were
operating in the area at that time and stayed long-term – making Glamorgan their home.
When the IB&O was constructed, some of those who came to work on it stayed and
established their homes here.” (Bates, 2007) Tourism however tends to provide more
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opportunities for numerous small businesses than does logging, which tends to focus a
workforce under one corporate umbrella. Also tourism is protected somewhat from market
changes, being a diversified business classification.
Adventure Tourism
Adventure tourism, cultural tourism, and eco-tourism are of the main types of
tourism in Canada. Adventure tourism is defined as, “recreational travel undertaken to
remote or exotic destinations for the purpose of discovery, exploration or engaging in a
variety of rugged activities.” (Travel, 2007). The Highlands East Municipality has great
potential to develop recreational and adventure tourism - “Recreation and tourism are
increasingly important activities in rural areas throughout the western world.” (Hall, C. 2002:
207). Additionally, “Recreational land use must compete with agriculture, forestry, water
abstraction, mineral extraction and military training’ within the rural environment” (Hall, C.
2002: 207). As in the case of Highlands East, agriculture and mineral extraction are not the
most ideal options. For example, one of the Municipality of Highlands East’s tourism-related
strengths is that it is known as the ‘Geo-caching’ capital of Canada:
“Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played
throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS
devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called
geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.
Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a
strong sense of community and support for the environment.”
www.geocaching.com
Geocaching began in Oregon in 2000 and his since grown to two hundred
participating countries that organize online and forum with one another. According to the
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website geocaching.com, there are 1,175,867 caches hidden worldwide with an estimated 4-
5 million people participating in geocaching. In the last month 4,766,296 new logs have been
uploaded onto the website. “The economic power of [geocaching] tourism is often
overlooked. Last year it had an $887 million impact in Monroe County and accounted for
almost 14,000 jobs.” (Geotrail, 2010) It is clearly about discovery and adventure for all ages.
Geo-caching represents but one small area for potential development in regional tourism.
Future goals for this project might include investigating additional, lesser-known ways of
developing tourism. Often rural areas cultivate signature tourism, based on specialty
strengths. Often these can be developed from pre-extant features of the area. If mining is
no longer popular in a given area for example, or is on the decline, then geological tours,
metallurgical society eco-tours and even tours of old mines are potentially marketable
tourism endeavors.
Cultural Tourism
Cultural tourism, like adventure tourism, is about discovery and respect for
the world’s cultural and natural heritage. According to the International Committee on
Cultural Tourism, “cultural tourism is that form of tourism whose object is… the discovery of
monuments and sites… It exerts a very positive effect … [and] contributes to their
maintenance and protection” (Walter, J. 1989: 45).” It is then important for regional selfimage
to develop and keep historical information and stories alive in respect of the past, the
present, and the future generations.
Cultural resources can include old and new buildings, natural and scenic areas,
as well as the way of life of the people that live in an area, their stories and their character.
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Cultural resources can include local storytelling, dance, music and so on and often form the
backbone of rural economies for single townships. “The cultural resources of a region must
be presented and interpreted with intelligence and creativity; the development of these
products entails deep research into one’s identity, and a profound sense of place which will
allow people to grow, self-actualize, feel proud and link the past with the future.” (Walter, J.
1989: 59) The development of cultural tourism in this area will create respect for the land,
its people, and its life history. Cultural tourism boosts an areas understanding of itself with
special attention given to the strengths and uniqueness of a particular community.
Eco-tourism
Eco-tourism can easily combine with adventure tourism and cultural tourism.
According to The Ontario Eco-Tourism Society (TOES), Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable
and socially responsible nature and culture based tourism.” There has been, “a shift in
popularity from ‘traditional’ seaside resort holidays to a broader range of tourist
experiences... particularly, through activities that seek some kind of ‘outdoor adventure’ or
‘reconnection with nature.’” (Woods, M. 2005) While one wants to encourage connecting
with nature and visiting rural communities there must be a limit on the amount of ‘traffic’
that comes through a community. There is the possibility of environmental degradation to
the land as well as the people. With too much outside influence, ironically, the very culture
you are ‘selling’ may change dramatically. This may not seem relevant at the outset, but put
simply, small communities can become ‘tourist traps’ fairly quickly if economic development
supersedes placing a value on quality of life and cultural value of residents. This can be
avoided by providing constant light reminders to the community of their value as individuals
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and families and by placing formal and informal restrictions on the amount of development
in one township.
Conclusion
Whatever the type of tourism a community plans to focus on; there are both tangible
and intangible components to consider. Tangible cultural sites are sites that have an actual
physical presence, and hold significant value to the culture of an area. These sites can
include: buildings, monument, artifacts etc. Intangible cultural resources are the stories,
feelings and emotions associated with cultural events or individuals along with their music,
dance, art, philosophies, skill in traditional medicine, and so on. Intangible cultural resources
are the part of culture that can be studied but that hold no physical presence. (Wilson, 2010)
The intangible resources have just as much or more strength and potential than the tangible
sites. “Tourism focused around recreational, cultural and heritage experiences create
lasting advantage for rural areas, however, it requires using tourism not as an end in and of
itself but as part of a broader strategy designed to leverage the quality of place required to
be a tourist destination with other regional quality of life amenities. This two pronged
strategy will attract not just tourists but new permanent residents to the region and lead to
a more sustainable economic outcome.” (Stolarick, 2010)
It is key to build on the already existing strengths of the community because our
relationship with each other and the exchange of stories creates a web of strength, diversity
and collective community identity from which to build further community awareness,
appreciation, and overall strength.
8

METHODOLOGY
Profile of Study Area and Cultural Sites
To fulfill the three objectives of the Mapping and Inventory of Highlands East
Project a series of research approaches were completed pertaining to the study area of
Highlands East. Data collection for the objectives consisted of site visits, conventional
archival, digital, and miscellaneous media research. Data was collected and the information
organized according to objective and community.
There are three main objectives: The first objective was to conduct research,
compile information, and write a report on the region’s cultural sites. A literature review is
included regarding the relevance of cultural landmarks for tourism development in rural
areas. The second objective was to create an inventory of sites and includes a cultural profile
and analysis to provide information to select sites for further development. The third
objective was to create a map identifying properties of each site.
Research Approach
This portion of the methodology section details the research approach that
was undertaken to fulfill the four objectives of the research project. Secondary research
methods were used to complete this project. A site visit throughout the Municipality was
conducted with U-links staff where we visited many sites, took photographs, and marked
waypoints on a GPS (Global Positioning System), which was then transferred into Google
Maps.
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Data Collection: Books and Web Search
The majority of data collected was through archival information provided by a
member of the Municipality’s staff, from Trent University’s Bata Library and the
Peterborough Public Library. Web searches were limited and oral history and archives in the
townships would have proven useful.
Data Organization
From the data collected, the data was initially organized by Township and
then further organized into each specific community. Each description includes brief
summaries of the selected sites, photos, and potential interviewees.
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COMMUNITY PROFILES
This section will provide a brief history and inventory of existing sites in each
area of Highlands East as well as areas of interest to be mapped is listed. The data collected
from all sources is organized in this section first by township, then village if data was found.
There are photos of some of the sites and a brief history. For each of the townships there is
included mention of potential interviewees (for the next stage of the project). The
Municipality of Highlands East staff suggested these potential interviewees. The purpose of
creating the map is to provide easy access for the tourists, locals, and general public to the
various sites in Highlands East to encourage site visits and information sharing. These areas
were chosen because they are the most common kinds of areas, as they are the most likely
to engage tourists interest in local history and art. Please note, not all sites in the
community profiles are mapped, as there were many sites. This can be continued done
during the second stage of the project once specific sites of interest are further selected.
THE MAP: You can view the map at the following link:
http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&vps=1&jsv=268b&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=
115257577387377437251.00048da703754037b3f11
Areas of interest:
• Barr’s General Store
• Glamorgan Pioneer Cemetary
• Greens Mountain/Old Fire Tower
• Harcourt Community Center
• Kidd Schoolhouse Museum
• Wilberforce Library
• Cardiff Library
• Lloyd Watson Center/Wilberforce
Community Center
• Log Chute remnants
• Walker ’s Store/Gooderham Lucky
Dollar
• History Monck Road
• Mumford Station
• I, B & O Railway/trail
• Pine Lake Park
• Gooderham Post Office
• Wilberforce Red Cross Outpost
• Artech Studio
• St. Margaret’s Anglican Church
• Tory Hill United Church
• Boyd Boarding House
• “Billie Maxwell House’
• Essonville Anglican Christ Church
• Tory Hill Farmer’s Market
• Wickerworks
• Studio Bee
• Highland Grove Library
• “The Concession Line”
• Robert McCausland Community
Center
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BICROFT
One potential interviewee for the township of Bicroft is Bill Howe. Bicroft’s
main village site is Cardiff. The areas of interest in Cardiff are listed below with a brief
history of each site:
Cardiff
• Fancy Daylilies Studio 14 Cross Road, Paudash Cardiff, Bicroft Floral Photography
• The section of Ontario where Paudash Lake is located is part of what is known as
the Canadian Shield. During the last Ice age, the glaciers which covered the area
removed over a 1.6 km (0.99 mi) deep layer of soil, scraping the surface of the Earth
down to ancient sedimentary deposits, now heavily metamorphosised, as well as
the original bedrock (which is the crust of the Earth created during the Precambrian
era, some 4.5 billion years ago, when the planet cooled from a molten mass). (The
only area outside of the Canadian Shield, where the original bedrock of planet Earth
is exposed in North America, is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (Paudash 2010).
• Close proximity to Silent Lake Provincial Park
• Cardiff Dragon Fly Erected in 1998. Made from recycled plastic, copper roofing
material and an old water tank for the head. It is probably the largest Dragonfly in
Canada with its 16-foot wingspan, a unique sight on Highway 118 at the Cardiff
village entrance, as noted on the Municipality’s webpage.
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CARDIFF
The potential interviewee for the township of Cardiff is Tommy Elliot.
The township of Cardiff is a former mining community, with uranium being
the chief mineral mined, for several years beginning in 1956. Cardiff’s main village site is
Highland Grove. Also mentioned is the village of Chedder. The areas of interest in
Highland Grove are listed below with a brief history of each site:
Highland Grove
Kidd School House – Genealogy Museum – 2010
• Built by a man named Walter Kidd, the original schoolhouse was constructed
around the year 1890. Although the details of its history are unclear, according to
Smith the building was bought by a hunt camp, which used it for a long time before
the township bought the schoolhouse in the 1970s.
Cheddar
really pointing nowhere.
Forgotten for more than half a century except for a faithful highway sign
“The title, ‘ghost town’ is perhaps a little too grand, but despite
the fact that such places now exist only in the memories of old-
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timers they should be remembered as pioneers in the
continuing story of the county.”
Byrnes 2002
• Dilapidated house on a 225-acre settlement. The house once served as store, post
office, and boarding house has been restored to its nineteenth-century
appearance. “The new owner is a private person and does not invite visitors, but
the house may be seen on the track that bisects the once thriving hamlet.” (Byrnes,
2002)
• Cheddar school, also known as, ‘The Red School’ (Miller, 2000)
14

GLAMORGAN
The potential interviewee for the township of Glamorgan is Elva Bates, a
local author. The township of Glamorgan’s main village is Gooderham. This section begins
with a poem by a local hunter, trapper, and businessman, titled ‘Glamorgan’:
There’s a moon beaming high in the silvery sky,
There’s a glitter of frost in the air;
The snow-laden branches upon the dark pine
Make a fairy-land wondrous fair.
There are snow-covered hillsides,
There are ice-covered ponds,
It is a Fairy-land, sure as can be,
And Man that dwells therein,
Though he may not be aware,
One of the Lucky is he!
The cares of the world he shrugs from his back
Of the Atom no worry has he
He’s a child of the wild on whom Nature has smiled
In this land of the snowshoe and ski.
(Peacock 1974)
Poetry then is an example of an intangible cultural resource. Poetry readings or simple
sales of poetry books could be of market interest to a developing tourism economy.
The areas of interest in Glamorgan are listed below with a brief history of each site:
“The native presence in the Township of Glamorgan has not been researched, except for
the following: 1. Muskoka and Haliburton, 1615-1875, edited by Florence Murray, p. Lvi says,
“The Indians most closely associated with Haliburton were the Mississaugas, described by
the government as ‘The Chippewa Nation of Indians inhabiting the back parts of the New
Castle District’…On November 5, 1818, by Treaty number 20, these Indians surrendered a
great tract of land, 1, 951, 000 acres in extent, which included parts of Muskoka and
15

Haliburton south of the forty-fifth parallel…” and 2. Robert Hutton, in Peterborough Land
of Shining Waters, discusses the European and Native alliances in the Kawarthas, an 1872
“Government Map of the Ottawa-Huron Territory” includes the Township of Glamorgan.
(Bates, 2007)
• 1873 Sam Whitaker’s Tavern, 1875 Way’s Hotel, 1879 The Union House Hotel, 1880
the Queen’s Hotel. (Bates, 2007)
• Theo Peacock’s Service Station was enlarged, and burned in 1965 and replaced ty
the present structure. (Bates, 2007)
• Livery Stables and Blacksmith Shops (Bates, 2007)
• Falconer’s Store now the Mountain View Lodge (Bates, 2007)
• IB&O had reached Gooderham 1894 and stopped running in 1912. Gooderham
Station was destroyed Aug 30, 1947 by tornado. (Bates, 2007)
• The Stave Mill 1898 was built by Richard Davis. In 1903 lease expired and the Stave
Mill burned. Solomon Hadley sold lot to Donald McFadden who built a creamery.
(Bates, 2007)
• Walker’s Store in 1904 and operates today as ‘Gooderham lucky Dollar’. (Bates, 2007)
• Huff’s Boarding House 1913 to Stoughton Electric and Plumbing in 1940. (Bates, 2007)
• Falconer’s Store now the Mountain View Lodge (Bates, 2007)
• “It was during the last half of the 19 th century that the white pine was stripped
from Glamorgan’s hills and valleys. What a majestic sight those pines must have
been, standing so straight and tall as far as the eye could see! An Ottawa Valley
lumberjack describes what those original pine trees looked like: “Its trunk was as
straight and handsomely grown as a moulded candle and measured six feet in
diameter six feet from the ground…: and it has been said that one could walk from
Gooderham to Minden under this pine canopy. The first timber licenses were issued
in Glamorgan in 1864. (Bates, 2007)
• “Two lumber companies which have had the greatest impact on this Township, are
the Mossom Boyd Lumber Company and The Hunter Lumber Company. The
former, having acquired timber limits in the townships of Snowdon and Glamorgan
in the early 1860s, would have been responsible for roughing out some of the roads
that we travel today, such as the Monk Road and the Bark Lake Road. Since there
were no bridges crossing the Burnt/Irondale River east of the one in Lot 5 Conc VI
(in the same place where the bridge on the Irondale Road is today), both Rodgers
16

and Boyd would have most likely have accessed their limits in the SE corner of the
Township by staying south of the river and roughing out The concession Line, The
3 rd Concession road and its branches to the east and south.” (Bates, 2007)
Log Chute Remnants – View from bridge near Pine Lake - 2010
Gooderham
Bordered on the south by the Irondale River and Pine Lake to the north, it is
located on a now defunct railway line, the IB&O Railroad, which has been since converted
into a trail network. “The community was named ‘GOODERHAM’ by the time the Post
Office was established in 1873. According to verbal history, the community was first called
‘Pine Lake’ and reference has been made to ‘Pine Lake School’, as noted elsewhere...The
story that the name was changed from Pine Lake to Gooderham because a whiskey
salesman supplied each of the three hotels with free liquor is based on inaccurate info.
(Bates, 2007)
• Studio Bee 1252 Twist Lane Salerno Lake Road #3 Mixed Media
ebeetison@gmail.com
17

• Suething Mosaics 1542 Ursa Road , Gooderham suething@sympatico.ca
• The Monk Road (county road 503) began in 1864 with a twofold purpose – to
provide a military route at a time when relations with the US were again tense and
to open up new territory for settlement…It was completed as far as Pine Lake
[Gooderham] by 1872. For further information in its construction, refer to: Murray,
Florence, Ed.: Muskoka and haliburton 1615 to 1875. (Bates, 2007)
• The Community Centre occupies the site of the former Agricultural Hall. (Bates,
2007) 1904 Glamorgan Agri Society “In an effort to encourage the farming
communities, the Province passed legislation supporting the formation of
Agricultural Societies and for financial support to those Societies so that they could
showcase their communities through Agricultural Fairs. In 1960 the Society
transferred its land to the Municipality and it now forms part of our park.
The Community Centre now occupies the former Agricultural Hall - 2010
• Wickerworks Rustic furniture and designs PO Box 169 8089 hwy 507 Gooderham
705-447-2435 wickerworks@bellnet.ca www.wickerworks.on.ca
• Wood N’ Dreams Studio 1191 Balmoral Lane Gooderham 705-447-2064 Acrylic
painting on wood woodndreamsstudio@rogers.com
• Maple Woodworking 1191 Balmoral Lane Gooderham Woodworking
• Turning Point Studio Wood turning Gooderham
• Highland Winds Studio Sepia drawings and oil paintings 1542 Ursa Road ,
Gooderham www.highlandwindstudio.ca
• Wildwood Studio of nature 1055 Studio lane, Gooderham Nature Photography
705-447-3241
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MONMOUTH
The potential interviewee for the township of Monmouth is, Hilda Clarke of
Wilberforce, and Charlie Billings of Tory Hill. The township of Monmouth’s main village is
Wilberforce. Also mentioned are the smaller villages of Hadlington, Essonville, Hotspur and
North Wilberforce. The areas of interest in Glamorgan are listed below with a brief history
of each site:
Hadlington
Named after the first settler, Mr. Joseph Hadley. He owned and operated a store, ran a
sawmill and was Postmaster and had a farm.
• The school building served as Church and Sunday school. Dances were also held in
the schoolhouse.
• In the 1900s a number of sawmills were operating.
• A Metal, Siding and Shingle Company also operated at this time. During the
Depression years, many of the mills closed.
• Travel to Tory Hill was by horse and snowshoes.
• The family names in Hadlington were Hadley, Johnson, Kelly, Klyzal, Spaffors,
Jones, Flentons, LaPlante, Marshall, Forbes, Burdick, Perry, Tripp, Nandivel, Post,
Burnes, Bagen, Bowlen, Woods, and Adison. They had many children, up to fifteen.
Births were at home as no hospitals. (Monmouth Township 1981)
Essonville
Named after Daniel Esson in 1875 that became the first Postmaster. In hopes of it
becoming a village they added ‘ville’ to the end. It never quite became a village, but those
19

who have settled here in the past and present years are proud of their heritage.
(Monmouth Township 1981)
• Essonville Anglican Church was built in 1888. It was the first church to be built in
the Township of Monmouth – artistic interior with stained glass windows. A
memorial service is held in the church each summer to commemorate those
pioneers of yesteryears.
• The first school in Esson ville was built in 1881 – 14 miles SE of Haliburton.
(Monmouth Township 1981)
Hotspur
In 1871 Monk Road (now Lee’s Road) was built from lake Simcoe to Hastings Boundary and
went through the area. The first settler was Thomas Clark who moved into Hotspur and
stared the Post Office in his home” (Monmouth Township 1981)
• A school was built for settlers kids and a new frame was built around 1900 and was
still standing in 1981 – is it still in 2010?? And is used as a summer house? Inside the
interior is covered with beautifully scrolled metallic walls, as was the fashion at the
turn of the century. When a new person moved into the community all would turn
out and help build a house and quite often by evening they would have a roof over
their head. Ladies on foot went along with baskets of food. These baskets were
made at home by weaving willow branches. Deer and moose were hunted. Sheep
wool for mitts socks, straw hats etc. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• Before railroad, Daniel Ireland came and built a large Hotel beside the Burnt River.
He had thought the railroad would follow the river but it turned north and missed
the hotel. The settlers enjoyed the hospitality of this house. There was a large hall
running its length and many dances were held, with no admission. Some family
members are buried there in the woods. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• Every summer at Bear Lake and the 24 th of May was a “the picnic”. Are there still
picnics at this site today?
• Sugar bush, run by Jim Mackness (Monmouth Township 1981)
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Wilberforce
Established as "Pusey," a station on the Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa Railway, and
named for railway president Charles J. Pusey. This little railway had initially been built to
carry iron ore from open pit mines at Irondale.
• 1885 there was a cheese factory that thrived for a while and a blacksmith’s shop.
(Monmouth Township 1981)
• Dreamweaver Country Boutique 1151 Dark Lake Road, Wilberforce Mixed media
JanDreamweaver@aol.com
• Derrick Higgins Painting 1007 Brenholm Lane, Wilberforce www.higgins-gallery.ca
• Airbrush Pets 1676 Loop Road , Hwy 648 Wilberforce Ceramic
airbrushpets@sympatico.ca
North Wilberforce
• Tallman’s Island – evidence of “Indian Gatherings” In the early 80’s a little boy
found an artifact here and showed it to a visiting curator who declared the pieced
to be more than a thousand years old. The site was close to waterways of the
Burnt River with a good view across to Dark Lake. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• The Red Cross Outpost – It was the first Red Cross Outpost in Ontario. In the earth
twenties, Monmouth Town ship and the adjacent areas were faced with a major
health problem. This was caused by lack of medical attention. Mr. Alfred Schofield
and his wife took this problem to the Red Cross Headquarters in Toronto. The
result was the formation of the Monmouth Charitable Association. The outpost had
nurses who visited the homes and schools and did much to improve the health
habits of the children. (Monmouth Township 1981)
21

Red Cross Outpost museum opened at the original site August 15, 1992 - 2010
• American Molbdenites Ltd. Located on the south side of Fleming Rd. about a half
mile down form the present Firehall. Work started on the mine in 1917. 900 tons of
Ore was minded but only 86 tons was shipped to the Dept. of Mines in Ottawa and
Renfree. About 320lbs of Molybdenite was produced. The ore was very poor grade
which explains why it is known as the White Elephant Mine. The mine closed in
1921. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• Nuage Uranium Mine opened in 1950. It was a small pilot mill. The uranium tested
proved to be of inferior grade and did didn’t not merit further investment so the
mine was closed. Recently (1981) there has been a renewed interest shown in the
commodity and future investigation could prove profitable. (Monmouth Township
1981)
• Rockhounding around Wilberforce is famous for some fine crystal specimens. The
largest uraninite was found here in the Fission Uranium Mine in the 194os and was
donated to the Royal Ontario Museum. George Earle has on his property a rare
mineral called Fluor-Richterite. Some of the apatite crystals found here have been
cut into a nice gemstone and are marketed under the name Trilliumite. Other gem
stone materials from the area include blue sodalite, yellow cancrinite, (some of
these specimens are mixed together making it possible to cut a nice blue and
yellow gemstone) peristerite and labradorite. These last two have a nice blue flash
when they are cut correctly. There are many other minerals and rocks in the area,
which can also be cut into fine gemstones. There are more than sixty collectible
minerals in Wilberforce and the surrounding area. (Monmouth Township 1981)
22

• Ontario Trapper’s Association – The heavily wooded areas of the Northern forests
have provided a livelihood for thousands of trappers. Ontario has been for years
the leading producer of beaver, fisher, mink, muskrat, otter, raccoon, fox and
skunk. (Monmouth Township 1981) OTA is now http://www.furmanagers.com/
• Riverview Dairy was the first commercial dairy business in this part of the county.
In 1953 the business was taken over by Ken Sanderson who designed a milk cap
with a four leaf clover and registerd the business as Sanderson’s Dairy. In 1958 the
buseiness was sold to Jack Crowe of Bobycaygeon the owner of Kawartha Dairy.
(Monmouth Township 1981)
• Wilberforce Planing Mill was set up in 1950 by Walter Klapow. 1957 Klawow
constructed a cement bridge on Highway 648 at lamb’s Creek. 1960 a barge was
constructed to recover sunken logs from the surrounding lakes. The barge first
working voyage in Grace Lake. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• Haunted House on the Burleigh Road, south of Clement Lake. Built from hewn
timer with dove-tailed corners. This was the work of one of Monmouth’s earliers
settlers, Martin Clement. He had come from Germany in 1860 to homestead on lot
34, concession 17. The nearby lake took its name from the Clements. The family
moved away and stories circulated about a dreadful crime against a woman. The
Drumm family moved in around the time of the WWI and rumour has it that they
were plagued with noises in the night, footsteps, and creaking doors. They moved
out and into a large chicken house that stood nearby. It was a great tourist
attraction after that. The Scott family moved into the years later and the ghost by
that time had vanished. The house is now being made suitable for future
habitation. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• Monmouth Volunteer Fire Dept took place in 1959 with Arthur Mather as the first
Fire Chief after three homes in Wilberforce were destroyed my fire within a week in
1958. 1971 a new fire hall was built and the old building was rented to the LCBO.
The Tory Hill is Monmouth’s second Fire Hall where the original pump is housed and
still used on calls. In 1974 Walter Klapow was Fire Chief. (Monmouth Township
1981)
• Orange Hall the main spot for social activities. In 1882 Daniel Tripp was granted a
section of crown land in the newly-surveyed Monmouth Township. Samuel Ritchie
bought the land a year later and then sold it to William Dunford. John Holmes
became the owner in 1904 and it was from Mr. Holmes the 336 square yards of land
was purchased by the “Independent Order of Foresters, “ a fraternal benefit
society, for the price of $10.00. Members erected a building for meetings etc. It
became the centre of social activities for local residents. Accommodation was
provided for public meetings, court sessions, church service, dances, school
23

concerts and bazaars. In 1920 the building was transferred from the IOF to the
Orange Lodge. The Orangemen had moved their club from Essonville to
Wilberforce. IT now became the Orange Hall. For another forty years it was in
constant service. Women in the community highly valued the social centre, and
kept it well and raised funds to pay for taxes and hydro. Finally it fell into disuse as
other buildings were constructed to take care of local activities. In 1971 the
Township appropriated the land and old Faithful was demolished. In its place
stands the Monmouth Library. Possibly no other piece of land in the township has
served so many members of the community as well as this 336 square yards.
(Monmouth Township 1981)
The site of the historic Orange Hall – The Library took its place in 1971 - 2010
In Gertrude Miller’s book, she talks about the Orange Hall being packed with tables of
people playing progressive euchre. (Miller, 2000)
• Victory Garden in the Wilberforce schoolyard (Miller, 2000)
• The first Wilberforce school located in South Wilberforce (circa 1890) was replaced
in 1911 by a two-room consolidated school built several miles to the north. (Miller,
2000)
• Riley’s Boarding House, store, and post office was built in 1910 after the previous
one burned
• Poverty Lake now known as Wilbermere Lake. It was called Poverty lake because
the farmers that lived around it were poor. (Pope 1985)
• H.S. Mulloy’s water-powered mill on the Burnt River in South Wilberfoce. (Pope
1985)
24

• Orangeman’s Day – twelfth of July, everybody started to hunt because all the
warden’s were parade’n in town and you’d have the bush to yourself. Sometimes
parade would be in Wilberforce or Gooderham. (Pope 1985) One year the
Orangemen would have their parade in Wilberfoce and of the years it would be in
Gooderham, Essonville, or Highland Grove. Len remembers the men, some twentyfive
or thirty of them, parading along the main drag with their big orange sashes,
and he also remembers the big white horse with king Bill in it. Best of all, however,
he remembers the band and all the drums. They had swimming, canoe races, leg
races, sack races.” (Pope 1985)
Tory Hill
• There were two colonization roads when Monmouth Township was first settled.
These were Monck and Burleigh.
• One of the first settlers to Monmouth was the Ritchie Family. Samuel Ritchie
opened a store. His brother Mitchell Ritchie built a sawmill on Providence Lake.
Another sawmill owned by William Hadley on Lot 4, Concession 8 in the year 1882.
• The rail trail trailhead is past site of the Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa Railway Co.
This is currently where the Tory Hill Farmer’s Market is held every Sunday in the
summer. County Road #5 (Baptiste Lake Road) follows the original route of the
IB&O railway.
• John Anderson started the first store in Tory Hill, drawing his goods by team from
the railway station in Haliburton.
• Quilt making was one of the more pleasant tasks and is still carried on today. Many
have been made and are treasured heirlooms.
• 1893 a blacksmiths shop and hall built by John Anderson.
• Cheese Factory existed until the 1900s and was across McCue Lake.
• The present Tory Hill Church was built in 1928. The original Methodist Church was
built in 1903-4. (Monmouth Township 1981)
• 1965 the Tory Hill School ceased to function as a public school as pupils were
transported to Wilberfoce.
• Rustic Art Studio1074 Legacy Road Tory Hill Furniture, sculpture, mixed media
Sue_allan@sympatico.ca
25

• Artech Studios PO Box 115 18639 Hwy 118 Tory Hill, On www.artechstudios.ca
info@artechstudios.ca 705-448-9522 (glass, ceramics, painting, wood and jewelry)
26

CONCLUSION
Future Research
This section is key for the future work with other students. Some of the
challenges were the area to be researched was very large to complete as a single person.
It was difficult finding where to start without putting too much time into one area. It
would have be more efficient and effective to choose one township to focus on for a more
in depth analysis. Over all, there is a lot of potential in the area of intangible sites that can
be accessed and developed on through oral history research as well as archival study. Also
to have a team of two people per study area would work well for varied perceptions,
insights and methods.
Cardiff and Bicroft in particular were very difficult to research as Cardiff
township refers to the Township as well as the Hamlet. Oral history reasearch, archives
and intangible sites are going to be invaluable in the next stage of research.
It was great to have a partner to conduct the site visits with and share ideas
of tourism potential. We both agreed that a fun way to build on the second stage of
research would be to map some intangible sites and create geo caches there with some
stories about the area – perhaps a tape recording of a story being shared by a local?
Another idea may be to make a series of caches with stories at various sites throughout
the Municipality, much like that of the GEOTRAIL program referenced earlier. There is
great potential here.
27

Concluding Comments
Generations of families have been in Highlands East and no doubt there are
many that know the place where their family tree is so firmly rooted. There are many
seniors who carry stories that bring richness to the land and the magic of a community
that make up the colorful fabric that weaves a community together.
Perhaps by bringing cultural, adventure, and eco-tourism together along
with geo-caching, and other micro-tourism endeavors, Highlands East can create stronger
community awareness and meet their full potential in tourism and economic
opportunities.
28

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30