Early Great Lakes Map

Early map of the Great Lakes, printed in Bordeaux, France in 1795.

Canoes on a Lake in Early Morning, Northern Ontario

The Gray Wolf of Canada

The gray wolf (Canis lupus), is an Ice Age survivor. It is plentiful in Northern Ontario, especially in the Algonquin Park area of the Nipissing District.

Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, in Canada

Northern lights, or Aurora Borealis.

Red Fox in Snowy Forest at Temagami, Ontario

Black Bear Crossing the Road Near North Bay, Ontario

An American Black Bear, or Ursus americanus, crosses a road near North Bay, Ontario with a cub.

Early Canadian Postage Stamp from 1859

One of the first Canadian postage stamps, designed by Sir Sandford Fleming, was the 5-cent beaver, issued in 1859.

Dog Sledding in Northern Ontario, Canada

Dog sledding is still used as a means of wintertime transportation in some places in Northern Ontario, Canada, although dog sled races also became popular in the 20th century.

Antique Ice Hockey Skates

Old ice hockey skates.

Canada, Canadian history, history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, hockey, ice hockey, winter, winter sports, sports, ice skates, hockey skates

Side View of Pioneer Log Cabin Home in the Nipissing District

Side view of early pioneer log cabin home of the 19th century, in the Nipissing District.

Lady’s Slipper Orchid

Charles Darwin tried unsuccessfully to grow these wildflowers, also known as Cypripedium reginae.

bush country, Canada, Canadian history, flora, history, natural history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, protected species, lady's slipper, Cypripedium reginae, wildflower

Trillium Wildflower in the Nipissing District, Ontario

A lone trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) tucked in a log.

bush country, Canada, Canadian history, history, natural history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, wilderness, trillium, wildflower, Trillium grandiflorum, flora, protected species

Window of Early Pioneer Log Cabin in Nipissing District, Ontario

Window of early pioneer log cabin in Nipissing District, Ontario.

Bull Moose in Northern Ontario Bush During Light Snowfall

Bull moose in the Northern Ontario bush during light snowfall.

Waterfall in the Bush Country of Northern Ontario, Canada

Waterfall in the bush country of Northern Ontario, Canada.

Bog in the Nipissing District, Near North Bay, Ontario

Bog in the Nipissing District, near North Bay, Ontario.

Colorful Canoes at a Northern Ontario Dock

Colorful canoes seen at a Northern Ontario dock.

Red Maple Leaf in the Autumn Sun

Farm and Barn in Northern Ontario, Canada

The Fiddle-Head Fern, a Northern Delicacy

Gathered in the spring, the fiddle-head fern is a Canadian food delicacy.

bush country, Canada, Canadian history, delicacy, fern, fiddle-head, fiddle-head fern, fiddlehead fern, gourmet food, flora, food, history, natural history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, wild food

Poutine, a French-Canadian Delicacy

French fries with gravy and cheese, a popular and satisfying French-Canadian comfort food.

Canada, Canadian history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, poutine, Quebec, Quebecois, French fries, snack food, French-Canadian

Lone Loon on a Lake

Sunset in Canada

Yet another Canadian sunset - It happens every night!

Day on the Lake

Children ice skating on an area lake near North Bay, Ontario.

bush country, Canada, Canadian history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, winter, winter sports, skating, ice skating, sports

Curling, a Medieval Scottish Sport Popular in Canada

A female curler enjoys the game, which was first documented in medieval Scotland in 1541.

Canada, Canadian history, history, Nipissing, Nipissing District, Nipissing history, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario history, curling, sports, winter sport, Scotland, medieval Scotland, Scottish immigrants

Algonquin Park in the Nipissing District, Ontario

Algonquin Park, one of the largest parks in the world, in the Nipissing District of Northern Ontario, Canada.

North Bay

Early Old Home Week Celebrations in Canada

March 11, 2010 · Leave a Comment

We once had a conversation with a North Bay area educator about North Bay’s 1925 Old Home Week celebration. She had thought that Old Home Week was a North Bay invention; however, that’s incorrect. Here, at last, is “proof” of that — a 1904 patriotic private postcard which shows that Old Home Week and a “Champlain celebration” were held as early as June 1904 in Saint John, New Brunswick. This is the earliest Old Home Week postcard we’ve personally seen. This colorful image was published by the Maritime Steam Lithography Co. of Saint John, which... [Read the full story]

South River

Logging in the Paxton Township East of South River, Ontario

March 7, 2010 · 2 Comments

This scarce pioneer real-photo postcard shows the log cookery building at the Temagami Company’s logging camp, c. 1902-1907, which was 24 miles east of South River, Ontario in Paxton Township. About three dozen men pose for this picture, taken by a photographer named McDermott — Was this Patrick McDermott of South River? The sender, a young man who marked his place on the front of the postcard with an “X,” wrote to his sister, Mrs. J. H. Findlay of Braeside, ON, saying: “What do you think of this bunch? This is the cookery and all or near all the men except a few... [Read the full story]

Temagami

The Lakeview House, an Early Bear Island Hotel

January 16, 2010 · Leave a Comment

One of Bear Island’s early buildings, which survived until 1973, was the Lakeview House, where the TFN (Temagami First Nation) recreation center is now located. Seen here in a c. 1920s real-photo postcard, it was a two-story substantial L-shaped residence. Area residents as well as what appear to be tourists pose on the porch in this image. Also known as “Old John Turner’s place,” we were told in an oral history interview that the house was built about 1885 and was constructed of log. This would probably have been just the first story of the building; although two-story... [Read the full story]

gallery

Early Great Lakes Map

August 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Early map of the Great Lakes, printed in Bordeaux, France in 1795. Early French and British explorers of Canada would go on to create the voyageur’s route, with fur trading an important part of the economic development of both Mattawa and Temagami, Ontario. Read More →