The Lake in the Hills
Strong Township and Sundridge 1875-1925
Compiled by Patricia Lee
Edited by Alice May Robins.

1989 marked the 100th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Sundridge. The first settlers arrived in Strong Township as early as 1876. This book is a record of those first settlers who came north on the Muskoka, Great North and Nipissing Roads and chose to settle around the shores of Lake Bernard. Although there have been many discussions over the years as to the original name of the lake whether it was Stony or Lake Bernard, it seems that Lake Bernard was the first name since it appears on a survey by J. W. Beatty dated 1874. The name Stony Lake is on an 1883 map made by Hugh McGrandle P.L.S.

All through the records, letters and reports of pioneer life, there is frequent mention of the lake. To the first homesteaders it was a transportation route (by boat in summer and by sleigh in winter). For the lumbermen it meant a place for log booms to float in summer and sleigh loads of logs to be drawn in winter. It was also a source of beauty and pleasure. Canoes, rafts, rowboats and the paddle-wheeler provided hours of enjoyment. The hills that surround the lake provided a scenic setting for farms and homes.

One hundred years later, the lake is still our most important asset. It attracts people in all seasons for swimming, fishing, sailing, canoeing, skating and many other sports. It provides photographers and artists with endless hours of recreation and more and more it is attracting new settlers who are choosing to five in the area because of its beauty. These examples prove once again how wise our early settlers were in selecting "The Lake in the Hills" as their home.

This illustrated history deals with the early settlement and development of the Township of Strong and the Village of Sundridge. It is arranged in chronological order to show how Free Grant Act of 1868, the arrival of settlers, the building of the Grand Trunk Railway and the geographical situation of Lake Bernard all contributed to the success of this community despite the exodus of many of the original settlers in the years 1892 -1911. This book includes accounts of events written by pioneers and their descendants, the building of schools, churches, post offices, lodges and societies in the various communities making up Strong Township. There are sketches of pioneer families, copies of letters, newspaper accounts of social events and legal documents.

ISBN:0-88954-327-5 | Hardcover with dust jacket | 8.5 x 11 inches approximately
296 pages | $34.95

Index

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Abar, Peter and Eleanor 181, 183, 285, 286

Adams, William and Angelina 96, 153

Agricultural Society 9 - 13

Aldjo, David and Harriette 197

Alton, Joseph and Margaret 134, 135

Anderson, Albert 150, 151

Anderson, Ed. 150

Anderson, Emma 7, 8

Anderson, Dr. Howard 54 - 56, 204

Anderson, John 146, 149

Anglican Church 270 - 273

The Lake in the Hills Strong Township and Sundridge 1875-1925 Compiled by Patricia Lee Edited by Alice May Robins.

ISBN:0-88954-327-5 | Hardcover with dust jacket | 8.5 x 11 inches approximately296 pages | $34.95

Index

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M N | O P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The Lake in the Hills
Strong Township and Sundridge 1875-1925
Compiled by Patricia Lee
Edited by Alice May Robins.

ISBN:0-88954-327-5 | Hardcover with dust jacket | 8.5 x 11 inches approximately
296 pages | $34.95

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z