Pin Quest Ontario

The original inhabitants around Atikokan were Ojibwa and Chippewa people who used the rivers and lakes in the area for travel, hunting and fishing. Appropriately, the name Atikokan is derived from an Ojibwa word meaning ‘caribou bones’. Once settlers arrived, the rivers and lakes would become major routes for fur trading voyageurs.

In 2003, Chapple constructed a new lighthouse in the community of Barwick to pay tribute to the early settlers who arrived on the lakefront. While the lighthouse is new, bricks used to build it have a storied history. They are recycled from the historical Barwick Hotel which in turn recycled them from Dobie 4 block school which was built in 1912.

This small community of around 1,300 residents is known for its annual fishing tournament the Emo Walleye Classic which typically brings over 60 teams from Canada and the United States for the two day tournament. The highest two-day catch total was in 2005 with the winning team catching over 25 lbs of walleye.

Fort Frances was the first European settlement west of Lake Superior. The original Fort Saint Pierre was built as a fur trade hub before falling out of use. The Hudson’s Bay Company replaced the old fort with a new one which was named Fort Frances in 1830. The name was in honour of 18 year old Frances Ramsay Simpson who earlier that year was married to her 38 year old cousin George Simpson who was the governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

La Vallee is home to “Mud Lake City” which is not an actual city, but rather a replica town built by a local couple. It started as an antique collection and has grown to include a bank, courthouse, blacksmith, garage and several shops now spanning in era from the early 1900’s until the 1970s.

Rainy River is the northwestern terminus of Ontario Highway 11 which begins at Highway 400 in Barrie. It once connected with Yonge Street in Toronto at the south end, leading to Yonge Street being (incorrectly) referred to as the longest street in the world - even previously holding a Guinness World Record. Rainy River still has a commemorative marker for the terminus of the longest street, although it is now Atwood Avenue in the town.