Magnetawan

The first people to inhabit the region were the Hurons, Ojibway and Algonquins, who would visit the area in the summer for hunting and fishing but sheltered on Georgian Bay in the winter. While some Europeans explored the region in the early 19th century, settlement and colonization by Europeans was hardly taking place, so much so that the government considered turning the entire region into an Indian reserve.{{cite web |url=http://www.magnetawan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8:aborginals&catid=1:history&Itemid=13 |title={{sic|Aborgi|nals|nolink=y}} Hurons, Ojibway and Algonquins |publisher=Municipality of Magnetawan |access-date=2010-08-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714020805if_/http://www.magnetawan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8:aborginals&catid=1:history&Itemid=13 |archive-date=2011-07-14 }}

But when pine stands in southern Ontario became depleted, the area attracted loggers and the government changed its mind and encouraged settlement through free land grants, first offered in 1853. Settlement happened slowly but accelerated when the colonization road from Rosseau to Nipissing began being built in 1866. In 1868, the government passed the Free Grand Land and Homestead Act and began advertising this extensively in European countries to attract new immigrants.{{cite web |url=http://www.magnetawan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9:land-grants&catid=1:history&Itemid=13 |title=The Land Grants |publisher=Municipality of Magnetawan |access-date=2010-08-24}} Croft Township was surveyed in 1869, Chapman Township in 1870, and the village of Magnetawan was mapped out in 1873.[http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaques/Plaque_Parry02.html Elise von Koerber], native of Baden-Baden, since 1872 appointed immigration agent by the federal government of Canada. She brought several hundred German-speaking Swiss citizens to Magnetawan. French-speaking persons mostly went to the Doe Lake. In 1881, about 200 Swiss remained in this region.

The Great North Road, from Parry Sound to Nipissing, reached the Magnetawan at Ahmic Harbour in 1870. The {{convert|76|mi|km}} stretch of the colony road from Rousseau to Nipissing reached the Magnetawan in 1874, where the historic village of Magnetawan was built. In 1879 a pair of small steamships started carrying cargo and passengers over the {{convert|20|mi|km}} reach from the rapids at the village upstream to Burk's Falls.

Burk's Falls was linked to the south by a railroad in 1885. A lock was completed, enabling navigation west of the rapids at the historic village of Magnetawan, in 1886. Following its completion larger steamships started carrying cargo and passengers, and towing log booms, over the reach from Burk's Falls to Ahmic Harbour. During its first 25 years of operation the lock-keeper recorded steamships transited the lock 17,590 times. The last steamship, a tugboat used to tow log-booms, used the river in 1934.

Core rock samples done by Walfried Schwerdtner in the surrounding area, show mostly foliated Grenville Gneiss.{{cite journal | last1 = Schwerdtner | first1 = W | year = 2008 | title = Structure of Ahmic domain and its vicinity, southwestern Central Gneiss Belt, Grenville Province of Ontario (Canada) | journal = Precambrian Research | volume = 167 | issue = 1–2| pages = 16–34 | doi=10.1016/j.precamres.2008.07.002| bibcode = 2008PreR..167...16S }}

File:Ahmic Harbour ON.jpg

The township comprises the communities of Ahmic Harbour, Ahmic Lake, Cecebe, Cedar Croft, Chikopi, Dufferin Bridge, Magnetawan, North Seguin, Oranmore, Pearceley, Port Anson and Port Carmen, as well as the ghost town of Spence.

• Old Man's Lake
• Ahmic Lake Filled with these species of fish: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Pickerel(Walleye)stocked yearly,{{cite journal | last1 = Fox | first1 = M. G. | year = 1993 | title = A comparison of zygote survival of native and non-native walleye stocks in two Georgian Bay rivers | doi = 10.1007/BF00007532 | journal = Environmental Biology of Fishes | volume = 38 | issue = 4| pages = 379–383 | bibcode = 1993EnvBF..38..379F | s2cid = 21652235 }} Crappie, Sunfish, Rock Bass, Whitefish, Catfish, Perch, and Northern Pike.
• Lake Cecebe
• Magnetawan River
• Beaver Lake
• Horn Lake
• Distress River{{cite web | url=https://magnetawan.com/explore/history/pioneer-life | title=Pioneer Life - Municipality of Magnetawan }}

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Magnetawan had a population of {{val|1753|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|825|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|1717|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:1753-1390}}|1390|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|1390|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|526.31|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1753|526.31|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.

{{Canada census

|location = Magnetawan

|2021_population=1,753 | 2021_pop_delta=+26.1 | 2021_land_area=526.31 | 2021_pop_density=3.3

|2021_median_age=59.2 | 2021_median_age_m=59.2 | 2021_median_age_f=59.2

|2021_total_pvt_dwell=1,717 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=825 |2021_mean_hh_income=67,000

|2021_geocode=2021A00053549043 | 2021_access_date=2023-10-19

|2016_population=1,390 | 2016_pop_delta=-4.4 | 2016_land_area=531.53 | 2016_pop_density=2.6

|2016_median_age=57.4 | 2016_median_age_m=56.6 | 2016_median_age_f=58.1

|2016_total_pvt_dwell=1,698 | 2016_mean_hh_income=54,336 | 2016_access_date=2018-02-18

|2011_population=1,454 | 2011_pop_delta=-9.7 | 2011_land_area=531.83 | 2011_pop_density=2.7

|2011_median_age=54.3 | 2011_median_age_m=54.6 | 2011_median_age_f=54.1

|2011_total_pvt_dwell=1,782 | 2011_mean_hh_income= | 2011_access_date=2014-02-25

|2006_population=1,610 | 2006_pop_delta=+20.0 | 2006_land_area=523.07 | 2006_pop_density=3.1

|2006_median_age=51.3 | 2006_median_age_m=51.6 | 2006_median_age_f=50.9

|2006_total_pvt_dwell=1,901 | 2006_mean_hh_income=43,551 | 2006_access_date=2014-02-25

|2001_population=1,342 | 2001_pop_delta=+1.4 | 2001_land_area=523.07 | 2001_pop_density=2.6

|2001_median_age=48.5 | 2001_median_age_m=49.2 | 2001_median_age_f=47.9

|2001_total_pvt_dwell=1,837 | 2001_mean_hh_income=35,017 | 2001_access_date=2014-02-25

}}

{{Historical populations

|title = {{Nowrap|Magnetawan historical populations}}

|type = Canada

|align = centre

|width =

|state =

|shading =

|percentages =

|footnote =

|source = Statistics Canada1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021

|1996| 1324

|2001| 1342

|2006| 1610

|2011| 1454

|2016| 1390

|2021| 1753

}}

File:Magnetawan ON 1.JPG

Prior to amalgamation (1998):

• Population total in 1996: 1,324
• Magnetawan (village): 241
• Chapman (township): 645
• Population in 1991:
• Magnetawan (village): 267
• Chapman (township): 605

Mother tongue (2021):

• English as first language: 90%
• French as first language: 2%
• English and French as first language: 0.3%
• Other as first language: 7.4%

Magnetawan is a historic village with a surrounding municipality that provides various attractions. From the museum to the picturesque waters, are all a part of this municipality. The downtown used to consist of a restaurant named The Magnetawan Inn, also June's Inn, as well as a small hotel/bar, and a General Store. In the summer of 2011, on July 30, the General Store burned down taking part of the Magnetawan Inn with it.{{cite news |last1=Learn |first1=Rob |title=Magnetawan mourns fiery loss |url=https://www.muskokaregion.com/news-story/3568530-magnetawan-mourns-fiery-loss/ |access-date=June 27, 2019 |work=Huntsville Forester |publisher=Metroland Media Group |date=August 1, 2011}}

File:Downtown General Store.jpg

In the downtown, there is now a brand new general store/restaurant built between 2012 and 2013. Also, there is a museum, Lions Pavilion Park, farmers market, little shops, locks/dams, and a LCBO store. In the village, there is a school, churches, golf course named Ahmic Lake Golf Club, post office, a library, the municipality offices, and the municipality pavilion.{{cite web |url=http://www.magnetawanarea.com |publisher=Magnetawan and Area Businesses |title=Let's get started |access-date=June 27, 2019}} Magnetawan is also home to many resorts and rentable cottages. Two of the biggest resorts are Woodland Echoes and Ahmic Lake Resort, where the Swiss Country House Restaurant is located.

Following is a list of unique characteristics about this town.{{cite web |title=Local Attractions |url=http://magnetawan.com/local-attractions/ |publisher=Municipality of Magnetawan |access-date=June 27, 2019}}

• Echo Rock on Lake Cecebe
• The shipwreck of the steamboat called the Wenoah in Lake Cecebe
• The Trans-Canada Trail
• Hand Operated Dam and Locks
• Knoepfli and Fagans Falls
• The Lighthouse on the Magnetawan River
• Echo Beach Cottage Resort{{cite web |title=Echo Beach Cottage Resort |url=http://echobeachcottageresort.ca/ |access-date=June 27, 2019}}
• Camp Kahquah {{cite web |title=Camp Kahquah|access-date=February 24, 2014 |url=http://www.campkahquah.com/}}
• Golfing
• Multipurpose Pavilion
• Horseback riding
• Fishing and boating in the local lakes
• Hunting
• Snowmobiling and dog sledding

• List of townships in Ontario

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite news

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=l2a6CwAAQBAJ&q=Astrid+Taim

| title = Astrid Taim's Almaguin Chronicles 2-Book Bundle: Almaguin / Almaguin Chronicles

| author = Astrid Taim

| publisher = Dundurn Press

| year = 2016

| isbn = 9781459737006

| access-date = 2018-09-08

}}

}}

{{Commons category|Magnetawan, Ontario}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• {{official website|http://www.magnetawan.com}}

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Magnetawan

| North = Unorganized Centre Parry Sound

| Northeast = Machar

| East = Strong

| Southeast = Ryerson

| South = McMurrich/Monteith

| Southwest = Seguin

| West = McKellar

| Northwest = Whitestone

}}

{{Parry Sound District}}

Category:Municipalities in Parry Sound District

Category:Single-tier municipalities in Ontario

Category:Magnetawan River

Category:1870s establishments in Ontario

Category:1998 establishments in Ontario

Category:Populated places established in 1998