See Ontario – Port Carling | Arts & Recreation

WRITER: GEOFF BUTLER

Location: Port Carling Wall

The 705 is home to so many historic gems. Today we are traveling to the beautiful Muskoka Lakes area of Ontario. The community of Port Carling features a fascinating historical landmark known as the Port Carling ‘Wall.’

Port Carling, located on the Indian River between Lake Muskoka and Rosseau, is a picturesque town of approximately 7,000 residents. The town is known as the ‘Hub of the Lakes.’ It is one of Muskoka’s oldest settlements and began as an Ojibway settlement in 1850. The Ojibways called their settlement “Obajewanung”, meaning the “Gathering Place”. The early European settlers called it “Indian Gardens”.

In 1869, Benjamin Hardcastle Johnston established a post office and named the town Port Carling in honor of the Ontario Minister of Public Works, John Carling. Carling was an advocate for the construction of the locks between Lake Rosseau, Lake Muskoka, and Lake Joseph, linking the three lakes together. The locks were completed in 1871. With the completion of the locks, logging, and tourism began to flourish, and four resorts and two sawmills were built in the area. In June 1896, with a population of 110 people, Port Carling was incorporated as a village.

In 2004, the town decided that the central area of Port Carling needed a ‘makeover.’ A small team of residents formulated a unique idea that involved capturing the area’s history in a historical photo mosaic. The project’s goal was to “serve as a spectacular tourist attraction; to stimulate further revitalization of Port Carling; to foster community pride and to reflect the heritage of Muskoka Lakes Township.) historical photo mosaic was unveiled. The mural comprises 9,028 pictures that “together create an image of the RMS Sagamo passing through the locks.” The RMS Sagamo was one of the largest ships of the Muskoka Lakes Navigation Company and was built in 1906 and sailed until 1958.

Volunteers and staff gathered the photographs with support from the Township of Muskoka Lakes, the Muskoka Lakes Museum and the Norma and Miller Alloway Muskoka Lakes Library. Then, working with Toronto Digital Imaging and Magic Mosaics, each picture was digitally scanned and represents a ‘moment in time’ in the history of Port Carling 1860-1960.

This spectacular historic mosaic is known locally as the ‘Wall’ and is located on the south-facing wall of the former Hanna store. The mosaic overlooks one of the busiest docks in the Muskoka Lakes area. The Port Carling Wall received a ‘Built Heritage Award’ in 2007 from the Muskoka Heritage Foundation.