Author and historian Andrew Hind has written two books about Parry Sound History (Founded on Stone: Tales of Early Parry Sound District and a sequel). Now, he turns his attention to Muskoka.
In Vintage Muskoka, Hind explores the region’s diverse history. Entries delve into a wide range of topics, from vintage resorts and steamships to settlers’ stories and early industries, all brought to vivid life by more than 100 images.
Hind spoke to 705blackfly.com about his latest work.
What led you to write about Muskoka?
I’ve felt a connection to the region for my entire life, owing to a childhood spent rambling through the woods and playing in the lake at the family cottage. I’ve also always been deeply passionate about history. It was inevitable that the two would merge when I became a freelance writer twenty years ago.
I’ve written several other books about various aspects of Muskoka history (Muskoka Resorts: Then and Now, for example, and RMS Segwun: Queen of Muskoka) but this book afforded me the unique opportunity of covering a wide range of subjects and those stories that most appealed to me.
So, what are some of these stories that appealed to you so much?
There’s really a wide range. Many have their roots in people: an individual whose experiences moved me in some way or – as often was the case – a person I interviewed whose memories opened the door to stories heretofore unrecorded. I became close with Patricia Moore Evans, a woman in 80s who proudly calls herself a sawmillers’ daughter. Her memories of her father and grandfather, so poignant and personal, inspired me to tell the story of the Moore lumbering legacy in Falkenburg.
In another example, I explore the history of Paignton House – the predecessor of JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort – through the lens of the last generation of the founding Pain family to be raised on the property originally settled by John Frederick Pain in the late 19th century. Even as youngsters they played a role in running the resort. The chapter is about them and Paignton House, but it’s illustrative of an era when resorts were family run and very much a unique lifestyle.
What did you uncover that surprised you?
In some respects, every chapter had aspects that surprised me. But there were some things I had never heard of or knew only in passing. I had never heard of Borneman Boats of Gravenhurst, run by brothers who employed unique methods while building classic wooden craft in the early 20t century. They’ve been overshadowed by the names Duke, Ditchburn, and so on. Similarly, Fort Kawandag, the short-lived living history tourist attraction built on the grounds of what is now Muskoka Lakes College in Rosseau. It lasted just two summers, and yet for people of a certain age it remains a priceless memory.
What’s next for you?
Battles of Canada’s West is being released by Folklore Publishing next spring. It’s an important book, I think, as it explores how and why the varied participants fought for their respective visions of what the west would become. Also, the third volume of Founded on Stone: Tales of Early Parry Sound District is scheduled for next summer. And I have a few other projects that I’m not yet ready to reveal.
You can purchase “Vintage Muskoka” directly from Andrew by maelstrom@sympatico.ca or from Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Vintage-Muskoka-Andrew-R-Hind/dp/B0CJ4FJPWT
