Ontario’s ‘colonization’ Roads

“Road Trip!”
In these locked-down days, the traditional Road Trip – even if it’s only one day to escape the city – has taken on greater significance. These old roads supply A Short Road Trip to the Past . . .
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As COVID redefines how and where we travel, Canadians are reconnecting with their own country in numbers not seen for decades. For those living in Ontario there is an easy way to travel into the past and discover the relics of pioneer settlements and roads – to explore what is left of the province’s ‘colonization’ roads.

As most of the fertile land of the southern portion of Ontario was settled, the provincial government started to open up the more rugged southern edge of the Canadian Shield between the Ottawa Valley and Lake Huron, known then as the Ottawa-Huron Tract. In the mid 1800’s the provincial government embarked upon an unprecedented period of road building, abandoning its usual policy of leaving road construction to municipalities, and instead started to build 1,600 kms. of roads into the hinterland. These roads became known as ‘colonization roads’ – because that was the declared intent – to ‘colonize’ this vast territory by luring settlers with the promise of ‘free’ land if they helped build this ambitious road network.

Most counties hired surveyors who charted routes into the heavily forested and poorly drained country to the north of the new farmland emerging along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. This harsh and unyielding land was sliced open by the hard labour of those enticed to come work for the promise of free land by constructing roads. To this day, you can still find some of the original names attached to these roads: Victoria Road, Frontenac Road, Buckhorn Road.

In others, modern numbered highways trace the original routes – favoured cottage commuting highways like Highway 35 north of Lindsay, or Highway 41 which used to be called the Addington Road. One excellent trip into the past is a drive along the Frontenac Road and through the scenery of the county by the same name that runs north of Kingston.

Like most efforts to colonize, these roads come with a chequered past. Most of the people encouraged to build these roads did so looking to farm this land, and consisted of a lot of marginalized people living in squalor, like the Irish of Toronto. They willingly dropped whatever life they had in Toronto for the prospect of free land, but a drive along the Frontenac Road will show very clearly that this land held little prospect for farming. Toronto unburdened itself of many of its poor just to have them condemned to a life of rural poverty, while the fledgling forestry industry now had a willing supply of labour to clear the trees that could be transported down the new roads.

The impact of these roads on the First Nations who had lived on this land for centuries was immediate and severe. Traditional hunting grounds were fragmented by these roads, the First Nations people became increasingly pushed off their land and the arrival of ‘settlers’ accelerated the decline of many aboriginal communities. Only now are some of these communities starting to reinvigorate their cultures as they try to chart a path in the modern world. In 2016 the documentary “Colonization Road” was premiered at TIFF in Toronto. This film provides some insight into the ramifications of this road building policy.

Originally surveyed in 1852 by Thomas Fraser Gibbs, the Frontenac Road was built by contractor Warren Godfrey, for whom a town along the road was named. The road was extended as far north as the Madawaska River at Matawatchen in Renfrew County, but much of that extension was abandoned, then consumed by forest.

For those looking to escape the GTA, or Ottawa, you can restrict yourself to the short but visually appealing southern 41 kms. of the road south of Highway 7. Driving east from the GTA you can take the 401 to just east of Napanee, then head north to the charming mill town of Tamworth. Travelling east from Tamworth and north from Parham one starts to see more rugged country as the road starts traversing the Frontenac Axis. For those going west from Ottawa, drive west on Highway 7 until you hit the Frontenac Road just west of Sharbot Lake Provincial Park, and follow the directions in reverse of what is written below.

Today the Frontenac Road is a rugged trip into our past. The road itself is gravel, but in pretty good shape. Starting near the north east corner of Long Lake, it winds its way north past some old farms, rural properties and through a dense forest. Unlike the pin straight concession roads to the south, this road is curvy and in places hilly enough to lend itself to surprises as one crests those hills. The land is forested, rocky and poorly drained – there are some scenic wetlands and small lakes worthy of a stop and a picture.

A few kilometres in, and after passing through a tunnel of trees, one stumbles upon ‘Long Lake Longhorns’ – a farm owned by the Pellows family that literally straddles the road. The barn and surrounding pens are right up against the road and are filled with an eclectic mix of goats, sheep and poultry including a very vocal ‘guard goose’. Behind the barn are some open fields, strewn with boulders and occupied by a herd of impressive looking longhorn cattle – like the kind usually associated with Texas.

A brief side trip down any of the side roads running perpendicular to the Frontenac Road takes the tripper deeper into this mixed forest. Stone House Road, for instance, offers a view of mature wetlands that threaten to flood the road, but are scenic detours nonetheless. Continuing north on the Frontenac Road will bring you past the Trans Canada Trail – a new use for a long-abandoned rail line, as well as a collection of old farm buildings. A little beyond that brings a chance to stroll around a pioneer cemetery that is situated on either side of the road, as well as the heritage sign describing the road.

Turning west on Ferguson Road will have you pass a very old and photogenic farm as you head into the tiny hamlet of Mountain Grove. What used to be a stop on the railway is now a collection of houses, a church and community centre and Land O’Lakes elementary school. What really stands out, though, is an impressive little park dedicated to the many people of Olden Township who dropped what they were doing to go fight in world wars that were a long way from this hardscrabble community. There are also some colourful samples of indigenous art scattered about, a pleasant surprise in this small town.

Continuing north and east will bring you back to the Frontenac Road, then Highway 7 – an increasingly busy alternative to Highway 401 for those travelling between Ottawa and Toronto. There are plenty of colonization roads to explore – many with relics of the past – and ghost towns to discover, for those looking to venture out of the city.

IF YOU GO:

Wikipedia’s List of Ontario colonization roads can help you plan your trip.

Pack your own food and drink if you wish to avoid public food places – washrooms are a little more problematic, though there are some picnic spots with outhouses in both directions on Highway 7, when the season permits. Both the 401 and Highway 7 have their fair share of donut and burger joints where you can seek comfort and food as well.

These are strange times to try and keep your sanity, a little trip into the past along Ontario’s colonization roads might be just what the doctor ordered!

Make sure to check for any local COVID travel warnings or restrictions.