Impetus to the road really picked up with the War of 1812 and the fall of Detroit. With supplies cit, Fort Michilmackinac began to starve. Gordon Drummond saw the urgency of building the new road.
The planned road would be 30 miles long and it was estimated that it would take 200 men at least three weeks to build it.
In December 1814, William Dunlop was pl;aced in charge of the project. When finished, it was not much of a road by today's standards. It was uneven, stump-ridden and essentially impassable in heavy rain.
Even so, this road which was originally built for military purposes, promoted settlement in Huronia.
On the Lake Simcoe end of it, a village originally named Kempenfelt (now northeast Barrie) began in 1819.
The Story of a Road. --Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
Showing posts with label Penetanguishene Road. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penetanguishene Road. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Penetanguishene Road Steeped in History-- Part 2
Yonge Street became the first leg of the new road, but there is still debate as to the second leg. Originally, John Simcoe intended to follow the Severn River to Matchedash Bay Lake Simcoe, but a combination of nine portages and the shallow Lake Couchiching with its rocks and shoals ruled against it.
In 1808, Samuel Wilmot, the deputy surveyor, was ordered to lay out a line for a road near the old Indian path from Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe to Penetanguishene Bay. In addition, he was also told to lay out town lots at each end of this new road. They eventually became today's towns of Barrie and Penetanguishene.
--Brock-Perry
In 1808, Samuel Wilmot, the deputy surveyor, was ordered to lay out a line for a road near the old Indian path from Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe to Penetanguishene Bay. In addition, he was also told to lay out town lots at each end of this new road. They eventually became today's towns of Barrie and Penetanguishene.
--Brock-Perry
Monday, November 17, 2014
Penetanguishene Road: A Road Steeped in History-- Part 1
From the April 8, 2010, Simcoe.com by Barrie Advance.
The Penetanguishene Road (I finally remembered how to spell it without looking) is one of the most historical roads in Canada, tracing its roots back to the first days of Ontario and playing a vital role in the province's (Ontario) development.
John Graves Simcoe became Lt.Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1791 and became immediately preoccupied with the threat of the highly expansionist Americans. he was only to aware that they could easily take the British force at Detroit and thus block all shipping on the Upper Great Lakes.
One of the most strategic sites in North America was British Fort Michilmackinac at the northern extreme of Lake Huron which was very important to the British fur trade and was a good base for improving relations with Indians (and especially steer them away from alliances with the Americans).
Should Detroit fall, Fort Michilmackinac would be isolated and British interests threatened.
He wanted a naval base at Penetanguishene and an alternate route linking lakes Huron and Ontario.
--Brock-Perry
The Penetanguishene Road (I finally remembered how to spell it without looking) is one of the most historical roads in Canada, tracing its roots back to the first days of Ontario and playing a vital role in the province's (Ontario) development.
John Graves Simcoe became Lt.Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1791 and became immediately preoccupied with the threat of the highly expansionist Americans. he was only to aware that they could easily take the British force at Detroit and thus block all shipping on the Upper Great Lakes.
One of the most strategic sites in North America was British Fort Michilmackinac at the northern extreme of Lake Huron which was very important to the British fur trade and was a good base for improving relations with Indians (and especially steer them away from alliances with the Americans).
Should Detroit fall, Fort Michilmackinac would be isolated and British interests threatened.
He wanted a naval base at Penetanguishene and an alternate route linking lakes Huron and Ontario.
--Brock-Perry
Ontario's Highway 93: Penetanguishene Road
From Wikipedia.
King's Highway 93, provincially maintained in Ontario is located entirely in Simcoe County, all 14.9 miles of it.
It follows the Penetanguishene Road, an early colonization road built to connect Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay. It provides an overland route from Lake Huron to Lake Ontario via Yonge Street.
Prior to 1993, it was nearly 15 kilometers longer.
The Penetanguishene Road was built between 1814 and 1815 to the naval station established at Penetahnguishene. Prior to that this base had been called the Penetanguishene Military Post.
It was surveyed in 1808 by Samuel Wilmot. After the British capture of Fort Michilimackinac in 1812, there was a need for supplies. The decision to cut the road was made in November 1814 by General Gordon Drummond and completed the following spring, but too late for use during the war.
--Brock-Perry
King's Highway 93, provincially maintained in Ontario is located entirely in Simcoe County, all 14.9 miles of it.
It follows the Penetanguishene Road, an early colonization road built to connect Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay. It provides an overland route from Lake Huron to Lake Ontario via Yonge Street.
Prior to 1993, it was nearly 15 kilometers longer.
The Penetanguishene Road was built between 1814 and 1815 to the naval station established at Penetahnguishene. Prior to that this base had been called the Penetanguishene Military Post.
It was surveyed in 1808 by Samuel Wilmot. After the British capture of Fort Michilimackinac in 1812, there was a need for supplies. The decision to cut the road was made in November 1814 by General Gordon Drummond and completed the following spring, but too late for use during the war.
--Brock-Perry
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