A Visit By Bicycle To Shanty Bay (Oro-Medonte) – A Visit to One of Canada’s First Black Settlements
On the shimmering shores of Lake Simcoe, part way between the cities of Barrie and Orillia, you will find a shall hamlet called Shanty Bay. Although little in stature, the town holds one of Canada’s lesser known attractions, the church of Saint Thomas. This religious structure in very important to Canada’s black community, you see Shanty Bay was an important stop on Canada’s underground railroad.
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Historic Info
Lake Simcoe is named after John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada’s First Lieutenant Governor a man who led to charge to abolish slavery in Canada well before it was completed in the rest of the empire. This led to Canada becoming a destination for escaped slaves. Thus the government put aside land in Oro County in 1819, for some of the escapees, at that time numbering one-hundred and fifty, many of them veterans of the battle of 1812. The track of land was near 2nd line, on a stretch called Wilberforce Street (1st line road), named after the British anti-slavery campaigner. Yet due to pour soil conditions many drifted to nearby town, some settling at what is now called Shanty Bay, where the built wooden shacks called Shantys, hence the name of the town!
Note: Oro Township received its name from the obscure Spanish name of the Gold Coast of the African country of Ghana. The Gold Coast was , where many of the enslaved were taken from
The Lake Country Oro-Medonte Rail Trail and St. Thomas’ Church
I arrived in Shanty Bay from Barrie on my bicycle via the Lake Country Oro-Medonte Rail Trail. An old railbed converted to a recreational trail, like many have been throughout Canada. Today the town looks more like the typical suburb you would find anywhere in north America. On the main street you will find a post office, and a road heading down to the water, where many nice homes have been built on its shores.
The most important building is undoubtedly the St. Thomas church. Behind it is a beautiful old cemetery along with a church woods. Do search for the grave of the thee sisters, Esther, Loring and Mary, as I find it to be particularly touching
Nearby you will find the old church house.
And of course the church itself!
The Romanesque structure dates from 1841 and is considered to be one of the few remaining earth rammed structures left in Ontario, thus giving it is unique, almost matted, appearance. The church site was donated by Lt.-Col. Edward O’Brien and his wife, Mary, the same man that ordered its construction. The rammed earth method involves the mixing of wet clay and straw, compacting it and covering it with plaster to protect it from the elements. If you do mane it inside, you will find that the original wood pews still survive!
