Bancroft and Kinmount – An Introduction to Central Ontario
In the cottagers hinterland of central Ontario, few towns can rival that of those of the St. Lawrence Valley, yet thousands spend their summer here. It is due to the rural character of this region that the cottagers come. Ontario is lettered with lakes, rivers and forests and this part of Ontario can be particularly stunning. Central Ontario is filled with foothills
This post will explore the towns of Bancroft and Kinmount as well as a quick note on Bon Echo Provincial Park.
Table of Contents
Bancroft
This small town on the regional road 28 cutting across Central Ontario, it is home to many businesses. For those not familiar to rural Canada, the businesses in these towns are vital services to the thousands living in and around these towns that rely on supplies and services such as hospital care.
The town is known for its proximity to natural areas and parks such as the Egan Chutes Provincial Park and the Eagle’s Nest Lookout, a watchtower with views of the Bancroft area, but the real prize is Bon Echo Park, located towards the southern extremity of the area.
If you are however interested in the Eagles Nest, take the road up to its summit for a wonderful view of the hills around Bancroft. I do warn you the parking lot is completely filled with car in the autumnal months, as the leaves peak.
In town you will find Millennium Park, a public trail that leads to the Bancroft North Hastings Heritage Park with a log cabin museum and a view of the river.
The town was settled in 1850, by United Empire Loyalists and Irish migrants. It started as a lumber town that lured migrants with free plots of land, while today its a popular cottager hangout. In its early years it went by the named of York Mills, York River and York Branch before the arrival of the The Central Ontario Railway arrived in 1900 and the Ottawa Railroad in 1903. It later developed as a mining town and uranium has been found in its vicinity.
If you are stopping in and have some time, the 28 becomes the main street. There is a white chapel on a hill overlooking this main street and the busy Bancroft Brew Pub that is worth a worth stopping for a beer at.
Another great business is the Old Tin Shed, located on the outskirts of town. This adorable shop has something for everyone.
Kinmount
This former lumber town is smaller than Bancroft but in many ways I find it to be more charming. I make a habit of stopping here in both winter and summer to walk the dog when driving through the area.
The town is built Kinmount is notable for being one of the first sites of Icelandic settlement in Canada. You will find a monument to this event near the train station. Founded in 1859 the original town name was Burnt River and was renamed to Kinmount after the town in Scotland.
Historic Kinmount is based around the old Kinmount station. Little is left of it bet there are a few structures of note along the river. The old station is now the Kinmount Heritage Museum/tourism center.
This area looks beautiful in winter when it is covered by a thick blanket of snow. In summer it is host to a small outdoor market.
Walking south along the river you will see the damn on the functional damn on the Burned River.
Behind it is a gem of old Canada, the Kinmount Mill. This old wood structure is one of the best preserved in the province. Today the mill is a small outdoor museum with signs exploring the history of the region/lumber industry during the summer months.
On the site of building you will find a working waterwheel.
As well as an old rusting gear machinery outside.
On the other side of the building is a great view of the Kinmount cascades.
In the summer a thick blanket covered the area. When reading the signs you will find out about the explosion of industry with the completion of the Ottawa railroad in the early 20th century.
The big kicker was the the Victoria Railway that connected Kinmount with the towns of Lindsay and Haliburton.It was absorbed by Canadian National Railways as the Haliburton subdivision. But by 1960 passenger service was done, freight service followed in 1978 and the line was abandoned in 1981.
Bon Echo
This provincial park built around the Mazinaw Rock escapement, on the lake of the same name is absolutely worth a visit. Known for its native pictogram, forested hikes and beautiful clear waters, it is a great place to experience rural Central Ontario.
To read more about Bon Echo Park, check out my blog post here.
