Cockburn Island, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Cockburn Island is an island
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
, located in the Manitoulin District
. It is separated from the westernmost point of Manitoulin Island
by the Mississagi Strait
, and from Michigan
's Drummond Island by the False Detour Channel
.
Most of the island is incorporated as the municipal township
of Cockburn Island, which had a permanent population of ten in the 2006 Canadian census
. In the 2001 census the island's population had been reported as zero, due to Statistics Canada's counting method of rounding off population figures for communities of smaller than 15 people; in the 1996 census it had a reported population of two. It is the least populated incorporated municipality in Canada, and township offices are located on the mainland in Thessalon
in the district of Algoma
.
However, the population grows significantly in the summer, as an estimated two hundred people maintain cottage
s and summer homes on the island.
, a deputy quartermaster
of Upper
and Lower
Canada in the early 19th century.
At one time, the island had a population of several hundred people, centred primarily on fishing
operations at Tolsmaville (45°57'29"N, 83°19'5"W), which was once also known as Port Cockburn, and logging
operations at Ricketts Harbour. Tolsmaville continues to be the primary settlement on the island, operating as the hub of the island's summer tourist economy, even though some references incorrectly describe it as a wholly abandoned ghost town
.
A small portion of the island is taken up by the Cockburn Island 19 Indian reserve
, which has no permanent population — this is a heritage land belonging to a First Nation whose primary community is located on Manitoulin Island.
In addition to the summer recreational economy, a modest logging industry continues to operate on the island.
or ferry
service. The municipality maintains a marina
at Tolsmaville for private boats and float planes, and a small grass airstrip located west of Tolsmaville provides a landing area for private planes.
Historically, when the island had a larger permanent resident population, it received ferry service, most notably from the MS Norgoma. The island's population declined rapidly when this service was discontinued in the late 1960's, being reduced to only one round trip from Meldrum Bay per week.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, located in the Manitoulin District
Manitoulin District, Ontario
Manitoulin District is a district in Northeastern Ontario within the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1888 from part of Algoma District. The district seat is Gore Bay....
. It is separated from the westernmost point of Manitoulin Island
Manitoulin Island
Manitoulin Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario. It is the largest island in a freshwater lake in the world. In addition to the historic Anishinaabe and European settlement of the island, archeological discoveries at Sheguiandah have demonstrated Paleo-Indian and...
by the Mississagi Strait
Mississagi Strait
The Mississagi Strait is a narrow strait or channel in Lake Huron, connecting the North Channel to the main water body. The strait also separates Manitoulin Island from Cockburn Island.-References:...
, and from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Drummond Island by the False Detour Channel
False Detour Channel
The False Detour Channel is a short channel in Lake Huron, connecting the main body of the lake to the North Channel. The Canada-United States border passes roughly through the middle of the channel, which separates Michigan's Drummond Island from Ontario's Cockburn Island ....
.
Most of the island is incorporated as the municipal township
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
of Cockburn Island, which had a permanent population of ten in the 2006 Canadian census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
. In the 2001 census the island's population had been reported as zero, due to Statistics Canada's counting method of rounding off population figures for communities of smaller than 15 people; in the 1996 census it had a reported population of two. It is the least populated incorporated municipality in Canada, and township offices are located on the mainland in Thessalon
Thessalon, Ontario
Thessalon is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located at the junction of Highway 17 and Highway 129. It is surrounded by but not part of the municipality of Huron Shores, and is part of the District of Algoma....
in the district of Algoma
Algoma District, Ontario
Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858 comprising territory as far west as Minnesota...
.
However, the population grows significantly in the summer, as an estimated two hundred people maintain cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s and summer homes on the island.
History
The island was named for Francis CockburnFrancis Cockburn
Sir Francis Cockburn served in the British Army, played an important role in the early settlement of eastern Canada and was a colonial administrator....
, a deputy quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
of Upper
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Lower
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
Canada in the early 19th century.
At one time, the island had a population of several hundred people, centred primarily on fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
operations at Tolsmaville (45°57'29"N, 83°19'5"W), which was once also known as Port Cockburn, and logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
operations at Ricketts Harbour. Tolsmaville continues to be the primary settlement on the island, operating as the hub of the island's summer tourist economy, even though some references incorrectly describe it as a wholly abandoned ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
.
A small portion of the island is taken up by the Cockburn Island 19 Indian reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
, which has no permanent population — this is a heritage land belonging to a First Nation whose primary community is located on Manitoulin Island.
In addition to the summer recreational economy, a modest logging industry continues to operate on the island.
Transportation
The island is not connected to either Manitoulin or Drummond Islands, or to the mainland, by bridgeBridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
or ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service. The municipality maintains a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
at Tolsmaville for private boats and float planes, and a small grass airstrip located west of Tolsmaville provides a landing area for private planes.
Historically, when the island had a larger permanent resident population, it received ferry service, most notably from the MS Norgoma. The island's population declined rapidly when this service was discontinued in the late 1960's, being reduced to only one round trip from Meldrum Bay per week.