Rainbow Country, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Rainbow Country is a local services board in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. It encompasses and provides services to the communities of Whitefish Falls and Willisville in the Sudbury District
and Birch Island and McGregor Bay in the Manitoulin District
.
of Mongowin, in the Sudbury District
. Whitefish Falls lies on Highway 6
, and is approximately 20 kilometres south of Espanola
and 25 kilometres north of Little Current.
Whitefish Falls is situated around the mouth of the Whitefish River at Lake Huron
, just downstream from a picturesque waterfall. It is a popular tourist destination in the summer months, and is also the site of the annual La Cloche Art Show.
A reunion of the popular Canadian CBC
TV show Adventures in Rainbow Country
was held here in August 2006. Cast, locals and fans were present. The show was shot in the region in 1969.
During World War II
, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt
, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
met secretly on a large destroyer boat in the Whitefish River to discuss war strategies and Canada's role in the war against Nazi Germany
.
The small church that was called St. Augustine's (Anglican) is now closed, was built by a company by the name of Mc Dermid. George Smyth of Ice Lake on the Manitoulin island, who worked for McDermid, made all the cement blocks by hand. He married Ernest Willis'(Willisville) youngest daughter Kathleen in the Church after it was completed in 1937. The carpenter on the job was Albert Shepherd of the Manitoulin Island. The minister in 1937 was the Rev. Worden Stump.
. It is named for Ernest Willis, the community's first postmaster who settled the community in 1910.
Ernest was originally from the Isle of Wight in England and came to Canada with his Willis family in 1875 aboard the Vicksberg. They settled in Howland Township on Manitoulin Island. Ernest married Ada Humphrey from the Manitouwaning area of the island. Some of their nine children were born on the Island and the youngest ones at Willisville. Ernest was a Forest Ranger and he and Ada used to portage canoes through the back lakes as far as Killarney checking the area for fires. Before Cameron’s opened a store in Whitefish Falls, Ernest would canoe and portage to Espanola to purchase supplies for his family. When the Algoma Eastern Railway was opened from Sudbury to Little Current, Ernest opened a store at Willisville and stocked supplies for sale to the residents and cottagers and for their own use. Later they rented the cabins to tourists who came to enjoy the fiahing and scenery.
In the early days of St. Augustine’s Mission in Whitefish Falls, The community around the Mission consisted of mostly native people and two white families, namely the John Cameron and the Ernest Willis families. At the beginning of WWI, more white families were moving into the area and it was decided that there was a need for a school in the Mission area. Chief Keshigobiness, known as Big John and Mr. Ernest Willis who assisted him greatly, worked under great difficulty in procuring a school. They were guided by Bishop Thornloe and finally were able to open a school for those who wished to attend.
The first school was in the home of Big John and opened Friday, October 13, 1916, by Rev S. H. Ferris of Garden River. Mr. Duncan Bell was the first teacher. The school continued until a fire burned down the log house, but a new building was soon found and some 20 children were gathered and taught until a proper school was built. Big John and Ernest walked from one lumber camp to another and begged for lumber or money and the new building was erected in 1917.
The Willis, Golden & other children from Willisville would walk along a path to the horseshoe curve and down the track to Whitefish Falls to attend school. In 1931, Kathleen Willis and Dewey Golden were the first two students to pass their Entrance exams at the school. Both went on to further studies.
According to a community website, the entire community operates as a de facto condominium
, with all community spaces jointly owned by its residents.
An 80-foot fire tower was built on Willisville Mountain in the 1920s by the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests.
The tower was run by John Burke in the early years. One day, while he was looking out to spot forest fires from the tower's cupola, he saw a herd of elephants at the bottom of the mountain trail. He called back to headquarters on his bushphone and relayed his sighting. Nobody believed him at first, until locals learned that a circus truck had broken down nearby and the elephants inside had gotten loose.
World heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis
and singer Bing Crosby
are known to have visited the tower and signed its guestbook. The tower can also be seen in the 1960s Canadian television series Adventures in Rainbow Country
, which was filmed in the Willisville-Whitefish Falls area.
The tower was dismantled in 1986, but the mountain still remains a popular place for tourists to climb.
s in Statistics Canada
census data. In the Canada 2006 Census
, Whitefish Falls and Willisville had a combined population of 215, while McGregor Bay Part A had a population of 77, and McGregor Bay Part B had a population of 10.
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....
. It encompasses and provides services to the communities of Whitefish Falls and Willisville in the Sudbury District
Sudbury District, Ontario
The Sudbury District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1894 from townships of eastern Algoma District and west Nipissing District....
and Birch Island and McGregor Bay 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....
.
Whitefish Falls
Whitefish Falls (46°06′N 81°43′W) is located in the geographic townshipTownship (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 Mongowin, in the Sudbury District
Sudbury District, Ontario
The Sudbury District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1894 from townships of eastern Algoma District and west Nipissing District....
. Whitefish Falls lies on Highway 6
Highway 6 (Ontario)
King's Highway 6, also known as Highway 6, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. It crosses a distance of between Port Dover on the north shore of Lake Erie and Espanola on the northern shore of Lake Huron, ending at the Trans-Canada Highway in McKerrow.- Port...
, and is approximately 20 kilometres south of Espanola
Espanola, Ontario
Espanola is a town in Northern Ontario, Canada, and is the seat of Sudbury District. It is situated on the Spanish River, approximately 70 kilometres west of downtown Sudbury, and just south of the junction of Highway 6 and Highway 17.- History :The name "Espanola" has been attributed to a story...
and 25 kilometres north of Little Current.
Whitefish Falls is situated around the mouth of the Whitefish River at Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, just downstream from a picturesque waterfall. It is a popular tourist destination in the summer months, and is also the site of the annual La Cloche Art Show.
A reunion of the popular Canadian CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
TV show Adventures in Rainbow Country
Adventures in Rainbow Country
Adventures in Rainbow Country was a Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television in 1970 and 1971.A half hour family drama, the show starred Lois Maxwell as Nancy Williams, a widow raising her children Billy and Hannah in rural Northern Ontario...
was held here in August 2006. Cast, locals and fans were present. The show was shot in the region in 1969.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
met secretly on a large destroyer boat in the Whitefish River to discuss war strategies and Canada's role in the war against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
The small church that was called St. Augustine's (Anglican) is now closed, was built by a company by the name of Mc Dermid. George Smyth of Ice Lake on the Manitoulin island, who worked for McDermid, made all the cement blocks by hand. He married Ernest Willis'(Willisville) youngest daughter Kathleen in the Church after it was completed in 1937. The carpenter on the job was Albert Shepherd of the Manitoulin Island. The minister in 1937 was the Rev. Worden Stump.
Willisville
Willisville is on the Charlton-Cranberry-Frood Lake system in the heart of the La Cloche MountainsLa Cloche Mountains
The La Cloche Mountains, also called the La Cloche Range, are a range of hills in Northern Ontario, along the northern shore of Lake Huron near Manitoulin Island. The hills are located in the Canadian Shield, and are composed primarily of white quartzite.They extend roughly from La Cloche...
. It is named for Ernest Willis, the community's first postmaster who settled the community in 1910.
Ernest was originally from the Isle of Wight in England and came to Canada with his Willis family in 1875 aboard the Vicksberg. They settled in Howland Township on Manitoulin Island. Ernest married Ada Humphrey from the Manitouwaning area of the island. Some of their nine children were born on the Island and the youngest ones at Willisville. Ernest was a Forest Ranger and he and Ada used to portage canoes through the back lakes as far as Killarney checking the area for fires. Before Cameron’s opened a store in Whitefish Falls, Ernest would canoe and portage to Espanola to purchase supplies for his family. When the Algoma Eastern Railway was opened from Sudbury to Little Current, Ernest opened a store at Willisville and stocked supplies for sale to the residents and cottagers and for their own use. Later they rented the cabins to tourists who came to enjoy the fiahing and scenery.
In the early days of St. Augustine’s Mission in Whitefish Falls, The community around the Mission consisted of mostly native people and two white families, namely the John Cameron and the Ernest Willis families. At the beginning of WWI, more white families were moving into the area and it was decided that there was a need for a school in the Mission area. Chief Keshigobiness, known as Big John and Mr. Ernest Willis who assisted him greatly, worked under great difficulty in procuring a school. They were guided by Bishop Thornloe and finally were able to open a school for those who wished to attend.
The first school was in the home of Big John and opened Friday, October 13, 1916, by Rev S. H. Ferris of Garden River. Mr. Duncan Bell was the first teacher. The school continued until a fire burned down the log house, but a new building was soon found and some 20 children were gathered and taught until a proper school was built. Big John and Ernest walked from one lumber camp to another and begged for lumber or money and the new building was erected in 1917.
The Willis, Golden & other children from Willisville would walk along a path to the horseshoe curve and down the track to Whitefish Falls to attend school. In 1931, Kathleen Willis and Dewey Golden were the first two students to pass their Entrance exams at the school. Both went on to further studies.
According to a community website, the entire community operates as a de facto condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
, with all community spaces jointly owned by its residents.
An 80-foot fire tower was built on Willisville Mountain in the 1920s by the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests.
The tower was run by John Burke in the early years. One day, while he was looking out to spot forest fires from the tower's cupola, he saw a herd of elephants at the bottom of the mountain trail. He called back to headquarters on his bushphone and relayed his sighting. Nobody believed him at first, until locals learned that a circus truck had broken down nearby and the elephants inside had gotten loose.
World heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
and singer Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
are known to have visited the tower and signed its guestbook. The tower can also be seen in the 1960s Canadian television series Adventures in Rainbow Country
Adventures in Rainbow Country
Adventures in Rainbow Country was a Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television in 1970 and 1971.A half hour family drama, the show starred Lois Maxwell as Nancy Williams, a widow raising her children Billy and Hannah in rural Northern Ontario...
, which was filmed in the Willisville-Whitefish Falls area.
The tower was dismantled in 1986, but the mountain still remains a popular place for tourists to climb.
Demographics
The board's jurisdictional area is counted as three separate designated placeDesignated place
A designated place or DPL is a type of community or populated area identified by Statistics Canada for statistical purposes. DPLs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages.DPLs are communities that lack...
s in Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
census data. In the Canada 2006 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...
, Whitefish Falls and Willisville had a combined population of 215, while McGregor Bay Part A had a population of 77, and McGregor Bay Part B had a population of 10.