History

My great, great grandfather George Laidlaw , the other famous railroader, fell in love with Balsam Lake when he first saw it in 1869. George Laidlaw, built the Toronto and Nipissing Railroad which ended in nearby Coboconk. He was also instrumental in the building the Credit Valley Railroad.

The family buildings which formed the ranch are still in family hands. The Barricks and The Fort are our neighbours and occupied by cousins.

As his descendants, my cousins and I are lucky to still have a piece of his legacy on Balsam Lake.

Our two bedroom cabin was named the Cowshed by my mother as a reminder of the milking shed that lay on that part of the property.

The cabin is winterized with indoor plumbing and a screened in porch. It sleeps 4 comfortably, two in the master on a new queen sized bed and two in the guest bedroom which is equipped with a single bed and a trundle bed. A futon in the main living area can sleep two more in a pinch and the day-bed on the screened in porch is good for those who like to fall asleep to the calls of the tree frogs.

The private dock is across the road and the swimming and boating excellent. For youngsters a small public beach is an easy 10 minute walk down the road.

There is a board-walk out the back of the property for nature walks and good exploring in the farmer's 700 acre bush.

The road is now called Balsam Lake Drive but was originally called The Portage Road. In the early days Indians travelling through the area would stop at our end of the lake and prepare for the 12 kilometer portage that would take them to the Talbot River which flowed into Lake Simcoe. It was from Lake Simcoe that they could then travel up to Georgian Bay. It was in front of our cottage where war parties of Iroquois travelled to fight the Hurons to the north. Samuel de Champlain played a role in these conflicts and was canoeing out front of the cottage in 1615 on his way down from Georgian Bay.

It you are a real local history buff you might like to read Watson Kirkconnell's history of Victoria County which he wrote in the 1920's and was published in the Lindsay Watchman Warder.

Part 1, The Amazing History of Victoria County

Part 2, STONE AGE ANNALS OF VICTORIA COUNTY

Part 3, TELLS VIVID, STIRRING STORY OF OPENING SETTLEMENT AND PIONEER LIFE IN VICTORIA.

Part 4, The Pioneer Era, Railway Era and Modern Era Forcefully and Vividly Summarized

Part 5, STORY OF SOUTH VICTORIA

Part 6, FOUNDING OF MANILLA, LITTLE BRITAIN AND OAKWOOD

Part 7, HOW PIONEERS ALONG SCUGOG DESTROYED PURDY’S MILL IN 1838

Part 8, FORGOTTEN HIGHWAYS OF LONG AGO

Part 9, The Township of Eldon

Part 10, GROWTH OF WOODVILLE, LORNEVILLE, ARGYLE, BOLSOVER, KIRKFIELD, HARTLEY AND GLENARM.

Part 11, WHEN THE CATARACT VILLAGE WAS "CAMERON’S FALLS"

Part 12, THE STORY OF FORGOTTEN REGATTAS AT STURGEON POINT