Quick Search
|
525 Dominion Ave. |
Ontario Tourism Region : Bruce Peninsula, Southern Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe
Description From Owner:
- Pop. 16,406. In Tay T., Simcoe C., on Georgian Bay just N of Hwy 12, 51 km NW of either Barrie or Orillia.
- French Jesuit missionaries established the mission of Sainte-Marie-Among-the-Hurons (3 km SE of the present site of Midland) in 1639 and opened the frrst hospital and church in Ontario.
- The mission was a fortified place of refuge for Huron Indian converts. When the Iroquois destroyed the Huron nation the outpost was burned by the missionaries and abandoned in 1649.
- Fathers Gabriel Lalemant and Jean de Brebeufwere captured by the Iroquois and tortured to death. The mission was reconstructed in 1964 and today is a major tourist attraction.
- On a hill overlooking the reconstructed Sainte Marie is the twin-spired Jesuit Martyrs' Shrine built in 1926, which honours the eight missionaries martyred in Huronia.
- In 1830, five of the priests were canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
- The bay off Severn Sound which is off Georgian Bay and on which Midland is located, was called successively Christendom, Gloucester, and Munday's; the latter for the first settlers, Israel and Asher Munday.
- They arrived in 1872 along with the Midland Railway, which had been pushed through from Port Hope via Beaverton. John Smith named the place Midland for its location midway between Penetanguishene and Victoria Harbour.
- Postcards above used with permission from A Great Lakes Treasury of Old Postcards 2007 Lorenzo Marcolin, MD 176 pp. For Copies call the Huronia Museum 705 526 2844 or email lmarcolin@aol.com
Map Below gives Canadian Geographical Names
Natural Resources Canada in Simcoe County.
Natural Resources Canada in Simcoe County.
Address of this page: http://www.ruralroutes.com/midlandontario
