The first to attach a name to the heavily-forested shores of this mighty lake was the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe. He decided the area merited the name of a King, and so the new township was named for George the Third, King of England.
Georgina claims a birthdate of 1796, the end of Simcoe's term as Lieutenant Governor. Simcoe named the vast lake for his father, Captain John Simcoe, a naval officer.
Settlers soon arrived to tame the forests of Georgina. Many were naval officers who had sailed the world and fought in the Napoleonic wars. They settled along the shores of the lake, and immediately looked to its waters for their needs.
Lake Simcoe in early times was used by native people, explorers and traders as a major intersection between the Great Lakes and North America's interior. European settlers continued to view the lake as a transportation hub - with Holland Landing the gateway from the south, and the Trent Canal to and from the east.
At those times steamboats naturally carried on the idea that all parts of the lake are linked. The boats also provided enjoyable outings that connected thousands of people to the water. Might there be an idea for the future? Something like a solar or wind-powered ferry that would bring the Lake diverse cities together again...
photo: wikipedia
photo: The Jennifer Jones Team
