Beausoleil Island
Beausoleil is one of the largest islands included in Georgian Bay’s famous 30,000 Islands. It is a beautiful island shrouded in myth and mystery and is of great historical importance to the Southern Georgian Bay area.
Physically, Beausoleil spans two different regions – the Canadian Shield as well as the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Forest Region. Distinctive pink granite and leaning white pines crown the northern shoreline of the island while towering hardwoods grace the southern portion. Lying three miles west of Honey Harbour, Beausoleil Island is 5 miles long and 1 mile wide. It boasts not one but two inland lakes and it is home to a wide variety of birds, reptiles, mammals and plant life.
Myths surrounding Beausoleil Island are many. Consider the Legend of Kitchikewana or the Legend of Fairy Lake; truth or fiction? What about the treasure of Treasure Bay? It has yet to be unearthed. All these stories serve to keep the mystery of the island alive and inviting.
Here, human history runs deep. Archaeological finds prove that the island was an important hunting and fishing ground for native people long before it was inhabited as an Ojibwa Reserve from 1836 - 1856. Evidence of that native presence can be found in the Red Oak Cemetery. That settlement was short lived due to poor soils though a few homesteading families hung on until Beausoleil Island became part of Georgian Bay Islands National Park in 1929. With that change of status, came visitors and the establishment of facilities, followed by the building of permanent structures to house a number of summer camps – Camp Kitchikewana and Camp Queen Elizabeth for example. The beginning of the National Park also signaled an end to the harvesting of the tall pines and the quarrying of sand and gravel which had been used by neighbouring communities along the shore of Georgian Bay.
Since that time, visitation to the island has increased into the hundreds of thousands annually. Beausoleil Island holds much meaning for many people whether they are residents or summer visitors.
As a child, I ventured to Beausoleil Island with my family usually in the early Spring before the arrival of summer visitors. Landing on the shore at Camp Kitchi, we would hike the broad trails that made walking easy for short legs and small feet. My Mother was always in search of wildflowers and Spring Beauty and Hepatica were special finds along the Huron Trail. One of our favourite destinations was the west side of the island near Turtle Bay along the Chimney Trail where we often saw White-tailed Deer. Later in my life, I had the great fortune to move to and live on Beausoleil Island for a short time with my own family.
The Honey Harbour Historical Society is planning to write a book on the history of Beausoleil Island. We are beginning the huge task of collecting the pictures, stories and artifacts that will be the basis for our book about this very special place. We are asking residents, permanent and seasonal, as well as people who attended any of the camps on Beausoleil, boaters and tent campers to participate in the compilation of this book. We are hoping that you will tell us your stories as well as your historical connection to this beautiful island and that you will allow us to include those stories in our book.
How to submit information and ask questions
Physically, Beausoleil spans two different regions – the Canadian Shield as well as the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Forest Region. Distinctive pink granite and leaning white pines crown the northern shoreline of the island while towering hardwoods grace the southern portion. Lying three miles west of Honey Harbour, Beausoleil Island is 5 miles long and 1 mile wide. It boasts not one but two inland lakes and it is home to a wide variety of birds, reptiles, mammals and plant life.
Myths surrounding Beausoleil Island are many. Consider the Legend of Kitchikewana or the Legend of Fairy Lake; truth or fiction? What about the treasure of Treasure Bay? It has yet to be unearthed. All these stories serve to keep the mystery of the island alive and inviting.
Here, human history runs deep. Archaeological finds prove that the island was an important hunting and fishing ground for native people long before it was inhabited as an Ojibwa Reserve from 1836 - 1856. Evidence of that native presence can be found in the Red Oak Cemetery. That settlement was short lived due to poor soils though a few homesteading families hung on until Beausoleil Island became part of Georgian Bay Islands National Park in 1929. With that change of status, came visitors and the establishment of facilities, followed by the building of permanent structures to house a number of summer camps – Camp Kitchikewana and Camp Queen Elizabeth for example. The beginning of the National Park also signaled an end to the harvesting of the tall pines and the quarrying of sand and gravel which had been used by neighbouring communities along the shore of Georgian Bay.
Since that time, visitation to the island has increased into the hundreds of thousands annually. Beausoleil Island holds much meaning for many people whether they are residents or summer visitors.
As a child, I ventured to Beausoleil Island with my family usually in the early Spring before the arrival of summer visitors. Landing on the shore at Camp Kitchi, we would hike the broad trails that made walking easy for short legs and small feet. My Mother was always in search of wildflowers and Spring Beauty and Hepatica were special finds along the Huron Trail. One of our favourite destinations was the west side of the island near Turtle Bay along the Chimney Trail where we often saw White-tailed Deer. Later in my life, I had the great fortune to move to and live on Beausoleil Island for a short time with my own family.
The Honey Harbour Historical Society is planning to write a book on the history of Beausoleil Island. We are beginning the huge task of collecting the pictures, stories and artifacts that will be the basis for our book about this very special place. We are asking residents, permanent and seasonal, as well as people who attended any of the camps on Beausoleil, boaters and tent campers to participate in the compilation of this book. We are hoping that you will tell us your stories as well as your historical connection to this beautiful island and that you will allow us to include those stories in our book.
How to submit information and ask questions
