Nottawasaga River

The Nottawasaga River is located in southern Ontario, Canada. Its headwaters are located on the Niagara Escarpment in the Osprey Wetlands near Wareham, Ontario and in Oak Ridges Moraine. The 6,500 acres of Osprey Wetlands are noted as being the highest location in southern Ontario as well as the headwaters for the Grand River, Beaver River, the Mad River and a tributary of the Nottawasauga River systems.

The Nottawasaga River flows through the Minesing Wetlands and empties into Nottawasaga Bay, an inlet of Georgian Bay, at Wasaga Beach, Ontario. Fish ladders allow rainbow trout to reach spawning grounds on the upper river.

"The Nottawasaga River is the resting home of HMS Nancy, a British trading ship during the War of 1812. It met three American battleships; the Niagara, Tigress and Scorpion. The small ship lost the battle but Lt. Miller Worsley and crew escaped Nancy. They rowed 360 miles to Fort Michilimackinac and three days later, Worsley returned with 92 men to take the Tigress and Scorpion. Since her sinking, an island formed around the Nancy. The hull is now preserved in a museum at Nancy Island Historic Site which is a part of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park." Source: Wikipedia

Nine Mile Portage

"The Nine Mile Portage/Nottawasaga River corridor became a favoured passage for Iroquois war parties. A W.A. Fisher writes in Genesis of Barrie, “the word Nottawasaga should be written Nahdowa-Sahging. It is a compound word and means a place where the Nawdawag… the Mohawks or Iroquois…used to come out.” Source: The History of the Nine-Mile Portage by Brad Rudychyk

During the War of 1812, the British military utilized this portage route for the transport of supplies and personnel as the lower lakes were occupied by the Americans.

"Large villages of pre-Huron peoples existed in the area around Kempenfelt Bay. One such village covered eight acres near what is now Cundles Road West and Kozlov Street in Barrie. Eventually these peoples moved north and west and formed confederacies. The homeland of the Huron/Ouendat Confederacy, called Wendake, occupied the northern reaches of present-day Simcoe County. To the north and west, hard by the Niagara Escarpment, lived the Tionontatehronnon, more commonly known as the Petun or Tobacco people. To the south, the Neutral people made their home on the western shore of Lake Ontario." Source: The History of the Nine-Mile Portage by Brad Rudychyk

This road, leading from the head of Kempenfeldt Bay to Willow Creek, a branch of the Nottawasaga River, was called the "Nine Mile Portage," and afterwards became an important colonization road.

With the massacres of 1649 and 1650, the Hurons vanish from these parts, and the events therein occurring, for more than a century afterward, are less known. When we begin to hear of the region again the Indians are all Ojibways. Some writers have asserted that these Algonquin tribes came from the north shore of Georgian Bay and spread over the abandoned country of the Hurons; but onw should not forget the populous tribes of Algonquins who, in the days when the early Jesuits had a mission among them, lived in the Townships of North and South Orillia. There are no existing records to show that these tribes were ever completely displaced from their ancient possessions, although it is natural to suppose the massacre perpetrated by the Iroquois in their neighborhood would inspire them with fear and cause them to retreat for at least a brief period. Source: A VOICE FROM THE PAST by Wayne Cook

One writer on the traditional history of the Ojibways, George Copway, has asserted that some Iroquois did take up their abode in the land from which they had driven the Hurons, and maintained settlements, of which the principal one was near Orillia; but the tradition is yet unconfirmed by actual history.

Fort Willow Festival

Historic Fort Willow

Historic Fort Willow was strategically located as a supply depot during the War of 1812. The area was also actively used for centuries by our Aboriginal peoples, the fur trade and French explorers as part of a major transportation route known as the Nine Mile Portage.

Strategically located as a supply depot during the War of 1812, the Fort Willow area was also actively used for centuries by Algonquin Aboriginal peoples, followed by the fur traders and French explorers as part of a major transportation route known as the Nine Mile Portage.

The Annual Festival at the Fort each September, featuring re-enactments of the War of 1812. The Festival at Fort Willow takes place every fall, usually the second weekend of September. There is no admission fee, and free parking and shuttle to the Fort is provided. At Fort Willow, the visitor can learn about the War of 1812 and see the Fort filled with re-enactors portraying soldiers and their families, First Nations, travelling salespeople, doctors, tradespeople and many others who would have crossed paths with the Fort Willow keepers called the Royal Newfoundlanders 200 years ago.

Historic Fort Willow, 2714 Grenfel Rd, Minesing, ON L0M 1T2 phone:(705) 424-1479 Map to Historic Fort Willow http://www.fortwillow.com/

References

Historic Fort Willow

Fort Willow Festival

Osprey Wetlands from Saugeen Conservation

Osprey Wetlands from Nottawasaga Valley Conservation.

Wikipedia contributors. "Nottawasaga River." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottawasaga_River>.

Niagara Escarpment

Invasive Species of the Nottawasaga River

2013 Lower Nottawasaga River 2013 Subwatershed Health Check Source: NVCA (Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority) Watershed Report Cards - A Summary of Watershed Health

2013 Middle Nottawasaga River 2013 Subwatershed Health Check Source: NVCA (Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority) Watershed Report Cards - A Summary of Watershed Health

2013 Upper Nottawasaga River 2013 Subwatershed Health Check Source: NVCA (Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority) Watershed Report Cards - A Summary of Watershed Health

Nottawasaga River

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