Muskoka Falls
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Gravenhurst
With
a population of about 10 000, Gravenhurst is the first large town in Muskoka
and pretty much lives up to its claim to be “the Gateway to Muskoka.”
It is a little west of Highway 11. I have only been to Gravenhurst once,
and that was to stop driving and stretch, therefore this profile is a bit
skimpy.
Gravenhurst was named after a village in England which is mentioned in Washington Irving's Bracebridge Hall. Between 1940 and 1943 it was known as “Little Norway” due to its proximity to the Norwegian Air Force’s temporary training base in Canada. Today Gravenhurst is a retirement and cottage community.
While
it is the smallest of cottage country’s three main towns (Bracebridge
and Huntsville being larger) it is
still big enough and touristy enough to have the main food and lodging franchises,
as well as other tourist amenities. Being in cottage country, Gravenhurst
is a gateway to a host of outdoor activities, mainly boating, camping, and
fishing.
Gravenhurst has a small arts community. The Gravenhurst Opera House, built in 1901, hosts a number of artistic events throughout the year. The Muskoka Gallery By the Bay displays art near Gravenhurst’s cute waterfront. The town hosts an annual Music on the Barge festival at Gull Lake Park, with many musicians playing in a picturesque setting.
Muskoka
steamships operate three different ships that give tours of the many picturesque
lakes in the area. I believe they also serve food.
Gravenhurst was also home to Dr. Norman Bethune. He was a doctor who was an early proponent of Canada’s universal medical system and worked in Spain and in China as a medic during their wars in the 1930s. His 1890s home has been restored and designated an historic site. He is the only westerner in China to have his own statue!
My apologies for the tiny review. I really haven’t spent much time in Gravenhurst and to be quite honest I’m more interested in the Temiskaming, James Bay, and Thunder Bay parts of Highway 11 so I don’t have a tonne to say about Gravenhurst. But you can add to this - write me an email if you would like to add to this, particularly about Gravenhurst’s history, or post below. My email is info (at) highway11 (dot) ca
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Links: Dr. Norman Bethune (wikipedia)
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