FORT FRANCES IS THE OLDEST EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT WEST OF THUNDER BAY
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes came to Canada in the early 18th century in search of a lucrative fur trade that he could call his own . In 1731 he built Fort Saint Pierre near what is now Fort Frances before moving westward to Lake of the Woods in 1732 . Following the border-defining war of 1812 , the Hudson Bay Company built a Fort named for Frances Simpson , wife of a the Hudson ’ s Bay , governor who paid frequent visits to the area .
EAR FALLS ’ NAME MEANS LITERALLY WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK IT DOES
Three versions of the story are officially archived at the Ear Falls museum , though the overall meanings are similar . In one version of the story , it ’ s said that the ancestral Ojibwa people believed that the spirit of a giant beaver lived in between the upper and lower falls . According to legend , you could see the giant ears of the beaver rise and fall through the foam of the falls when it would swim , hence the name ‘ Ear Falls ’ was adopted .
EMO IS HOME TO THE SMALLEST CHURCH IN THE WORLD
Built by two local men in 1973 , the Norlund Chapel ’ s interior measures only 8 feet across by 10 feet tall ; making it the smallest operational church in the world . A house of respite and worship , the church is open to the public and can accommodate 8 visitors at a time . The church ' s steeple was salvaged from a fire in 1971 and is complete with a 6 foot tall , solid iron cross that was built by a local blacksmith in 1935 . It is located right along Highway 11 .
QUETICO PARK WAS UNKNOWINGLY SAVED BY CARELESS SOLDIERS
Surveys around Atikokan began as early as the 1870s . During this time , over 30 surveys were conducted , 75 % of which were in Quetico area , and found that there was potential for logging the massive pines . However , upon further investigation , the barren shores of neighbouring lakes showed that almost 1 / 6 of the total area had been previously been destroyed by the passing troops . Timber lords moved elsewhere for better quality , more sustainable lumber , inadvertently saving the future of Quetico .
IGNACE IS A JUNCTION POINT FOR THE MOST NORTHERN OFFICIAL HIGHWAY
The original intention of the road was for it to act as a supply route for the booming gold mines in the Pickle Lake Region . The road was assumed by the Department of Highways and was officially named Highway 599 in 1956 . The most unique feature of the route is that it didn ’ t physically connect to the rest of Ontario ’ s Highway system . Today the 360 kms highway connects the northern communities of Pickle Lake and Savant Lake to the grid .
THE LONGEST STREET IN THE WORLD ENDS IN RAINY RIVER
When you hear Yonge Street you probably think downtown Toronto , but Yonge Street actually has the distinction as being the longest street in the world . It starts at Lake Ontario and runs north through central and northern Ontario with its terminus at the Town of Rainy River nearing the most westerly end of Ontario . The street is 1896 kms ( 1178 miles ) long ! In 1998 the Guinness Book of World Records recognized this as in fact the longest street .
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