There’s no better way to embrace Bracebridge this winter than by bundling up in your winter garb, grabbing a camera, bringing an appetite and heading off on the heritage trail for a feel of the past.
Bracebridge’s historical downtown is a wealth of vintage buildings which draw visitors year-round to experience the beauty and strength of the area’s pioneering past.
Bracebridge is renowned for its waterfalls – 22 in all. From its beginnings as a village in 1875, those waterfalls defined the town, and they continue to define it today. The chute known as Bracebridge Falls was both a barrier and a boon – it prevented boats from moving any farther up the north branch of the Muskoka River, but it also provided power to run sawmills, grist mills, woolen mills and later a hydroelectric station.
Those falls are still at the centre of the town, with the bridges over them forming the southern boundary of the downtown area. Each season the falls are a stunning sight to see, and at no time are they more impressive than in the winter. The constant spray encrusts the surrounding trees and walkways with crystals and icy jewels, turning the bay area into a magical wonderland.
We’ll start our trek near the falls at the base of Manitoba Street, but we’ll start by strolling up the street, saving the falls to explore when we return. Heading north on Manitoba Street, you’ll find yourself in the heart of the shopping district.
From clothing to books to artwork, there are plenty of spots worth exploring in the next few blocks.
Whether heading up or down the street, one can’t help but notice Chancery Lane on the west side. A purely pedestrian alleyway framed with a lovely iron gate, it was named after a street in London, England where the main courts and lawyers are located. Bracebridge’s Chancery Lane was constructed in 1883 for easy access between Manitoba Street and the Town Hall, fire hall, and court house, all of which are located near the top of the lane. Although the fire hall has moved across the street and the old Town Hall is no longer in use, the tower stands proudly atop the original building.
From the top of Chancery Lane you can see another tower, that of the old post office and customs house on Manitoba Street. Started in 1913 and finished in 1915, it was the first Dominion Government building in the district. The customs building was required because Bracebridge was a centre for exporting woolen products and tanned leather.
Although letters are now handled in a more modern building up the street, the post office now houses some charming offices. The bell tower is not only still standing, the clock and bell are maintaned – the 800 pound bell is rung on the hour.
Downtown Bracebridge has numerous cafes and welcoming pubs to stop for a java, snack or full sit down meal in turn-of-the-century buildings. From the top of Chancery Lane, wander through the alleyway once called Traders Lane, where farmers and merchants had their stands. You’ll come out at Dominion Street. Go left, and cross Ontario Street to the famous Inn at the Falls.
At Dominion and Ontario streets, note the large building which was once the British Lion Hotel. Built in 1872 it was famous for food and socializing and was the hub of gathering for the townsfolk for years. From 1935 to 1942 it was the Rene M. Caisse Cancer Clinic. Cars and trucks lined the streets by the clinic, giving Dominion Street the atmosphere of a shrine as pilgrims came to visit Nurse Rene M. Caisse. A Bracebridge native, Caisse popularized an herbal remedy for cancer called Essiac, her last name spelled backwards.
The Inn at the Falls is a notoriously haunted spot well worth a visit. Chill out, take time to have a break, warm up in front of a roaring fire, enjoy anything from a snack to a meal and roam around this historic locale. The main building is a former home, built by John Adair, then owned by land surveyor W.C. Mahaffy, a lawyer who in 1888 became the first district judge in Muskoka and Parry Sound.
From the Inn, go downhill on Ontario Street walking toward the Silver Bridge at the end of Manitoba Street. Here you will see a bust of Rene M. Caisse, created by artist Brenda Waiman Goulet, and the town’s own totem pole. Don’t cross the bridge but follow the sideroad down to the falls.
This was once the heart of Bracebridge’s industrial success, the home of major manufacturing enterprises such as Henry Bird’s Woolen Mill and the Anglo-Canadian Leather Company. Other smaller operations such as the boatworks of Earl Barnes, and Bert Minett’s shop which later became Minett-Shields also had their home here.
In 1865 Alexander Bailey had the first gristmill where the lone water wheel is today. Here the grist mill ground wheat, corn, peas and rye and saved the pioneers the long trek to Orillia. The historic mill burned in 1909.
In 1875 the town offered would-be entrepreneurs an incentive of $2,000 and no taxes for 10 years if they would locate their businesses here. Charles Tillson started his tannery in 1877. Try to envision the steamers docked here, the giant tanbark piles and the boat shops lining the water in the bay. Here you can see the remains of the gristmill’s big wheel, a last vestige of the industry which once dominated this tranquil setting.
The Bracebridge wharf was in its heyday before the railway came in 1885. A.P. Cockburn’s steamships were the industrial lifeline, transporting tanbark, hides, wool and people. Steamships docked at the old wharf included the City of Bala, Florence, Kenozha and Islander.
Imagine that sight as you cross over the falls on the steel walkway, a thrilling stroll as the water pounds beneath your feet. Halfway across, look toward the silver bridge built in 1931, one of three bridges which now cross the river at this point. Head under the silver bridge, follow the path along the river to the top of Entrance Drive. Along the route you will find historical plaques that explain the sites you are viewing.
One of the most famous homes in Bracebridge is the Woodchester Villa, an octagonal-shaped home built in 1882 by Henry J. Bird. It can be reached by a footpath, and is well worth a visit.
Bird was one of the first successful entrepreneurs in Bracebridge. By buying local wool, he encouraged area farmers to raise sheep. This led to Muskoka becoming famous at the turn of the century for its lamb. In 1890 Bird developed a heavy cloth known as Bird’s Mackinaw, a staple material for Muskoka and beyond.
The home today is a museum and memorial to Rene M. Caisse. Immediately in front of it is the Chapel Gallery, which displays a revolving series of shows organized by Muskoka Arts and Crafts.
Heading back down the path, you will see the old pump house which sits at the head of the falls. Built in 1892 by W.S. Shaw to provide hydroelectric power for the Shaw-Cassels tannery, it was sold two years later to the Town, making Bracebridge the first municipality in Ontario to have its own hydroelectric generating station. Another power plant, built in 1902 to supplement power from the first plant at the upper falls, still provides electricity to the town.
To see more of Bracebridge, stop into the Chamber of Commerce offices, located at the foot of Manitoba Street in what remains of Bird’s Woolen Mill. The building is also home to Riverwalk restaurant and Club One.
Inside the Chamber of Commerce office, be sure to note the granite countertop. It once served as an altar for the Society of St. John the Evangelist, a monastic order more commonly known as the Cowley Fathers. Their monastery in Bracebridge operated from 1928 to 1989, and is now a popular B&B.
Rich in history, Bracebridge has so much to offer that it would take a full book to cover all the great sights, events, attractions and the homesteaders who brought us this great town to live in and visit.