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Manitoulin Island, 2765 km2, the largest island in the world located in a lake, is part of an archipelago at the top of Lake HURON that straddles the Ontario-Michigan border. Its northern shore encloses the North Channel, which leads to the St Mary's River at Sault Ste Marie. It has an irregular, rocky shoreline and many interior lakes.
In the 17th century it was part of the territory occupied by the OTTAWA. Jesuit missionaries arrived in 1648, but their mission was short-lived. The island was sporadically inhabited until the 1830s when it became the centre of Indian administration for northern Ontario. Indians from across the region were settled here and others visited to receive their annual presents from the British government. In 1862 the provincial government puchased most of the island from the Indians. By this time settlers were arriving to clear farms. The Indians now live on small reserves. Though the island is fertile only in spots, farming has always been a major economic activity. Turkey production thrived after 1920 and by 1930 the island was one of the most important sheep-rearing areas in Ontario. Logging dates from the 1860s and commercial fishing for whitefish and trout was also an economic mainstay; however, both these industries have declined. Since the 1920s the island has become a popular outdoor recreation area, and tourism and agriculture are now the principal activities. Little Current is the main populated centre and is linked to the mainland by road and railway. The name refers to the Manitou (Algonquian for "spirit"), believed to dwell on the island.
Author
DANIEL FRANCIS
Links to Other Sites
Manitoulin Island
A tourism website for Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world.
Manitoulin Island
Check out the links to sites about recreational opportunities in the scenic Manitoulin Island area of Northern Ontario.
Manitoulin Island
A visitor's guide to the Manitoulin Island region.
Mississagi Lighthouse
An informative site dedicated to the Mississagi Lighthouse built in 1873 by the department of Transport of Canada to protect and guide ships through the perilous passage known as the Mississagi Strait.
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