While Ontario is famous for its vibrant cities like Toronto and Ottawa, it is also full of small towns rich in Ontario heritage with unique names We searched Flickr for some of your most stunning photos of Ontario’s most unusual towns:
Could a place sound any more inviting? Welcome, Ontario is a quaint crossroads located just north of Port Hope. The surrounding area is popular with cyclists who enjoy the rural landscape.
Photo by Jeannot7
Looking for a little Zen? Lotus, Ontario is bordered by Lake Scugog to the east and Kawartha Lakes to the north.
Photo by David Watson
3. Shakespeare, Ontario
What more perfect name for a town neighbouring Stratford, Ontario, home of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival? According to local history Shakespeare was founded in 1832 by David Bell, and was previously known as Bell’s Corner. The name was changed from Bell’s Corner to Shakespeare in 1852 when Alexander Mitchell suggested naming the town after his favourite playwright.
Photo by redmann
Photo by Bobolink
4. Nogies Creek, Ontario
While its more famous neighbour Bobcaygeon has been immortalized by the Tragically Hip, the little crossroads of Nogies Creek has its own charm. Check out the Nogies Creek paddling route and snap a few photos like these:
Photo by Mattie & Den
Photo by Mattie & Den
6. Wawa, Ontario
What is the story behind name of this Northern Ontario town? Wawa takes its name from the Ojibwe word for “wild goose”, wewe. Wawa’s namesake is celebrated in the form of a large Canadian Goose sculpture overlooking Highway 17.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ontariooutdooradventures/5507591137/
Photo by northernontario_outdoors
Photo by canadagood
One of Ontario’s most uniquely named places is also one of the most spectacular. Some say the name comes from the outline of a woman’s face in the bluff.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/henrylw/5104456901/
Photo by Henry w. L
Photo by Philip Scott Johnson
What are your favourite Ontario towns with unique names?
8 replies on “What’s in a Name?”
I live right near shakespeare.I have to do a project on shakespeare! 🙁
Surprisingly well-written and infromitave for a free online article.
[…] spent time in Ontario you know how vibrant the four seasons can be. After we posted our blog about unique town names many of you shared unusual Ontario towns of your own. Danno Cardinal’s suggestion on Facebook […]
Franz, Ontario( Junction with Canadian Pacific Railway & Canadian National Railway(Algoma Central Railway- now owned by C.N.)W.F. Clerque empire in the early 1900’s. The railway name was orignally called Hobon before the A.C.R. crossed in 1912. W.C. Franz was a superintendent in the Clerque empire and the location was named in his honour after the new station was built that year.Franz is located at Mileage 81.4 C.P.Rail White River Subdivision & Mileage 194.9 C.N. Sault Subdivision- with a transfer yard maintained and served by both companies.
Hawk Junction ( Junction of the Soo Sub – Northern Sub and (Michipcoten Sub) Michpicoten Harbour- when the line ran into the :Harbour”. There is a lake at Hawk Junction known as HAWK LAKE. It gets mixed up with another location here in Ontario with the same name( HAWK LAKE) in Northwestern Ontario.
Wawa is kinda cool. I like the name Enterprise which was given to a hamlet north of Kingston after a visitor remarked it was an enterprising place. Apparently was known locally as Shirt Tail Corners until the 1930s (now, there’s a story). Turkey Point is another one I like. Some local folklore suggests Lake Erie town may have gotten its name from an earlier settler who had a prominent Adam’s Apple.
Hamner, Ontario is wierd, but unique name.
Markstay is another odd name