WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND MUSKOKA BETTER: AND TAKE GREAT CARE WHO WE ELECT TO LOOK AFTER HER BEST INTERESTS

The Orange Lodge in Uffington, once a busy community hall still stands on it’s original site on the Uffington Road. 

 

Settled in the l860’s, Uffington was a once a busy agricultural and lumbering centre.   By l864 Uffington had a post office, followed a few years later by a school and an hotel. A sawmill, opened in l871, attracted more businesses and Uffington began to boom.  A flour mill was added in the l880s.   At its height, Uffington boasted a population of about 120.  It included three general stores, two hotels, tow carpenters and shoemakers, a blacksmith shop and a butcher.  There were three churches, Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian.  In later years the Methodist church was converted to an Orange Hall.  (Photo By Fred Schulz)

IS MUSKOKA JUST ANOTHER PLACE TO LIVE - ON THIS BIG OLD ROTATING EARTH?

WHAT MAKES IT A SPECIAL PLACE?  OR HAS THIS BEEN LEFT TO WRITERS AND ARTISTS TO EXPLAIN?


     I'VE HAD THIS ARGUMENT WITH QUITE A FEW ELECTED OFFICIALS, OVER ABOUT THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY. YOU SEE, I HAVE A WEE ATTITUDE PROBLEM ABOUT ANY ONE RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICE, WHO COULDN'T PASS A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL HISTORY TEST. IN MUSKOKA, I DON'T LIKE THE FACT AT ALL, THAT MANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE WEAK IN MATTERS OF LOCAL HISTORY. IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME, THAT YOU CAN CALL THE SHOTS FOR OUR REGION, BUT NOT REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT HOW IT ALL BEGAN HERE....WAY BACK BEFORE THERE WERE CELL PHONE TOWERS THAT WERE DISGUISED TO LOOK LIKE EVERGREENS, AND REALLY BIG TOWN HALLS; CRYSTAL PALACES FOR RECREATION,  AND BUDGET DEFICITS BECAUSE ITS A NEW AGE REALITY.
    WHO CAN DEFEND MUSKOKA, IN THE FUTURE, WHEN ONCE AGAIN, DEVELOPMENT STRESSES PUSH THE THE LIMITS OF GROWTH, FURTHER INTO THE HINTERLAND? WHEN I HEAR SOME OF THE TALKING HEADS EXPLAINING THEIR VISION OF MUSKOKA, I GET REAL NERVOUS, BECAUSE FRANKLY, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE WHO THINK LIKE THEM, THAN PROTECTIONISTS LIKE ME.....AND POTENTIALLY YOU. I'VE HAD CHATS WITH LOCAL POLITICIANS AND HONESTLY, FELT NAUSEOUS REALIZING OUR REGION IS THE HANDS OF OFFICIALS WHO COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT THE HOMESTEAD, RURAL NATURE OF OUR REGION, LET ALONE HOW IT ALL BEGAN. WHEN I HAVE TRIED, IN BOTH BRACEBRIDGE AND GRAVENHURST, TO SELL THEM ON A MODEST ACCEPTANCE (BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I CAN EXPECT) OF THE LITERARY GIANTS WHO AFFORDED THEM THEIR TOWN NAMES, (WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, IN GRAVENHURST, AND WASHINGTON IRVING, IN BRACEBRIDGE), IT WAS LIKE ASKING THEM TO DRINK A SHOT OF IODINE. "IT DOESN'T CONCERN ME," ONE COUNCILLOR RESPONDED. "IT'S GRAVENHURST, AND THAT'S JUST FINE AS IT IS." "IT'S NOT IN MY DEPARTMENT." I HEAR THAT A LOT THESE DAYS, AND NOT ONCE HAVE I CONCURRED. I WOULD HAVE RESPONDED TO THESE PEOPLE BUT I COULDN'T RAISE MY CHIN OFF MY CHEST.
     I WORRY ABOUT WHAT IS TO BECOME OF MUSKOKA, BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MANY WELL DONE HISTORIES, LINE THE SHELVES OF THE LIBRARY, AND HOW MASSIVE THE ARCHIVES COLLECTION BECOMES, OR HOW MANY MORE MUSEUMS WE OPEN, IF WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO REALLY DON'T HAVE A GOOD BACKGROUND, IN THE HISTORY OF THEIR OWN TOWN, OR REGION, WE ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THE HERITAGE QUALITIES THAT GIVE US OUR IDENTITY.  IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT ON US, CARING MUSKOKANS, WHO PLAN TO REMAIN HERE, WITH OUR FAMILIES, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CANDIDATES RUNNING IN THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION, WHO UNDERSTAND AT LEAST THE BASICS OF HOW THIS REGION WAS FOUNDED, AND HOW IT PROGRESSED. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO CRUISE ON THE SEGWUN A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND VISIT SEVERAL LOCAL MUSEUMS. I'VE NEVER KNOWN A LOCAL HISTORIAN IN MUSKOKA, TO DENY A REQUEST FOR BASIC TUTORING, TO IMPROVE APPRECIATION OF WHAT CAME FIRST.....THE MODERN ERA? OR THE SETTLERS.
     I THINK IF WE MISS THE NEXT MUNICIPAL OPPORTUNITY, TO ELECT A GROUP OF COUNCILLORS IN THE DISTRICT, WHO HAVE A MORE ENLIGHTENED OPINION OF THIS MUSKOKA QUESTION, OUR CHANCES TO DEAL WITH THE MEGA FORCE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT INTEREST, IN THE COMING DECADE, WILL LEAVE US TERRIBLY EXPOSED TO AN UNDESIRABLE GROWTH THAT COULD PROFOUNDLY CHANGE OUR HISTORY; AND NOT FOR THE BETTER. WE NEED COUNCILLORS WHO ARE IN-TUNE WITH THE DISTRICT WE HAVE BECOME, SINCE THE LATE 1850'S, AND MATURED, TO BECOME SUCH A UNIQUE AND DISTINCT REGION OF THE PROVINCE. WE CAN'T PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HISTORIC CHARACTER OF MUSKOKA, WHEN WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS STATING, "MUSKOKA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS....BRING IT ON!" YOU THINK I'M KIDDING. I'VE KNOWN THESE COUNCILLORS. THEY EXIST. AND WHEN THEY SAY, "BRING IT ON," THAT COULD MEAN ANYTHING FROM UNSUITABLE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, TO A RADIATION DUMP SITE.  WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO APPRECIATE NOW, IS JUST HOW BAD IT CAN GET, WHEN YOU HAVE COUNCILLORS WITH BIG POWERS, WHO KNOW SO LITTLE ABOUT THEIR HOME REGION....YET ARE PREPARED TO ALTER HISTORY WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST HESITATION. ON THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION, THEY SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE SIMPLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE VOTING FOR....BECAUSE AFTERALL, THESE REGIONAL ELECTIONS USUALLY AMOUNT TO VERY PUBLIC POPULARITY CONTESTS; NOT ELECTIONS TO SORT OUT THE BEST FROM THE REST. SO THIS IS MY SOAPBOX, FOR THE WEEK. IF WE WANT TO CONSERVE MUSKOKA, MUCH AS IT IS, FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, THEN WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US. AT PRESENT, I'M NERVOUS ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE THEIR INTEREST IN HISTORY IS ABOUT A SHADE OF ONE DEGREE ABOVE NIL!

WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO? THE HORSE IS AT THE WATER, BUT......

     I ONCE, QUITE SERIOUSLY, SUGGESTED TO MY OLD FRIEND, WRITER AND PUBLISHER, GARY LONG, THAT WE SHOULD COMPILE A COMPREHENSIVE, ALL IN ONE BOOK, PROFILING THE COMPLETE PACKAGE OF MUSKOKA HISTORY. ALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR REGION, ANSWERED SENSIBLY, FROM THE BEGINNING OF FIRST NATIONS ACTIVITIES AS A SUMMER HUNTING GROUND TO THE PRESENT, UNDER ONE ATTRACTIVE, LOW BUDGET COVER. WE COULD OPEN IT TO DOZENS OF HISTORICAL TYPES, AND ANY ONE WITH A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION ABOUT OUR SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC PAST. THE WHOLE BALL OF WAX. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, TEN YEARS AGO NOW, AND IT SEEMED A PROJECT THAT HAD A DECENT MARKET. GATHERING TOGETHER ALL THE HISTORIANS IN OUR REGION, AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR EXPERTISE IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF LOCAL HERITAGE, WHICH MIGHT, IF DONE PROPERLY OVER A FEW YEARS, GIVE US A SORT-OF SUPER-CHRONICLE FOR THE FUTURE. A HISTORY FOR HISTORIANS BY HISTORIANS. WELL IT MILDLY AMUSED GARY WHO WAS NECK-DEEP IN MANY OTHER PUBLISHING PROJECTS, AND SIMPLY COULDN'T MUSTER THEN, THE BEHEMOTH ORGANIZING WORK TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER. THEN THERE WOULD BE THE HIGH COST OF PRODUCTION AND PRINTING, BECAUSE SUCH A BOOK WOULD BE TWICE THE SIZE OF "WAR AND PEACE." A SERIES IS CUMBERSOME AND A PAIN FOR BOOK SELLERS, IN THE CONTEMPORARY SENSE, AND IN THE ANTIQUARIAN REALM, WHERE I DWELL DAY TO DAY IN OUR SHOP.
     WHAT IRRITATES ME TODAY, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IS THAT THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY SELF APPOINTED EXPERTS, SHOOTING THEIR MOUTHS OFF, AND WRITING JUST AS DISRESPECTFULLY, ABOUT MUSKOKA HISTORY, WITHOUT FIRST HAVING UNDERSTUDIED WITH THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LIVED THE LIFE OF HISTORIANS, AND HAVE THE BATTLE SCARS TO SHOW FOR IT. WHEN I PICK UP COPIES OF THE LOCAL PRESS, TIME AND AGAIN I GET MYSELF ENTANGLED, IN THE LAUGHABLE MISTRUTHS AND BLATANT ERRORS, WHEN OUR REGION IS CARELESSLY MISREPRESENTED; AS SIMPLY FOR EXAMPLE, AS READING AN EDITORIAL IN ONE OF THE PUBLICATIONS EXPLAINING, THE CHRONICLE OF OUR SEVEN MUNICIPAL PARTNERS IN DISTRICT GOVERNMENT. THE DOLTS CAN'T NAME THE SEVENTH TOWNSHIP, BUT THEY USE THE NUMBER ANY WAY. I ASKED SUZANNE WHEN THE SEVENTH MUNICIPALITY WAS ADDED TO REGIONAL GOVERNMENT WITHOUT SOME SORT OF PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT AND CHANCE TO COMMENT. WELL, IT WAS JUST A REPORTER AND EDITOR MAKING A JOLLY BIG ERROR. THERE ARE MANY MORE INSTANCES, WHERE GREAT LIBERTIES ARE BEING TAKEN, WITHOUT HAVING SECURED ANY FOUNDATION RESEARCH. IT IS, AS THEY SAY, A SLIPPERY SLOPE, BECAUSE BEING IRREVERENT IN THIS FASHION, SETS OFF A WHOLE PARADE OF INCONSISTENCIES BASED ON THE FACT, PERCENTAGES OF THESE STORIES HAVE TO BE CORRECTED; AND MOST READERS COULDN'T CARE LESS.....OR DON'T KNOW THAT A MISTAKE WAS MADE, IN THE FIRST PLACE. MAYBE IT DOESN'T SEEM SUCH A BIG DEAL BUT HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD.
     SEEING AS THERE'S NO GREAT RUSH TO BECOME AN HISTORIAN, THESE DAYS, LIKE APPRENTICING TO BECOME A COBBLER OR A BOOKBINDER, WE WILL ONE DAY SOON, HAVE A SERIOUS DECLINE OF ACTIVE, DEDICATED FOLK WORKING IN THIS DISCIPLINE. THE VERY REAL PROBLEM, FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN HISTORY, JUST NOT TURNING PRO, IS THAT THE NEW HISTORICAL RECORD (SOURCE) WILL BE THESE SAME MEDIA MAGAZINES THAT NOW AREN'T ALL THAT CONCERNED ABOUT ACCURACY, OR EVEN TALKING TO AN HISTORIAN ABOUT SOME RELEVANT REGIONAL STORY. DOWN THE ROAD, THE PLETHORA OF INACCURACIES WILL PUT A LOT MORE TWISTS AND TURNS INTO OUR KNOWN CHRONICLE THAN EVER BEFORE. SO IF A FUTURE WRITER PLANS TO UPDATE REGIONAL HISTORY, THIS NEW ERA OF THE COMMUNITY PRESS, WILL BECOME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WELLS OF INFORMATION. WHEN I ASKED AN EDITOR, A FEW YEARS BACK, ABOUT THIS INDIFFERENCE TO ACCURACY, ESPECIALLY ON HERITAGE FEATURES, I WAS MET WITH "AH WELL, NO ONE WILL NOTICE." I CLENCHED MY JAW, FURROWED MY FOREHEAD, AND ONCE I STEADIED MYSELF ON THE BACK OF AN OFFICE CHAIR, HAD TO AGREE....."GEEZ MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT. ONLY A--HOLES LIKE ME WILL NOTICE. EVERYBODY ELSE WILL JUST LIVE WITH HISTORICAL INACCURACY AND NEVER KNOW THE DIFFERENCE." IT FLIES NOT ONLY IN THE FACE OF EVERYTHING I KNOW AND RESPECT ABOUT HISTORY, AND RESEARCH, IT DAMN WELL FLIES UP THE NOSE OF JOURNALISM AS IT'S APPARENTLY TAUGHT THESE DAYS. EVEN THE HINT OF SUSPICION THAT OUR PUBLICATION, THE HERALD-GAZETTE, DURING MY EDITORSHIP, WAS RUNNING SOMETHING WITH SKETCHY DETAILS, MADE ME CRINGE, AND AS A RESULT, I PULLED A LOT OF STORIES BECAUSE OF IT.
     MY BIGGEST ISSUE THESE DAYS, IS WITH MUNICIPAL POLITICIANS, AND THOSE CONNECTED WITH MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, AROUND THIS REGION, WHO MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS THAT ARE FULL TO OVERFLOWING WITH MISTRUTHS, INCONSISTENCIES AND INACCURACIES; AND DESPITE KNOWING THESE ERRORS, SHOW NO RELUCTANCE WHATSOEVER, IN MAKING THEM PUBLIC......AS A SEMI-OFFICIAL IMPRINT OF THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT. THERE IS HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THESE STATEMENTS. AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, IN THIS PARTICULAR MUNICIPALITY, OF GRAVENHURST, TOWN COUNCIL IS FORTUNATE I'M NOT THE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE LOCAL PRESS, BECAUSE I'VE GOT A LONG LIST OF CLAIMS TO DEBUNK. APPARENTLY ACCOUNTABILITY IS ON A SLIDING SCALE HOWEVER, DEPENDING ON THE TARGET ISSUE AT THE TIME. THE ARDENT BELIEF AROUND HERE, IS THAT THERE'S NO WAY THE PRESS OR ANYBODY ELSE WILL DIG DEEP ENOUGH TO UNCOVER EVEN A PIMPLE OF CONTROVERSY, OR ANYTHING THAT LOOKS REMOTELY LIKE A COVER-UP OF THE REAL STORY. THERE IS SO MUCH PROPAGANDA THESE DAYS, SCULPTING OVER ACTUALITY, FINDING OUT THE TRUTH WOULD TAKE A HERCULIAN EFFORT, AND THOUSANDS OF RESEARCH HOURS.....AND THAT COSTS. UNFORTUNATELY THE MEDIA OUTLETS LACK THE WILL AND THE BUDGET TO DO THIS. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING HERE, IS A THING OF THE PAST. ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS, YOU MIGHT SAY. THE PROBLEM, AS I NOTED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS TOME, IS THAT FUTURE HISTORIANS, IF THERE ARE ANY WHO ARE INTERESTED ENOUGH, TO PICK UP THE FALLEN FLAG, WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE HEAPING MOUNDS OF B.S., THOSE PLANTED PURPOSEFUL FICTIONS, THAT HAVE BEEN LAYERED, YEAR AFTER YEAR, ON TOP OF ANY SEMBLANCE OF THE TRUTH AS IT IS KNOWN......AT LEAST TO THOSE FEW INTIMATE SOULS, WHO HAVE LONG MEMORIES OF ITS PARTICULAR GROUND ZERO. I FIND THIS HARD TO LIVE WITH, TIME AND AGAIN, WHEN LIBERTIES ARE TAKEN WITH WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW; BUT HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE EMBELLISHED AND FUDGED VERSIONS, BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE PALATABLE THIS WAY. IT IS ASSUMED WITH OR WITHOUT OUR APPROVAL, THAT WE SIMPLY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. IT KNOTS US UP, LIKE A MONTH LONG BOUT OF CONSTIPATION! MAKES US REGRET THE PEOPLE WE VOTED FOR! IT CREATES UNWANTED QUESTIONING AND CIVIL DISRUPTION. THIS FOLKS, IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO, BECAUSE EVEN FOR THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION, WE'RE UNLIKELY TO CHANGE WHAT APPARENTLY WORKS SO WELL. KEEPING A LID ON STUFF!
     I DON'T WANT MUSKOKA'S HERITAGE BEING MISREPRESENTED, IN THE SAME FASHION, AS MUNICIPALITIES TAKE LIBERTIES WITH THEIR INTERPRETATIONS, WHETHER WE HAVE A COMPENDIUM HISTORY ON THE BOOK SHELF, OR NOT, AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO MEDIA OUTLETS PAYING A LOT MORE RESPECT TO THE REGION THEY CALL THEIR MARKET-PLACE. I CAN NOT IMAGINE A MUZZLE OR FETTERING STRONG ENOUGH, SHORT OF ACTUAL MORTAL DEMISE, THAT WOULD KEEP ME FROM RESPONDING TO AN HISTORICAL INACCURACY MAKING THE ROUNDS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT OTHER MISTRUTHS, BUT THAT WILL HAVE TO AWAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION....WHICH MAY NECESSITATE THROWING MY HAT AND SOUL INTO THE RING, AS THEY SAY ABOUT A CIVILIAN LAUNCHING AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
    IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT HISTORIANS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON STORIES, THE LOCAL MEDIA HAS IN DEVELOPMENT, OF WHICH THEY HAVE A KEEN INTEREST AND KNOWLEDGE; AND IT REALLY DOES IRK ME, AS A FORMER EDITOR, THAT THIS HALF ASS APPROACH, TO RESEARCH PROTOCOLS, HAS BECOME NORMAL AND ACCEPTED FARE. IT'S RIDICULOUS TO BYPASS INTIMATE EXPERIENCE IN A SUBJECT, BECAUSE A WRITER DOESN'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT FOLLOW-THROUGH. IT'S THE EDITOR'S JOB TO SEND THE COPY BACK FOR A RE-WRITE WITH GREATER DEPTH. HOW ABOUT A FEW QUOTES FROM LOCAL HISTORIANS, ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE STORY-LINE? IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? APPARENTLY IT IS!
     MAYBE THIS IS WHAT I HAD HOPED A LARGER, ALL INCLUSIVE HISTORY TEXT WOULD ACCOMPLISH, AS A RESOURCE TOOL, AVAILABLE TO EVERY NEWSROOM IN THE DISTRICT.....EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY TOWN HALL. A HANDY, BUT HEAVY-DUTY COMPENDIUM, JAMMED FULL OF LOCAL HISTORY, AIMED AT KEEPING SELF-APPOINTED HISTORIANS FROM STRAYING TOO FAR FROM THE DOCUMENTED TRUTHS.....BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS SAY TO THEM, IN ANGRY ONE LINERS...."READ THE DAMN BOOK," AND "FOR GOSH SAKES, ASK FOR HELP IF YOU CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU NEED."
     DURING THE PAST MONTH, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO PROFILE, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, AS A DUTIFUL REGIONAL HISTORIAN, WHAT IS MOST NEGLECTED AND MISINTERPRETTED OF OUR PIONEER PAST. INEXPERIENCED FEATURE WRITERS, AND INEFFECTIVE EDITORS, OFTEN LET LIBERALITIES WITH OUR CHRONICLES GO UNCHALLENGED, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO FEAR OF BACKLASH....AS WELL, ALL THE PIONEERS ARE DEAD, RIGHT? I CAN'T STOP THESE MISREPRESENTATIONS OF THE HOMESTEAD PERIOD, JUST WITH THIS MODEST DAILY BLOG-ATORIAL, BUT IT FEELS GOOD TO GET THIS STUFF OFF MY CHEST. I'M GETTING OLD, LIKE MY CONTEMPORARIES IN THIS FIELD, AND WE'RE JUST NOT AS FEISTY AS ONCE.....AND WE DO TEND TO LET SOME INACCURACIES SLIDE THESE DAYS, BECAUSE WE ASSUME IT WON'T ALTER THE EARTH'S AXIS. BEST LEFT ALONE, AS THEY SAY. I HAVE A HARD TIME STOMACHING THIS, FROM MY END, DUE TO THE REALITY, THIS MATERIAL WILL BECOME RELEVANT ONE DAY, IN THE HANDS OF A FUTURE HISTORIAN, AND BOY OH BOY, IT WILL COMPOUND UPON ITSELF, A DISTORTED PICTURE OF JUST WHO WE WERE, OCCUPYING THIS ERA OF TIME IN CANADIAN HISTORY.
     TO PROVE I CAN TAKE A HIT AND KEEP ON TICKING, HERE'S A FOIBLE OF EPIC PROPORTION. DO HISTORIANS EVER SCREW UP? YOU BET! TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE HUGE FULL PAGE SPREAD I WROTE, WITH SOME GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS TO COMPANION THE PIECE, IN A MID 1980'S ISSUE OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE. THE STORY WAS ON THE ABANDONED SMALL SETTLEMENT THAT WAS NAMED "JERUSALEM," NEAR HIGH FALLS, IN BRACEBRIDGE. THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT? I GOT A HUGE OVATION FOR THIS FEATURE, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE BEST WE HAD EVER RUN, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE PUBLISHER, AND GENERAL MANAGER WHO SOLD THE AD SPACE. THE PROBLEM WAS, THAT IT WAS LATER REVEALED, BY SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE HOMESTEAD KIN, IT WASN'T THE REAL JERUSALEM ESTABLISHED BY THE PEACOCK FAMILY, BUT RATHER "NEW JERUSALEM." THEN WHEN I CORRECTED THAT, I WAS TOLD I WAS STILL WRONG.  A LOT OF PEOPLE VISITED THE SITE AS WELL, BASED ON MY STORY AND DIRECTIONS. I WAS ALSO, BY THE WAY, DIRECTING SIGHTSEERS ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY. YUP, I CAUGHT IT GOOD! YOU KNOW, I NEVER WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE STORY, BECAUSE I LEFT THE PUBLICATION BEFORE ALL THE INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED. IT'S ON MY BUCKET LIST TO CORRECT THIS, AND I, ONE DAY SOON, WILL DO THAT ON THIS BLOG SITE. YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY THOUSAND REQUESTS I HAD, TO LEAD GROUPS TO THE SITE OF JERUSALEM, MUSKOKA. IT WAS FACT. IT DID EXIST.  SORT OF CLOSE BY, BUT NOT THE FALLEN LOG BUILDINGS AND BARNS I IDENTIFIED AS SUCH. ALTHOUGH THEY LOOKED RIGHT, TO THE DESCRIPTION AN OLDTIMER HAD GIVEN ME, AND THE LANDSCAPE SURE FIT....EVEN WITH A HILL OF JUDEA, I COULDN'T ADJUST AND BEND HISTORICAL FACT, TO MAKE UP FOR MY LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE.  I WAS IN A PIONEER ENCAMPMENT ALL RIGHT, BUT NOT JERUSALEM.....WHICH HAD BEEN BUILT NEAR THE SHORE OF THE NORTH BRANCH OF THE MUSKOKA RIVER.....AND RE-LOCATED ONCE IN HISTORY, BY THE FAMILY, TO A MORE ACCESSIBLE AREA NEAR BY. AND ONE MORE THING. YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THE SIGHTSEERS LIFTED FROM THAT PROPERTY, INCLUDING ACTUAL LOGS FROM THE CABIN RUINS. THEY BASICALLY STRIPPED THE PLACE OF EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT LOOKED REMOTELY OLD. THEY EVEN DUG UP POTATOES THAT HAD BEEN PLANTED THERE, BY THE PROPERTY OWNER. NOT MY FINEST MOMENT. SO I GOT A LESSON ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL ACCURACY AND PRIVATE PROPERTY ALL AT ONCE.
         THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING TODAY. TOMORROW, FOR SURE, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE PIONEER HOME AND HEARTH....AS I HAD PROMISED FOR TODAY. I NEEDED TO GET THESE OPINIONS OFF MY CHEST BEFORE I SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED, WHICH WOULD MAKE A MESS FOR SUZANNE.