Port Sandfield is a community on

Lake Rosseau Lake Rosseau is located in Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The south end of the lake is in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and the north end is in Seguin Township. The lake is surrounded by many cottages, some dating back to the late ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, located within and governed by the municipality of

Muskoka Lakes The Township of Muskoka Lakes is a municipality of the District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. It has a year-round population of 7,652. The municipal offices are located in Port Carling. History The area now covered by the townshi ...

. It was founded in 1870, when a canal was built connecting

Lake Joseph Lake Joseph is located in Seguin Township, Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's mos ...

. Alexander Peter Cockburn, a member of the

Ontario Provincial Parliament The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA; ) is the legislative chamber of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Member of Provincial Parliament (Canada), Members of Provincial P ...

and founder and first President of the Muskoka Settlers’ Association played a leading role in getting the canal funded. The canal was funded at the same time as a lock at

Port Carling Port Carling is an unincorporated community in the Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Township of Muskoka Lakes in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. It has been the municipal seat of the township since 1971. It has sever ...

. The canal and lock allowed a fleet of steamboats to carry freight, mail, cargo and timber over the three largest lakes in the county of Muskoka. Port Sandfield was named after

John Sandfield MacDonald John Sandfield Macdonald, (December 12, 1812 – June 1, 1872) was the joint premier of the Province of Canada from 1862 to 1864. He was also the first premier of Ontario from 1867 to 1871, one of the four founding provinces created at Can ...

, who was then the

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

of Ontario. The

swing bridge A swing bridge (or swing span bridge) is a movable bridge that can be rotated horizontally around a vertical axis. It has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its center of gravit ...

over the canal was built in 1924. The canal fell into disuse, but was rehabilitated in 1999.

References

Communities in the District Municipality of Muskoka {{Ontario-geo-stub