Simcoe Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Simcoe Island is a small island in Lake Ontario, just off Wolfe Island, close to Kingston, Ontario, and Amherst Island. The island in almost completely farmland, and can be reached by ferry from Wolfe Island.

Part of Frontenac County, it forms the township of Frontenac Islands, Ontario with Wolfe Island and Howe Island.

Originally named Isle de Foret or Forest Island by early French settlers, most of the trees on the island have been removed for farming, with the exception of small isolated forests and trees. The name Simcoe was given to the island in honour of John Graves Simcoe.

The two main points of interest on the island are the cable ferry, the smallest in Ontario (holding a maximum of three cars) and the Nine Mile Point Lighthouse, accessible by the island's only main dirt road, Nine Mile Point Road. The lighthouse was built in 1833 and is an "Imperial" style light 40 feet high. Originally, this light was manually operated, but it is now fully automated. It is now a federal heritage building, and the graveyard of many ships sunk off the point, including the Comet, a paddle steamer from the United States, The Aloha, a 171 foot long vessel, and the Effie Mae, which collided with the Aloha.