Burk's Falls

Burk's Falls (population 893 in 2006) is a village in the Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, located 165 miles (265 km) north of Toronto and 55 miles (90 km) south of North Bay, Ontario. The village was named after David Francis Burk of Oshawa, Ontario who named the location and the waterfall on the site after himself after he selected the land surrounding the waterfall in the Free Land Grant Act.^[2] Burk's Falls is part of the Magnetawan River waterway.

Geography

Located about 60 km West of Algonquin Park in picturesque cottage country, Burk's Falls intersects Highway 11 (Ontario) and the Magnetawan River.^[3] It is an enclave within Armour Township.

History

The area around Burk's Falls was first settled by loggers during the 1860s. The only route into the region at that time, was up the Magnetawan River from Georgian Bay, or through the forests of the unsurveyed townships, north of Bracebridge. After 1875, travellers came north from Muskoka, by way of the Rosseau-Nipissing Colonization Road. A steamboat service was established to the foot of the falls, from the village of Magnetawan. Railway service came to Burk's Falls in 1886, with the opening of Northern and Pacific Junction Railway, absorbed by the Grand Trunk Railway in 1888. The Village of Burk's Falls was incorporated in 1890.

Growth of the village

This growth has been limited and Burk's Falls has not amalgamated with any nearby towns such as Katrine. The population has remained steady over the last decades, standing around 1000. Expansion of Hwy 11 as a dual carriageway has prompted a brand new interchange and promises new growth opportunities.

Also located in Burks Falls is the Outward Bound Canadian Base Camp.

References

External links

• Map of Burk's Falls
• The Municipality of the Village of Burk's Falls Ontario, Canada
• Burks Falls.com
• Burk's Falls Ontario Almaguin Highlands Regional Portal
• Almaguin News
• Demographic information from the 2006 census