Coboconk, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Coboconk is a community in the city of Kawartha Lakes
, in the south-central portion of the Canadian
province of Ontario
. The village lies at the junction of Highway 35
and former Highway 48
, on the northern tip of Balsam Lake
, the highest point on the Trent–Severn Waterway. Coboconk has a rich and unique history amongst the villages of Kawartha Lakes, and has played a prominent role in the logging, limestone, and tourism industries of the region over the past 150 years.
) by John Bateman,
and like many villages in central Ontario, it served the lumber trade of the area,
which was clearing the forests of pine, hemlock and spruce, and sending the logs downstream for processing.
In 1859 the village name was anglicized by the establishment of a post office.
The name is a translation of the two Indian names for the village, which came from the name of the river: Ko-ash-kob-o-cong, translating to "the part of the river where a portage of a few rods needs to be made" and Quash-qua-be-conk, translating to "where the gulls nest."
In October, 1859, a bylaw was passed by the United Council in Bobcaygeon
, permitting the construction of The Cameron Road from Fenelon Falls
, then known as Cameron's Falls after the initial settler of the area, through Rosedale
, then called Rosa Dale, after the wife of Mr. Cameron, and into Coboconk. The forced road cut through lots fronting Balsam Lake, and was little more than a dirt trail for many years. When the Department of Northern Development was absorbed into the Department of Highways on April 1, 1937,
The Cameron Road was designated as part of Highway 35.
In November 1872, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
reached Coboconk and a station was built. The station was named Shedden after the president of the railway, causing the town to be renamed to that on June 1, 1873. The name would hold until December 1, 1880, when local residents had the town renamed Coboconk. The line served the village for some time into the mid-twentieth century. The advent of local mail delivery coupled with the building of highways into the area eventually led to the demise of the line. The tracks were lifted in 1965, and the station moved to its present location in the Laidlaw Heritage Village, overlooking Legion Park in 1995. It is not the original station, however, and was built after the old station burnt down due to a lightning strike on August 4, 1908.
Coboconk was home to several grist and lumber mills, as well as brick kilns for several brick makers, including the Toronto Brick Company and the Canada Lime Company, which continued to operate into the mid-twentieth century, and a large limestone quarry. While most of the mills have been torn down, the kilns remain in place on Queen street, and are visible as one enters the village from the south on Highway 35.
When the Rosedale lock (Now lock 35 of the Trent-Severn Waterway) was completed in 1873, Coboconk became the furthest point one could travel from Lake Ontario. It remained as such for over three decades during a period when the construction of the Trent ceased due to political and financial turmoil. With the opening of the Kirkfield Lift Lock
s in 1907, travel beyond Coboconk became possible.
On May 16, 1877, the central island of the village was destroyed by major fire which started in the local Key Hotel.
On January 1, 2001, being located within Bexley and Somerville townships, Coboconk was incorporated into the newly formed city of Kawartha Lakes.
of Bexley and Somerville, at the junction of Highway 35
and Kawartha Lakes Road 48 (Formerly Ontario Highway 48
). The village lies within the Gull River
valley on the ridge between the Paleozoic Limestone region of South-Central Ontario and the Precambrian Granite Canadian Shield
. A limestone cuesta
crosses the southern portion of the village.
Coboconk lies between the northern tip of Balsam Lake
, and the southernmost point of the Gull River drainage system
. A dam divides the two watersheds, as well as controlling the water levels of Balsam and Mitchell Lake
s, the highest point on the Trent-Severn Waterway
. Four Mile Lake is located nearby.
data exists for the village itself. Prior to the amalgamation of Victoria County into Kawartha Lakes, data was available for each township and village. The village of Coboconk lies half within the boundaries of former Somerville Township, and half within the former Bexley Township, and as such, the demographics of those two townships
is the only data available.
, contains most of the essential services required by the population. Though it does not contain a hospital
(The nearest being equidistant in either Lindsay or Minden
), it does have an Ontario Provincial Police
(OPP) station; a fire hall with a single pumper; a public school named Ridgewood P.S.; a medical centre; a post office; several churches; a mixed use library and community centre; an LCBO; and The Beer Store.
(448 ha) and Indian Point Provincial Park (947 ha) are both minutes east of Coboconk. The former is a summer campground,
while the latter is a natural environment conservation area.
Coboconk is one of several places (including Tweed, Ontario
and Creemore, Ontario
) which lay claim to be the home of Canada's smallest jail
,
a claim which it promoted on the welcoming sign on the south side of the village. At 4.57 m by 8.84 m (26.68 m2), it is certainly amongst the smallest jails in North America
. However, the absolute distinction belongs to the jail house in Rodney, Ontario, which measures just 4.5 m by 5.4 m (24.3 m2).
The Coby Jail has 2 foot (0.6096 m) limestone walls mined from the local quarry. These along with the iron bars remain unchanged since the construction of the jail in 1884. Inside the jail were two cells, in addition to the wardens office. The sole constable of the jail, Joseph Wakelin, was appointed in 1899 and retired in 1922.
Local legend tells of a man named Lee who was locked up one night by the constable, who then returned home. Upon the constable's return, Lee was found sitting beside the jail, with no physical damage to the door or lock.
This legend, however, can be attributed to the builder of the jail, Albert Ryckman, who left several bricks in place without mortar with the foresight that should he be caught after a night at the Pattie House, he could simply escape unnoticed. It is said that he made use of this escape route several times over the years.
The jail sat vacant for 50 years before being purchased by the Coboconk New Horizons Club in 1974. It is now a designated heritage site and museum, named Ye Olde Jailhouse.
Balsam Lake is claimed to be the highest freshwater lake in the world from which one can sail to the ocean. Parks Canada
recognized this feature by placing a historical landmark at the Coboconk docks. A celebration was held on the 2010 summer solstice, June 19, to unveil the marker.
, a resident, had his winning lottery ticket stolen by the local convenience store
clerk. The ensuing scandal began a series of changes within the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
to improve the security of claiming prizes.
Coboconk was also associated with the 2005 murder of Alicia Ross
, when some of her remains were recovered following her killer's confession.
Coboconk appears in Canadian fiction in the murder-mystery novel Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg
,
as well as in a 1926 novel.
Kawartha Lakes
The city of Kawartha Lakes is a unitary municipality in Central Ontario, Canada. Although called a city, Kawartha Lakes is the size of a typical Ontarian county and is mostly rural....
, in the south-central portion of the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The village lies at the junction of Highway 35
Highway 35 (Ontario)
King's Highway 35, also known as Highway 35, is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Ontario, linking Highway 401 with Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Algonquin Park. The highway travels from west of Newcastle, through Lindsay and the Kawarthas and into Haliburton before terminating...
and former Highway 48
Highway 48 (Ontario)
King's Highway 48, also known as Highway 48, is a provincially-maintained highway in southern Ontario that extends from Major Mackenzie Drive in Markham, through Whitchurch-Stouffville, to Highway 12 south-east of Beaverton, Ontario. Prior to 1998, Highway 48 extended from Highway 401 in Toronto to...
, on the northern tip of Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake (Ontario)
Balsam Lake is a lake located in the Kawartha lakes region of south central Ontario, Canada. It is 16 km long and averages 3 km wide, though its actual width varies due to the many large bays the carve its shoreline...
, the highest point on the Trent–Severn Waterway. Coboconk has a rich and unique history amongst the villages of Kawartha Lakes, and has played a prominent role in the logging, limestone, and tourism industries of the region over the past 150 years.
History
Coboconk was first settled in 1851 with the building of a saw mill on the Krosh-qua-bo-Konk River (later anglicized to the Gull RiverGull River (Balsam Lake)
The Gull River is a river in Algonquin Highlands and Dysart et al, Haliburton County and the single-tier municipality of Kawartha Lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada...
) by John Bateman,
and like many villages in central Ontario, it served the lumber trade of the area,
which was clearing the forests of pine, hemlock and spruce, and sending the logs downstream for processing.
In 1859 the village name was anglicized by the establishment of a post office.
The name is a translation of the two Indian names for the village, which came from the name of the river: Ko-ash-kob-o-cong, translating to "the part of the river where a portage of a few rods needs to be made" and Quash-qua-be-conk, translating to "where the gulls nest."
In October, 1859, a bylaw was passed by the United Council in Bobcaygeon
Bobcaygeon, Ontario
Bobcaygeon is a community on the Trent-Severn Waterway in the City of Kawartha Lakes, east-central Ontario, Canada.Bobcaygeon was incorporated as village in 1876, and became known as the "Hub of the Kawarthas"...
, permitting the construction of The Cameron Road from Fenelon Falls
Fenelon Falls, Ontario
Fenelon Falls is a village in Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Kawartha Lakes. Nicknamed the "Jewel of the Kawarthas," it has a population of 1,800 permanent inhabitants, which swells in the summer due to tourism and cottaging. Fenelon Falls is home to lock 34 on the Trent-Severn Waterway...
, then known as Cameron's Falls after the initial settler of the area, through Rosedale
Rosedale, Ontario
Rosedale is an unincorporated village located in the city of Kawartha Lakes, partially in Fenelon Township and Somerville Township, Canada. It is home to Lock 35 of the Trent-Severn Waterway on Balsam Lake....
, then called Rosa Dale, after the wife of Mr. Cameron, and into Coboconk. The forced road cut through lots fronting Balsam Lake, and was little more than a dirt trail for many years. When the Department of Northern Development was absorbed into the Department of Highways on April 1, 1937,
The Cameron Road was designated as part of Highway 35.
In November 1872, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
Toronto and Nipissing Railway
The Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
reached Coboconk and a station was built. The station was named Shedden after the president of the railway, causing the town to be renamed to that on June 1, 1873. The name would hold until December 1, 1880, when local residents had the town renamed Coboconk. The line served the village for some time into the mid-twentieth century. The advent of local mail delivery coupled with the building of highways into the area eventually led to the demise of the line. The tracks were lifted in 1965, and the station moved to its present location in the Laidlaw Heritage Village, overlooking Legion Park in 1995. It is not the original station, however, and was built after the old station burnt down due to a lightning strike on August 4, 1908.
Coboconk was home to several grist and lumber mills, as well as brick kilns for several brick makers, including the Toronto Brick Company and the Canada Lime Company, which continued to operate into the mid-twentieth century, and a large limestone quarry. While most of the mills have been torn down, the kilns remain in place on Queen street, and are visible as one enters the village from the south on Highway 35.
When the Rosedale lock (Now lock 35 of the Trent-Severn Waterway) was completed in 1873, Coboconk became the furthest point one could travel from Lake Ontario. It remained as such for over three decades during a period when the construction of the Trent ceased due to political and financial turmoil. With the opening of the Kirkfield Lift Lock
Kirkfield Lift Lock
The Kirkfield Lift Lock is a boat lift located in the city of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada, near the village of Kirkfield. It is designated "Lock 36" of the Trent-Severn Waterway, situated at the highest section of the canal...
s in 1907, travel beyond Coboconk became possible.
On May 16, 1877, the central island of the village was destroyed by major fire which started in the local Key Hotel.
On January 1, 2001, being located within Bexley and Somerville townships, Coboconk was incorporated into the newly formed city of Kawartha Lakes.
Geography
Coboconk is located on the border of the geographic townshipsTownship (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
of Bexley and Somerville, at the junction of Highway 35
Highway 35 (Ontario)
King's Highway 35, also known as Highway 35, is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Ontario, linking Highway 401 with Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Algonquin Park. The highway travels from west of Newcastle, through Lindsay and the Kawarthas and into Haliburton before terminating...
and Kawartha Lakes Road 48 (Formerly Ontario Highway 48
Highway 48 (Ontario)
King's Highway 48, also known as Highway 48, is a provincially-maintained highway in southern Ontario that extends from Major Mackenzie Drive in Markham, through Whitchurch-Stouffville, to Highway 12 south-east of Beaverton, Ontario. Prior to 1998, Highway 48 extended from Highway 401 in Toronto to...
). The village lies within the Gull River
Gull River (Balsam Lake)
The Gull River is a river in Algonquin Highlands and Dysart et al, Haliburton County and the single-tier municipality of Kawartha Lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada...
valley on the ridge between the Paleozoic Limestone region of South-Central Ontario and the Precambrian Granite Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
. A limestone cuesta
Cuesta
In structural geology and geomorphology, a cuesta is a ridge formed by gently tilted sedimentary rock strata in a homoclinal structure. Cuestas have a steep slope, where the rock layers are exposed on their edges, called an escarpment or, if more steep, a cliff...
crosses the southern portion of the village.
Coboconk lies between the northern tip of Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake (Ontario)
Balsam Lake is a lake located in the Kawartha lakes region of south central Ontario, Canada. It is 16 km long and averages 3 km wide, though its actual width varies due to the many large bays the carve its shoreline...
, and the southernmost point of the Gull River drainage system
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. A dam divides the two watersheds, as well as controlling the water levels of Balsam and Mitchell Lake
Mitchell Lake (Ontario)
Mitchell Lake is a small, man-made lake in south-central Ontario, located in the former Eldon Township, of Victoria county...
s, the highest point on the Trent-Severn Waterway
Trent-Severn Waterway
The Trent–Severn Waterway is a Canadian canal system formerly used for industrial and transportation purposes and now for recreational and tourism purposes, connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay portion of Lake Huron at Port Severn...
. Four Mile Lake is located nearby.
Demographics
Because Coboconk has never been an incorporated place, no censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
data exists for the village itself. Prior to the amalgamation of Victoria County into Kawartha Lakes, data was available for each township and village. The village of Coboconk lies half within the boundaries of former Somerville Township, and half within the former Bexley Township, and as such, the demographics of those two townships
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
is the only data available.
Services
Coboconk, as one of the larger unincorporated villages of the former Victoria CountyVictoria County, Ontario
The County of Victoria, or Victoria County, was a county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was formed in 1854 as The United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria, and gained independence in 1863. In 2001, the county was dissolved and reformed as the city of Kawartha Lakes...
, contains most of the essential services required by the population. Though it does not contain a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
(The nearest being equidistant in either Lindsay or Minden
Minden, Ontario
Minden Hills is a township in, and the county seat of Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the geographical townships of Snowdon, Lutterworth, Anson, Hindon and Minden. It is usually referred to as Minden, after its largest community. Minden Hills had a permanent population...
), it does have an Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
(OPP) station; a fire hall with a single pumper; a public school named Ridgewood P.S.; a medical centre; a post office; several churches; a mixed use library and community centre; an LCBO; and The Beer Store.
Attractions
Balsam Lake Provincial ParkBalsam Lake Provincial Park
Balsam Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park located in south-central Ontario on Balsam Lake. The park is situated along the Trent-Severn Waterway, a few kilometres southwest of Coboconk. It is an all-seasons recreation area offering camping, boating and fishing, and while closed in winter it...
(448 ha) and Indian Point Provincial Park (947 ha) are both minutes east of Coboconk. The former is a summer campground,
while the latter is a natural environment conservation area.
Coboconk is one of several places (including Tweed, Ontario
Tweed, Ontario
Tweed is a municipality and a village located in central-eastern Ontario, Canada, in Hastings County.The Municipality of Tweed is an amalgamated municipality comprising the former Village of Tweed and the former Townships of Hungerford and Elzevir & Grimsthorpe...
and Creemore, Ontario
Creemore, Ontario
Creemore is a former village, now part of Clearview Township, located in Simcoe County, Ontario. It lies approximately north of Toronto, 40 minutes west of Barrie, and 20 minutes south of Collingwood and Georgian Bay. It sits on the eastern boundary of the Niagara Escarpment.Creemore purportedly...
) which lay claim to be the home of Canada's smallest jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
,
a claim which it promoted on the welcoming sign on the south side of the village. At 4.57 m by 8.84 m (26.68 m2), it is certainly amongst the smallest jails in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. However, the absolute distinction belongs to the jail house in Rodney, Ontario, which measures just 4.5 m by 5.4 m (24.3 m2).
The Coby Jail has 2 foot (0.6096 m) limestone walls mined from the local quarry. These along with the iron bars remain unchanged since the construction of the jail in 1884. Inside the jail were two cells, in addition to the wardens office. The sole constable of the jail, Joseph Wakelin, was appointed in 1899 and retired in 1922.
Local legend tells of a man named Lee who was locked up one night by the constable, who then returned home. Upon the constable's return, Lee was found sitting beside the jail, with no physical damage to the door or lock.
This legend, however, can be attributed to the builder of the jail, Albert Ryckman, who left several bricks in place without mortar with the foresight that should he be caught after a night at the Pattie House, he could simply escape unnoticed. It is said that he made use of this escape route several times over the years.
The jail sat vacant for 50 years before being purchased by the Coboconk New Horizons Club in 1974. It is now a designated heritage site and museum, named Ye Olde Jailhouse.
Balsam Lake is claimed to be the highest freshwater lake in the world from which one can sail to the ocean. Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
recognized this feature by placing a historical landmark at the Coboconk docks. A celebration was held on the 2010 summer solstice, June 19, to unveil the marker.
Coverage in the media
The village was featured in the news when Bob EdmondsBob Edmonds
Robert "Bob" Edmonds was a Canadian man who was defrauded out of his lottery winnings in 2001 when an employee of the convenience store where he had checked his ticket told him that he won only a free ticket, and kept the winning ticket for herself.- Events :Edmonds was a resident of Coboconk,...
, a resident, had his winning lottery ticket stolen by the local convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
clerk. The ensuing scandal began a series of changes within the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation , known for corporate branding purposes simply as OLG since 2006, is a Crown Corporation of the Government of Ontario, Canada. It is responsible for the province's lotteries, charity and Aboriginal casinos, commercial casinos, and slot machines at...
to improve the security of claiming prizes.
Coboconk was also associated with the 2005 murder of Alicia Ross
Alicia Ross
Alicia Ross was a young woman from Markham, Ontario, Canada whose disappearance in August 2005 and the resulting investigation became the subject of international media coverage...
, when some of her remains were recovered following her killer's confession.
Coboconk appears in Canadian fiction in the murder-mystery novel Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg
Robert Rotenberg
Robert Rotenberg is a Canadian criminal lawyer and writer, based in Toronto. His extensive experience as a criminal defence lawyer informs his critically acclaimed first novel, Old City Hall. He currently practices as part of the association of Rotenberg Shidlowski Jesin...
,
as well as in a 1926 novel.
External links
- Map of Coboconk and area, circa 1881
- Canada Resources - National Topographic Atlas (centred on Coboconk)
