French River

Introduction

Photo of CPR station
The former CPR station
©Jeri Danyleyko

The original community of French River began as small lumbering site in the Georgian Bay around 1875. It got its start with a small mill, a few seasonal cabins and post office.

In 1883, the Ontario Lumber Company bought the mill, timber limits and the townsite. The company immediately began to expand the operation.

Once the mill expanded, other mills moved in. The townsite included boarding houses, three hotels, three stores, cottages and boarding houses. There were two churches, Catholic and Protestant, a school, and also a jail. One important addition was the lighthouse. At its height French River boasted a population of around 600 and a summer population said to be as high as 1,500.

The community thrived until around 1910, when the timber was becoming depleted. In addition, environmental laws strained the company’s activities even further. In 1910, the courts found the O.L.Co. guilty of dumping excessive amounts of sawdust into the surrounding waterways. Heavy fines followed which led to the closing of the mill. The Pine Lake Lumber Company later purchased the mill and carted it off to Pickerel Landing Village. A few ruins and the lighthouse still remain. Learn more

How to get there

There are no roads leading to French River. Also, unless you are an experienced boater who knows these waters well, DO NOT ATTEMPT this journey by boat on your own. The waters in Georgian Bay can be extremely volatile and unpredictable. See a more detailed map

View Ontario Ghost Town Map

Nearby centre: Killarney, 17 kilometres

Please note: these maps are generated by Google. We have no control over the contents. Incorrect street data and/or similar problems must be reported directly to Google. For detailed information on roads, please consult a regular road map.

Scroll to Top