Medonte Township, Ontario
| Oro-Medonte | |
|---|---|
| Township (lower-tier) | |
| Township of Oro-Medonte | |
Rural scene near Mount St. Louis
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| Motto: Proud Heritage, Exciting Future | |
 Oro-Medonte
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| Coordinates: 44°34′N 79°35′W / 44.567°N 79.583°WCoordinates: 44°34′N 79°35′W / 44.567°N 79.583°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Ontario
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| County | Simcoe |
| Incorporated | 1994 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Harry Hughes |
| • MPs | Bruce Stanton |
| • MPPs | Patrick Brown |
| Area | |
| • Land | 587.08 km2 (226.67 sq mi) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 21,036 |
| • Density | 35.8/km2 (93/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code(s) | 705 |
| Website | www.oro-medonte.ca |
Oro-Medonte is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, on the northwestern shores of Lake Simcoe in Simcoe County.
The two neighbouring townships of Oro and Medonte were merged in 1994, under a restructuring of Simcoe County. It is divided into lines based on the concession system implemented by the British colonial government in the mid-18th century. Currently there are 15 lines that are now streets and highway exits off Highway 11.
The township comprises the communities of Barrillia Park, Bass Lake Park, Baywood Park, Big Cedar Estates, Carley, Carthew Bay, Cedarmont Beach, Coulson, Craighurst, Creighton, Crown Hill, Eady, East Oro, Edgar, Eight Mile Point, Fair Valley, Fergus Hill Estate, Forest Home, Foxmead, Guthrie, Hawkestone, Hawkestone Beach, Hobart, Horseshoe Valley, Jarratt, Lakeview, Martinville, Mitchell Square, Moons Beach, Moonstone, Mount St. Louis, Oro Beach, Oro Lea Beach, Oro Park, Oro Station, Palm Beach, Parkside Beach, Prices Corners, Roberta Park, Rugby, Shanty Bay, Simcoeside, Sugar Bush, Waddington Beach and Warminster.
First Nations had long established encampments and trails on the bank of Hawkestone Creek, Ridge Road, Mount St. Louis, and throughout the Township of Oro-Medonte.
The War of 1812 drew attention to the militarily strategic region between Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay. To provide supplies to the excellent harbour at Penetanguishene, a road of about 35 km was surveyed c. 1813 between the two bodies of water. That road did not actually become a functional road for about 30 years after it was surveyed. In the meantime, townships were created and surveyed on both sides of the Penetanguishene Rd c. 1820. Oro Township was one of those townships. Although there is no documentation about the origin of the name "Oro" it is assumed it came from the Spanish word for gold.
When the War of 1812 ended, Sir Peregrine Maitland, then Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, offered Black veterans grants of land in what was to become the Township of Oro. This was in the area between Kempenfeldt Bay on Lake Simcoe and Penetanguishene Bay on Lake Huron's Georgian Bay.
In the 1830s Richard Hodges established a landing for settlers, mainly from the British Isles, who after arriving by lake steamer, on Lake Simcoe, followed these trails to their settlement in search of independence and land ownership.
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