Wesley Methodist Church, Milford Bay, 1875
John Wesley preached over 40,000 sermons, as he reached out to the victims of Britain’s 18th Century Industrial Revolution. Wesley Methodism came to Muskoka with the settlers. It was called the Point Kaye Church until 1876 when it became the Wesley Methodist Church. It took 9000 cedar shingles to cover its roof. The Church was moved to its present location in 1975, and is currently used for personal reflection, interdenominational services and weddings.
Ashworth Hall (Loyal Orange Lodge), Stisted Township, 1878
Built by the Loyal Orange Lodge (LOL 1162) in use until 1896, it served Stisted Township for meetings, services, dances and the Agricultural Society Fairs from 1886 to 1887. If these walls could talk, you would certainly get an earful of the yeas and nays of early political battles, and the cheers to song and dance.
Not long after settler communities were established, public halls were constructed. These went by various names depending on their functions. Community Halls, Town Halls, Orange Halls, Women’s Institute Halls all served the needs of a specific group. Orange Halls, in particular, were very common in Muskoka because of the strength of the Loyal Orange Lodge. These Lodges held secret meetings, which were not to be open to outsiders in a public setting. It was the custom of the local Lodges to have a band that would play at Orange Day parades (July 12), community gatherings, and sometimes dances.