Hi there and thanks for checking out the Naval and Military Establishments treasure chest. Hopefully you can correctly answer the question at the bottom of the page so I have a better chance of being rescued. You see, I lost my boat in a shipwreck and now I'm stranded on one of the 30,000 Islands on Georgian Bay near Midland (Ontario, Canada). You are my only chance of me getting off this island. So good luck on your answer! This page will show how the Naval Establishment began and how it changed over to the Military Establishmets. It explains how and why the establishment was built and when it changed its name to Discovery Habour.

John Graves Simcoe became Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada in 1792. Some Canadian ships were being attacked and captured by the Americans, so his first assignment was to secure a western trade route for these ships . Since this was such an important task, he thought it would be best if he did the job himself. In the fall of 1793, he decided to explore the Georgian Bay area.

Along with Alexander Aitken, former deputy provincial surveyor, he examined the area carefully. The region where Penetanguishene is now seemed to catch their attention. They were very impressed with the deep cut bay, it being almost completely surrounded by land, heavily wooded banks and water deep enough for ship launching.

On May 22, 1798, the government finally purchased the land around Penetanguishene Bay for 100 pounds of sterling (British currency used in Canada). Fifteen years later, on December 3, 1813, Secretary of State, the Earl of Bathurst, gave the authority to begin building the establishments.

In 1814, Colonel George Head was ordered from England to Penetanguishene. He arrived on February 29, 1815 and received new orders and location on March 8, 1815. The signing of the Treaty of Ghent created long awaited peace with the Americans and ended the war of 1812. The establishment in Penetanguishene was no longer a priority and was abandoned. In July 1816, the British decided to move back into Penetanguishene. The naval base began in 1817 and lasted 17 years until it closed in 1834. Between 1817 and 1820, the establishments stretched over a half a kilometre and was manned with 47 naval personnel, 27 officers and many soldiers of the 68th regiment.

The most important structure on the base was a three story red storehouse. It contained everything that was needed at the base.

As the years of peace passed, Britain cut its naval force drastically to the point in 1834, when the navy turned the Penetanguishene base over to the military. They then dismantled several of the buildings.The military base lasted 28 years from 1828 to 1856.

The naval and military establishments in Penetanguishene operated for 39 years, from 1817 to 1856. In the summer of 1951, the Chamber of Commerce of Penetanguishene decided to develop the site of the old establishment as an historical and recreation park. It restored the remaining buildings, the officer's quarters, and opened a scenic road along the bay. It was called the Historic Naval and Military Establishments. Its name has been changed just recently to Discovery Harbour and it is a picturesque scene covered with old buildings and horse drawn carriages.

Who was the Lieutenant Governor in 1792?

a) Colonel George Head

b) Alexander Aitken

c) John Graves Simcoe

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Good quality copies of J.W. Bald's photographs can be obtained from the Huronia Museum c/o Bill Smith 1-705-526-2844 or through the National Archives of Canada, just refer to the archive number at the bottom of each picture.