Top 3 Abandoned Places In Muskoka

There are so many abandoned places in Muskoka! This is a list of the top three abandoned places in Muskoka. Browse through all abandoned places in Muskoka

1. Muskoka Centre Sanitarium

Historical Heritage of Muskoka Hospital

Constructed in 1897 of the Muskoka Cottage Sanatorium, now abandoned, started as a tuberculosis prevention facility. Due to the Lack of medicine, the only solution was isolation for patients. (foreshadowing for 2020?). It also had a laboratory, surgical facilities, as well as private residential areas for staff members as well. 

In 1944, as a medical drug named streptomycin was discovered, thus patients were longer isolated, resulting in a drop of patients admitted to the facility. Later in the 1960s, the place was acquired by the Ontario Department of Health became a caring and developmental facility for challenged individuals.

Muskoka Hospital converted into Mental Asylum

Muskoka mental asylum was administered to 305 female patients between the ages of 16 to 80 years with a total staff of about 300. There were also four male adolescents’ resents. About 275 of these residents occupied the large Gage complex, built in 1922, with the remainder housed in the Barbara Heyden Residence, constructed in 1936.

The Muskoka Centre was closed in 1994 due to the deteriorating quality of the building.

The current status of Muskoka Sanatorium, and community efforts

Currently, the Muskoka sanatorium facility is heavily vandalized, graffiti artists sure do love the place, but so is it loved so much by locals, they often call the police if they notice any cars parked, one can get there by boat, but it might get stuck, not to mention chances of one drowning in the mud nearby, making it dangerous to explore.

Despite that, it is loved so much by locals that in 2017/16 a campaign was run to encourage people to be respectful towards the facility, and overall heritages and historical places that communities should protect, and take steps to avoid any further vandalization.

2. Bangor Lodge

Old resort in the Muskokas. Sad to see It gone many good times spent there. All the cottages and buildings have been torn down already only one remains.

[u]Write up by OAP: [/u]

Muskoka is a popular tourist location for southerners looking to get away from congested cities and enjoy Ontario's natural resources in quiet rural areas. Bangor Lodge was founded by a Mr. R.J, Siberry on the shores of Lake Muskoka back in 1930. The lodge was popular with tourists many of whom would make the return trip every summer.

The lodge operated until 2006 when the decision was made to close the business due to health related reasons and increased operating costs. The price tag of $5 million dollars for the land could also certainly be a strong factor.

There used to be many such resorts operating in the north, now only a handful remain. Across the lake, the Tamwood Lodge, once Canada's largest log structure, was demolished in June of 2006. The Tamwood Lodge will be replaced by a condo complex which I think will certainly have that modern urban cookie-cutter look, a look that signifies boring and charmless condos after they've swallowed up historic locations.

Seasonal residents are certainly not pleased with the idea of a large tourist property being constructed on the former Bangor Lodge land. Brant Wilson said, "Everything up here is a teardown. They (developers) don't value a thing. All they want of the past is an antique they can put in the corner." The 70-year-old and his wife own the single cottage that sits between the former sites of Tamwood and Aston Villa. His wife's family bought the property in the 1930 and, despite many offers, the couple defiantly refuses to sell. "The whole area is becoming citified. It's losing its sensitivity to nature because it brings up busy people who never unwind," Mr. Wilson complains. "It plays right into their love of 'I have more than you have.' They put all their money into their noisy boats and condos and lose all sensitivity to the environment and caring for your neighbours."

Developer Rick Koffman pretty much summed up preserving heritage versus making money when he was quoted as saying, "Bangor Lodge has been there for 75 years. They bought their cottages knowing that. If they were delusional, thinking it would be a rickety old resort for the rest of time, then that's their wishful thinking. It's just not the market reality."

An auction was held in 2007 to sell off lounge chairs, canoes, beer fridges and other items. Today only one building remains, everything else has been demolished. It's one less family owned resort - one less building with a heritage behind it - and one more reason to pave Muskoka in condominiums where the rich can take over the lakes in their high speed boats.

3. Germania Ghost Town

For a more detailed history of Germania please read the other entry under Muskoka. Below you will find photos of the old church and school. The school became a community hall is is now used for storage.

The Murder of 2 year old, Dola Suter, of Germania (story courtesy C. Fraser):

In 1907, young Eva Suter gave birth to a son whom she named Dolan (Dola for short). Eva was the daughter of Martin and Jane Suter, who had 9 children in total. Jane died in 1905, but things were to become much more tragic for this family from Germania.

Dola lived with Eva, her father and brothers and sisters until the fateful day in Sept. 1909. There were allegations that the child was illegitimate.

Martin and Eva had had a fight the night before in which Martin told her she would have to leave unless she came home earlier and not at 1:00 am. The two had never fought before, but this was the straw that broke the camel(a)s back. The next day at 11 am, Eva left with little Dola, and the boy was never seen alive again. At 3 pm Eva was in Bracebridge. It was 2 weeks before locals had realized the child was missing and so the police were brought in to investigate.

Eva changed her stories around and then came out with the claim that her father had murdered her son by a swamp near the family farm. At first locals could not find the body, but Eva told them of a dream she had in which she saw her father bury the child by a tree by the swamp. Soon the body was found by the tree. The child was naked and had been strangled with a cloth still tied to his neck.

A huge trial occurred in Bracebridge. When Eva finally took the stand she brought forth allegations of incest against her father, which she claimed had started just 2 months before Dola(a)s birth. If incest were true it would have given Eva a possible motive for lying about her father murdering the child. She was also probably angry still with her father for scolding her during the fight they(a)d had.

Eva got off when the jury gave her a "Not guilty".

This page is dedicated to the memory of poor little Dola Suter.

This just in from C. Fraser: Although Dola was born out of wedlock he was given his father(a)s name of Colson (Frank H. Colson).. And it was Lot 3 Con. 3 that little Dola died in the swamp.

1. Eva Victoria Suter b. Jan 20, 1887 d. July 11 1960 (had a child Dola Ronald Colson Dec 30 1907 Draper Twp. out of wedlock who was killed in Sept of 1910) married Feb 11th 1911 to Nelson Ernest McCutcheon b. Oct 3 1888 s/o A. & Jane McCutcheon and had a son Ernest Borden who was killed in Italy in WW11 July 22 1943 age 25. He was with the Royal Canadian Air Force 420 Sqdn. Buried at Cassino War Cemetery Italy .

Children:- Dola Ronald Colson b. Dec 30 1907 murdered Sep 1910

i. Elmer Wm McCutcheon b. 1911 – 1911

ii. Evelyn Jean McCutcheon b. 1913 d. 1970

iii. Lottie Constance McCutcheon b. 1916 – 1917

iv. Ernest Bordon McCutcheon b. 1918 d. 1943

v. Melville Keith McCutcheon b. 1919 d. 1923

*from canuckcanuck, May, 2017 **

Completely collapsed schoolhouse. Old relics scattered around the property. There is an interesting board behind the schoolhouse on the last remaining standing wall with names carved in to the cedar. Lots of bugs so bring bug spray. The old baseball diamond is still there as well as a few climbing bars