Gravenhurst

The Tree Museum, an outdoor art gallery established in 1997, showcases permanent and temporary art in a preserved Muskoka landscape. Artists from across Canada and abroad explore nature, memory and identity through installations shaped by our environment. Hiking down this magical trail will help foster deep ecological and cultural reflections. Parking is limited and not allowed on the road.

In 1875, the Northern Railroad reached Gravenhurst. The original train station burned in 1913 but was rebuilt during the First World War and opened in 1919 by Edward, Prince of Wales. Three buildings comprised this station: a restaurant, an express office and a ticket office with waiting room. The station, owned by the Town, now houses retail shops and services.

On June 3, 2008, the Town of Gravenhurst approved the purchase of the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit property. The 2,400-square-metre facility (26,000 square feet) is shared between municipal offices, the District Health Unit, and the Cottage Country Family Health team. The building includes offices, meeting spaces and the council chambers. Donated historical items are displayed at the Town Hall.

Towering pines here have shaded visitors to boat races, concerts and ball games for almost 150 years. Home to the Gravenhurst Farmers’ Market each Wednesday, Gull Lake Rotary Park also hosts summer Sunday evening concerts — Music on the Barge — officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1959. The stone stairs and retaining wall were built by German prisoners of war.

The Manor at Gravenhurst is a welcoming retirement home with amenities and activities, and new friends waiting to meet you. Built in 1931 as the Martin Manor Hotel, it now houses 45 suites. Visit during Doors Open to experience its hospitality and historical charm — including preserved features like an old hotel telephone booth. Come see why generations call it home.

An annual fall festival has been held on these fairgrounds since 1903. This year, the Severn Bridge Agricultural Society celebrates 150 years of the Severn Bridge Fall Fair. For 150 years, people have gathered to enjoy horse competitions and livestock displays, as well as baking, quilting, knitting, photography and painting. Come and see where it all happens.

An 1897 fire destroyed Gravenhurst’s town hall and firehall at the corner of First and Brock streets; they were rebuilt that year. In 1969, a municipal building opened at the corners of First and Harvie streets for police/fire services and town staff. Although the town staff later moved to a new building, fire and police services have continued here.

Located on the shore of Muskoka Bay, this site originally contained a small hotel before the Calydor Sanatorium was built to treat tuberculosis sufferers. From 1940 to 1946, it became a German prisoner-of-war camp. Today, the site holds a privately developed subdivision and a public walking trail along the shore with interpretive panels showing the property’s history.

A cornerstone of Muskoka’s arts scene since 1901, the Gravenhurst Opera House is considered the birthplace of summer theatre in Canada. With its distinctive architecture, original proscenium arch and deep community roots, it remains a tradition worth coming back for. During Doors Open, go behind the scenes to explore its rich theatrical and cultural history. You might meet their ghost!

Situated within the Albion Hotel building, which was rebuilt in 1888 after being destroyed in the 1887 Great Fire, Arts at the Albion is a co-operative gallery that features a 20-member artists’ collective comprising some of Muskoka’s best artists. Visit during Doors Open to see how this creative gallery has breathed new life into the once-bustling turn-of-the-century dining room.