Magnetawan
Magnetawan is a small township in Ontario, Canada, in the Almaguin Highlands area of the Parry Sound District. It sits along the Magnetawan River and is known for its lakes and natural beauty.
The Township of Magnetawan was created on January 1, 1998, by joining the former Township of Chapman, the Village of Magnetawan, and the geographic township of Croft. In 2000 it added more unorganized land.
The name Magnetawan comes from the Algonquin language and means “swiftly flowing river.”
History and people: The area was first inhabited by the Huron, Ojibway, and Algonquin peoples who visited for hunting and fishing. European settlement grew slowly, but logging later drew more people. In the 1800s, roads and land grants encouraged settlement. The Great North Road reached Magnetawan in 1870, and a river lock and steamship service followed, connecting communities until about 1934.
Communities within the township include Ahmic Harbour, Ahmic Lake, Cecebe, Cedar Croft, Chikopi, Dufferin Bridge, Magnetawan, North Seguin, Oranmore, Pearceley, Port Anson, Port Carmen, and the ghost town Spence.
In 2021 Magnetawan had a population of 1,753 living in about 825 of its 1,717 private dwellings. The area is 526.31 square kilometers, giving a low population density of about 3.3 people per square kilometer.
What to see and do: The area features a museum, scenic waters, locks and dams, a farmers market, small shops, and an LCBO store. The downtown once housed The Magnetawan Inn, June’s Inn, and a general store; a fire in 2011 damaged parts of the town, but a new general store and restaurant opened around 2012–2013. Other amenities include a school, churches, Ahmic Lake Golf Club, a post office, a library, municipal offices, and a pavilion. The region is popular for resorts and rental cottages.
Notable: Barbara Hanley, born in Magnetawan in 1882, became the first woman elected mayor of a Canadian community.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:19 (CET).