Bonfield History

The Township of Bonfield has an exceptional past, and an even more promising future! 

Past and present residents have included a mix of indigenous communities, pioneers, and economic migrants; plus, locally born and raised families. Other more-recent populations have comprised new entrepreneurs, rural lifestyle, and recreation seekers, including a mix of anglophone, francophone, and other / newcomer populations.

The following provides a brief summary of Bonfield’s historical, social, and cultural development over time. For further details, please refer to information and resources produced by the Steel Rails non-profit organization, which has been working hard to document local stories, and display historic artefacts that showcase Bonfield’s unique heritage.   

Bonfield’s Development Over Time 

The Township of Bonfield forms part of an historic trade route, which was travelled for many centuries by Indigenous populations and pioneers; perhaps most famously including the French explorer, navigator, and chronicler Samuel de Champlain. 

For several decades, Monsieur de Champlain led various delegations throughout the lakes, streams, and tributaries that span the northern portion of the Township. This integrated system of waterways provided an essential means of transporting goods between the Ottawa River, and Lake Nipissing. 

Fast forward to the late-Nineteenth Century; and it’s clear to see how the modern-day Township of Bonfield, in many ways, became of strategic importance to the development of modern day ‘Canada’. 

In 1871, Sir John A. Macdonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada, made an “impossible promise”. A transnational railway would consolidate the new Dominion by connecting Eastern Canada to British Columbia. 

Toronto and Montreal, now rivals in commerce, culture, and politics, were each determined to be the railway’s sole gateway to Western Canada. 

Ottawa settled on a neutral location. A geographic point in the wilderness of Northern Ontario, east of Lake Nipissing (and equidistant between Toronto and Montreal), would become the official eastern terminus of the Pacific Railway project! 

A new railway station was conceived to be named “Callander Station”. This was constructed on the north shore of Lake Nosbonsing, where the railway crosses the Kaibuskong River; and now forms part of the modern-day Hamlet of Bonfield.   

Over the next ten years Canada Central Railway, originating at Brockville, Ontario, pushed a rail extension westward along the Ottawa River ending construction just east of Callander Station - creating the thriving workcamp of “Ruther Glen”. 

In 1881, the newly incorporated Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) assumed responsibility for construction west of Ruther Glen. This massive project was now underway!  

Five years later, the inaugural CPR passenger train rumbled through Ruther Glen on its way

to the Pacific Ocean, fulfilling Sir John A. Macdonald’s promise. Over time, the workcamp of Ruther Glen returned to the wilderness; and, in 1900, the current Hamlet of Rutherglen was established close by. This historic location now forms part of the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. 

As the word spread, and the community became more accessible, additional investment followed in the form of settlers - attracted to the area due to the availability of cheap land, and a growing economy centered around the logging / forestry, farming, and agricultural sectors. Although the community has continued to evolve over time; some of the original land-based concessions, industries, and buildings that contributed to the Township’s early day growth and development continue to exist today. 

In the post war period, as some of the communities’ natural resources depleted, and industrial activity declined, a new wave of investment came in the form of families visiting from communities across Ontario, and further afield. Many of them chose to purchase waterfront lots, and build cottages, as a base for recreational pursuits - including fishing, canoeing, and swimming. 

The amalgamation of the Hamlets of Bonfield and Rutherglen, together with adjoining rural lands, took place in 1975; following which, tourism, and recreation-based activities further increased, with newer past times including snowmobiling and ATVing. 

Over the next 45 years, the economy continued to shift, and new growth patterns emerged. New forms of retail, industry, and professional services established roots within the City of North Bay; and the Township of Bonfield increasingly took on the role of a “commuter town” at the same time as maintaining its own distinct character and identity. 

In 2020, as the world stood still, and many business activities shifted online; the Township of Bonfield emerged once again as a desirable location for new sustainable growth and investment by leveraging its natural assets, and promoting a welcoming community, where families can enjoy a work-life balance, and wide-ranging recreational pursuits. 

By marketing itself as a lifestyle-oriented community, the Township of Bonfield is now witnessing the highest population growth rate (per capita) of all communities within Nipissing District, with local realtors, investors, and contractors all reporting significant interest in the community and its future development. 

Learning from and respecting the lessons of our past, at the same time as keeping an eye to the future; the Township of Bonfield is now primed to thrive and succeed in the years and decades to come.