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As part of the Muskoka Museum's Adopt an artifact program, the following cabins and trains are available for sponsor adoption. You may also be interested in adopting an item or donating an artifact.

Available for adoption

Ashworth hall, 1879

  • Built: 1879 by Henry Demaine for Stanley Ashworth
    • It has been a community hall, loyal orange lodge, school and cottage
  • Moved to MHP: 1985
  • Original location: Lot 19, Concession 8, Stisted Township, Ashworth

Adopted! January 20, 2023 – 2026

School house, 1895

Thank you Diamond sponsors: Descendants of the Halls & Robinsons

  • Built: 1895 by volunteer labour for $75.00
    • Stisted School Section #4 opened on January 1, 1896. Miss Carrie Hall taught 20 students
  • Moved to MHP: 1967
  • Original location: Lot 24, Concession 6, Stisted Township, Etwell

Available for adoption

Spence Inn, 1878

  • Built: 1878 by, or for, Levitt Simpson in the village of Spence at the junction of Ryerson Road and the Nipissing Road.
    • Run as a temperance boarding house and served as a stop for the cadge team drivers bringing mail from Rosseau to Commanda, where they could change their horses and rest. Visitors were transient workers, immigrants, and travellers.
  • Moved to MHP: 1977
  • Original location: Lot 88, Concession A, Spence

Available for adoption

Watson Workshop, c. 1880

  • Built: c.1880 between 1876 and 1886 by Julius Shay
    • Sold to Ned Fowler in 1887, then to Charles Watson in 1931. A portion of the Watson property was sold at half its value to be used at a Pioneer Village in 1961 and the building was moved in 1966
  • Moved to MHP: 1966
  • Original location: Lot 16, Concession 13-14, Brunel Township

Available for adoption

Boles barn, 1919

  • Built: 1919 by the Boles family for their farm
    • Barns were an important part of early life and barn-raising was a community event
  • Moved to MHP: 1972
  • Original location: Lot 8, Concession 2, Stisted Township, Aspdin

Available for adoption

Daniel Bray House, 1868

  • Built: 1868 by Daniel Bray in 1868, the house grew around it until it was part of the summer kitchen
  • Moved to MHP: 1977
  • Original location: Lot 27, Concession 4, Stephenson Township, Martins Siding

Available for adoption

Wesley Methodist Church, 1875

  • Built: 1875
    • Originally the Point Kaye Church at Milford Bay. Dedicated as a Wesley Methodist Church in 1876
  • Moved to MHP: 1975
  • Original location: Lot 27, Concession 11, Monck Township, Point Kaye

Available for adoption

Hill House, 1874

  • Built: 1874
    • Gothic or Ontario Vernacular style house replaced Reverend Hill’s log house in 1874. Highway 60 was the path Reverend Hill walked to Huntsville
  • Moved to MHP: 1963
  • Original location: Lot 24, Concession 13, Franklin Township, Hillside

Available for adoption

Steam locomotive #2, 1926

  • Built: 1926 for the Canadian Gypsum Company, Windsor Nova Scotia.
    • Montreal Locomotive Works No. 67167, 21 ton, 0-4-0 tank engine with 10” x 16” cylinders. Purchased by the Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway in 1948. This locomotive was too heavy for the tracks and stored as a spare.
  • Opened at MHP: 2000

Help celebrate Steam Locomotive #2's birthday in 2026!

Available for adoption

Algonquin coach, 1894

  • Built: 1894 by the Toronto Railway Company, used on the Toronto Suburban Railway. Used on the Portage Railway 1921-1958
  • Opened at MHP: 2000

Available for adoption

Blacksmith shop, 1880s

  • Built:1880s
    • Purchased from Edward Hainsworth by Frank Gabriel Sr. in 1926. The Gabriel family lived in this building and Frank had a separate blacksmith shop on the property. Donated by the family to be the blacksmith shop in honour of Frank’s passion for blacksmithing
  • Moved to MHP:1970
  • Original location: Lot 18, Concession 1, Perry Township, Novar

Adopted! November 15, 2024

Maw House, 1890s

Thank you Diamond sponsor: Gene Maw

  • Built: 1890s by the Mills family in 1890s, eventually sold to Nawton and Minnie Maw in 1932.
    • First donated to the Muskoka Board of Education in 1970, dismantled and rebuilt by Huntsville High School Students and uses in the Out-of-Classroom Education program. Donated and moved to MHP in 1984
  • Moved to MHP:1984
  • Original location: Lot 28, Concession 14, Chaffey Township, Novar

Available for adoption

Hay's General Store, 1878

  • Built: 1878 at Falkenburg Junction at the cross roads of Muskoka and Parry Sound Roads by Edward (Ned) Hay.
    • Operated by his wife Emma and daughter Helen after his death in 1928. Purchased by Frank Moore in 1931 and operated until 1953
  • Moved to MHP:1969
  • Original location: Lot 1, Concession 9, Monck Township, Falkenburg Junction

Available for adoption

Hares House, 1872

  • Built: 1872 as the second house built by Henry and Elizabeth Hares – first one burnt down. 14 children were raised in this house.
  • Moved to MHP: 1964
  • Original location: Lot 32-33, Concession 12, Stephenson Township

Adopted! March 16, 2024 – 2025

Darling house, 1869

In memory of Roger Dray (1934-2025), the family genealogist, and great grandson of James and Hannah Darling, Platinum sponsors, the American Darlings (March 1, 2025 - 2026)

The Darling house welcomes other sponsors.

  • Built: 1869
    • One of the first settlers in the area. Often used as a community meeting place. James and Hannah Darling raised 9 children here.
  • Moved to MHP: 1963
  • Original location: Lot 17, Concession 2, Stisted Township

Contact Us

Muskoka Heritage Place
88 Brunel Road
Huntsville, Ontario
Canada, P1H 1R1

Phone: 705-789-7576

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