Last Wednesday, in celebration of Heritage Week, members of the Huntsville Heritage Committee unveiled a four-panel display in Huntsville’s town hall to honour the town’s founding father, Captain George Hunt.

Committee members, along with Huntsville mayor Claude Doughty and students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 from Huntsville Public School (HPS) gathered in the front foyer at town hall, where the unveiling and a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place.

The four large panels, which feature photos of Hunt, his family, historic information pertaining to Hunt’s accomplishments in the formation of Huntsville, and a map outlining Hunt’s original property, are placed side by side on the main entrance wall in rustic-looking handmade frames made by Allen Markle, a Friend of Muskoka Pioneer Village.

The HPS students were invited to attend the unveiling to learn about how Hunt was instrumental in founding the Town of Huntsville.

Town councillor and deputy mayor Fran Coleman, who chairs the heritage committee, was dressed in full costume to depict the clothing that was worn by women some 100 years ago.

“Fran has recognized cultural heritage as a municipal planning tool,” indicated Teri Souter, general manager of Muskoka Heritage Place. “This display is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the man who created the village of Huntsville.”

With a budget of less than $1,000, Souter indicated that the heritage project was undertaken to fill a void in the original historic town hall, which was identified by members of the heritage committee.

Trisha Markle, heritage committee member and president of the Friends of Muskoka Pioneer Village and committee member David Johns, with resources from Sara White, museum assistant at Muskoka Heritage Place, wrote and designed the descriptive display panels.

Coleman said she couldn’t be happier than to see the display of Huntsville’s founder placed in the original part of town hall. Noting that she is not fond of “wasted space,” she said she believes the foyer is the perfect location for the display as it has a “beautiful architecture design” and rustic appeal.

“I can feel something here,” Coleman said looking around the foyer. “I think Captain Hunt would be honoured to be recognized for his efforts. We can’t forget where we came from.”

“We’ve got a lot to be proud of and we should be celebrating,” said Souter. “What’s really rewarding to see is our heritage acknowledged as an important part of our social history. We hope some of these students remember being here celebrating Captain Hunt’s accomplishments.”

Souter indicated that with approval from the Huntsville Fire Department, public access into the town hall foyer will be allowed from April to November.

“Touch the past, embrace the future. . . . We’re doing a little of that right now,” Doughty told those who were in attendance for the unveiling.

According to the historic display panels, Hunt was born on July 26, 1830 on the Mediterranean Island of Corfu and moved to Quebec with his family, where he joined the British militia and earned the rank of captain. Upon hearing about the free land grant in Muskoka, and with a vision of creating a commercial and manufacturing centre as well as a tourist paradise, Hunt moved to the area in 1869 to choose his piece of the free land grant.

While he only lived in the area for 13 years, by the end of his first year, Hunt had arranged for a post office, opened a store, organized church services, Sunday school and public meetings. He also began extending the Muskoka Road through Huntsville to the East Road, which is now Hwy. 60.

For the next 12 years, he organized the building of Main Street, the first bridge, the locks between Fairy Lake and Mary Lake, and built many buildings including a store, a school, a sawmill and a church. Aside from starting two petitions – one to have Huntsville officially incorporated and the other to have a railroad extended through the town, Hunt also built roads and divided up lands to sell lots to new citizens who vowed to abstain from drinking.

Hunt married Sarah Selkirk in 1853 and together they raised four girls and three boys. She greatly assisted her husband in laying Huntsville’s foundation and continued to help her husband’s dream until her death in 1925.