Dwight, Lake of Bays, Muskoka
On Dwight: “I thought I had reached the jumping off place of creation. The beauty was absolutely divine, beyond the power of brush or pen to express. It was to be shared.” ~ An early settler.
Established in 1875 by Edmund James Gouldie, the name “Dwight” comes from Harvey Prentice Dwight, the President of the Great Northwest Telegraph Co in Toronto. Dwight installed a telegraph line into Gouldie house so he could spend more time at his hunt camp while keeping track of business. It is said that to send and receive a telegraph people would have said “go to Dwight.” Dwight was also responsible for introducing the first phone line from Dwight to Fox Point.
As you travel around Lake of Bays you will encounter several delightful communities, including that of Dwight. Dwight is located at the northern end of Lake of Bays Muskoka. Approximately 20 minutes from Huntsville (Muskoka’s largest town) and 20 minutes to Dorset, Dwight is well positioned for the cottagers and tourists who visit the lake each year. Dwight is also home to a vibrant year round community as is evident by the well used seniors centre, community centre, and several small shops and bakeries located within the town. Dwight is also home to Irwin Memorial Public School, Stewart Memorial United Church (established 1887), and the Lake of Bays Township office.
Rich in history Dwight’s building tell the story of the area as documented in the Dwight Heritage Walking Tour. The walking tour takes about one and a half hours.
Dwight is home to the only public beach on Lake of Bays. Perhaps the nicest beach in Muskoka, Dwight Beach offers beautiful sand beaches, clear water with hard pack sand bottoms and no weeds, a shallow swimming area and deeper waters for those that wish to canoe or kayyak. The beach is home to a large dock with gazebo and a couple of boat slips. Visitors and residents can take a ride on the S.S. Bigwin from the Dwight Dock on Tuesday’s (same day as the Dwight Farmer’s Market) and take in a wonderful narrated tour of the lake. A boat ramp, and public washrooms complete this perfect spot to spend the day.
Algonquin Provincial Park is a short 20 minutes from Dwight. This world famous park was established in 1893 as a wildlife refuge and is Ontario’s largest Park. The Park draws thousands of visitors each year, who take in the outstanding traditional Muskoka scenery, wildlife and history. Residents and visitors can hike, bike, canoe and camp thoughout the park. Learn more about the Park on our All About Algonquin Park page.
Dwight is home to many year round residents as well as cottagers. Those seeking a permement home or a waterfront cottage will not be disappointed with the properties for sale in Dwight.
