The American Summer Colonies at
Cobourg & Lake Muskoka Ontario

 

King Street, Looking East, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
In the years following the Civil War, Cobourg Ontario, a community nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario, emerged as one of the most popular resort communities in North America. Families from the southern United States found a summer respite in a cool and hospitable climate without needing to spend their money in the northern United States. Somewhat surprisingly, at the same time, wealthy families from the northern United States--including Pennsylvania--also began summer pilgrimages to Cobourg. The northerners were attracted to the Cobourg area's reputedly high quality ozone and for various business-related reasons. A number of the seasonal Cobourg residents later constructed large mansions throughout the town and its environs. Indeed, Cobourg would remain a popular destination for both southern and northern families alike until the early years of the 20th century.

Overview and Goals of the Project

Drawing upon an array of primary and secondary sources, this project examines Cobourg's summer populace during the period 1865-1930s. Specifically, the project addresses the following questions: 1) What specific factors contributed to Cobourg's popularity with both southern and northern families? 2) What types of economic and social relationships existed between northern and southern families living in Cobourg? 3) What types of economic and social relationships existed between the American families and Cobourg's permanent Canadian residents?; and lastly, 4) What factors contributed to Cobourg's loss of favor as a summer residence for the Americans?

Despite Cobourg's popularity with wealthy Americans, it faced major competition from other resorts in Ontario, especially in the Lake Muskoka region. Like Cobourg, the Lake Muskoka region boasted a large U.S. summer colony which included many prominent families from Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Consequently, the Cobourg project has been recently expanded to examine the rival Lake Muskoka summer colony and its similarities/differences to its Cobourg counterpart.

Bibliographic information for all primary and secondary sources as well as other resources related to Cobourg's American summer colony and its denizens--and to a lesser extent Lake Muskoka's colony and its denizens--located during the project are being made publicly available on this site. The site is intended to serve as a research portal for individuals in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world who are interested in learning more about the topic. Additional resources will be placed on the site as the project continues. On a final note, while every attempt is made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may still occur. If you believe any information provided on this site is incorrect, please contact the site's administrator, Marsha Ann Tate.

The American Summer Colony at Cobourg, Ontario Resources

The American Summer Colony at Lake Muskoka, Ontario Resources

General Resources Related to North American Spas, Springs, and Resorts

I would like to thank the Cobourg & District Historical Society, the Archives of Ontario, the Pennsylvania Canadian Studies Consortium, and the citizens of Cobourg and the Lake Muskoka region for their assistance with this project.

Site created and maintained by Marsha Ann Tate, PhD
Librarian and Web Coordinator
Hildebrandt Library
222 Buckhout Laboratory
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-7736
Questions, comments, or suggestions? mat1@psu.edu

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Page created May 18, 2005. Last updated January 8, 2010.