A Few Morsels of Newly Established Folk History in South Muskoka is Based However, on a Literary Fact, and my Devotion to the Stories is Loathed by Critics

In the late 1990's, a number of non-negotiable, unmovable,unpopular truths were brought to light to a generally standoffish citizenry in our two South Muskoka towns. Truths that opened up a huge literary provenance, and a biographical connectedness, that was a modest but significant crowning achievement for a much maligned journeyman writer who refused to take "no" for an answer. In the mid 1990's, I decided to delve back into the historical records for both Bracebridge and Gravenhurst, the later being my more recent home address. I was particularly interested, possibly more as a reporter than a regional historian, in the fact there had been a number of errors made regarding the naming of both towns back in the 1860's, which had been repeated many times since by well meaning hobby historians who decided that the inconsistencies of story-line about the names wasn't worth the effort to ferret out the facts. No one had spent much time at all looking at the reasons behind the naming of Gravenhurst, in 1862, and Bracebridge in 1864, by a chap who had an administrative roll with the federal postal department at the time. What had been a loosely used reference about a highly casual postal employee, who casually came up with names for respective post offices when the applications crossed his desk, was not even the bare minimum of what should have been expended decades earlier, to find out who exactly William Dawson LeSueur was; and why he took titles from books he was reading at the time, to afford our two South Muskoka towns their "forever" titles. It never sat well with me, and with that lingering feeling some credit had been denied this LeSueur fellow, Suzanne and I decided to invest time and money to research not only the postal clerk, but the real reason for the selection of these titles; Gravenhurst and Bracebridge. There just had to be more to the story. We were right, and the findings became part of our lives then and still, very much, to this day inside my Birch Hollow Archives. Firsst of all, to confirm that Bracebridge had been named by Dr. LeSueur, after the name of a book, written by American Author, Washington Irving, I simply had to read not only this book, circa 1822, but the first Irving book that used the "Bracebridge" name; referencing the family of Squire Bracebridge, in England. That of course, was the more famous "The Sketch Book," of 1818-19, that introduces readers to Bracebridge Manor, where Irving's character-traveller, Geoffrey Crayon Esq., narrates a chance encounter with a member of the Bracebridge family, and winds up on Christmas Eve, travelling with the Squire's son to The Hall, where traditional Christmas celebrations are underway. Bracebridge Hall and its host family appear in two books, but it is suggested that Dr. LeSueur was reading the later book, "Bracebridge Hall," at the same time as the application from the hamlet of "North Falls," came across his desk; and what do you know. He jotted down "Bracebridge" on the application, and no doubt rubber stamped it from his postal department, and the good folks of the community not only got a new post office, but a new name altogether. And in later years, boy oh boy, did this bother some of the town's establishment, and they let me know it was a story that should have been left to disappear in the fog of time. I don't adhere to the directions of others unless it from either my partner, Suzanne, or from someone who wants to pay for my services. While some local notables argued that "North Falls" would have been the best name to have afforded the hamlet in August 1864, I disagree whole heartedly, and probably more vigorously now than when I first launched this project on the hope it would arouse positive feelings instead of the negative barrage received. The bigger temptation in this research, is that a wrong had been committed regarding what some historians to date, had been repeating, about the naming of Gravenhurst. It had been inaccurately reported in quite a few published books and in many more news and feature articles in the local press, for years and years, that Gravenhurst had also been named from a reference in the same Washington Irving book. It was assumed, without justification, that the name Gravenhurst appeared in Bracebridge Hall, or possibly even the earlier Sketch Book, that had inspired Dr. LeSueur, to also swipe an interesting name from deep within the text, to imprint on their application for a postal outlet in their hamlet. One of the problems we identified early on, was that Gravenhurst had been named, and given an official post office registry, two years earlier. Being August, 1862. In this case, the hamlet had been called McCabe's Landing, after its pioneer hoteliers who set up a travellers' retreat for incoming sportsmen. So we read everything we could written by Washington Irving who we found, also with the help of Irving scholars in the United States, that the name "Gravenhurst" was never once included in any story or non-fiction piece the author wrote. So why did it take so long for someone to pick up a copy of Bracebridge Hall, and ascertain clearly, if it was true Dr. LeSueur had indeed found the name Gravenhurst in "a book he was reading at the time," the application came across his desk. It seemed reasonable to us, that if LeSueur had borrowed a name in this fashion, while reading a book at his postal department desk, in 1862, and that book was "Bracebridge Hall," he would obviously have taken that title to replace McCabe's Landing. Thus, Bracebridge would have been its new name, not Gravenhurst. But wait a minute. Here's the kicker. Only one historian had kicked around the name of British Poet / Philosopher, William Henry Smith, who coincidentally had written a book, shortly before 1862, entitled "Gravenhurst; or Thoughts on Good and Evil." Dr. LeSueur kindly left off the "Thoughts on Good and Evil" part, but did indeed take the name "Gravenhurst" for the title of the newly hamlet post office. So why the confusion? Why didn't any of the historical sleuths dig a little further to find out if the casual reference in local historical record, to this fellow "Smith" and his book "Gravenhurst," had more weight to it, than simply being a name that may have been used by Irving in his work, from another postal matter two years down the road. It has everything to do with a lack of due diligence, by past historians, and the reality that the most important player in the name debacle was two become a hugely significant Canadian man of letters, a revered and fearless historian, and a well respected literary critic on an international scale. Yes, the lazy postal clerk, who simply borrowed names from books he was reading at the time, was actually a most honorable and accomplished scholar who did not have a sense of humor when it came to his literary approvals, and the seriousness of giving a Canadian hamlet an undesirable "forever" title. The reason he had access to the latest book releases, and a huge library of already published masterpieces of literature, is that he was connected to the national literary community, and would have received new releases by publishers and authors wishing to have him review the latest works. He was not a fellow to be minimized for his scholarly achievements, although a few critics lingering after all these decades, still mock his intrusiveness, knocking down that cherished pioneer name of "North Falls." Frankly, I think the town has done okay since the 1860's wearing "Bracebridge" through the thick and thin of a maturing community in the District of Muskoka. And although they still get questins about the name, being most likely the result of the picturesque "silver bridge," crossing the cataract of the Bracebridge Falls, it's still the case that the name carries a lot of literary heritage that could and should be celebrated for the international provenance it possesses. William Dawson LeSueur did borrow names from books he was intimately aware of, at the time, the postal applications came across his desk. Both books were in reprint close to this time, and he most likely kept a small library of his favorite titles either in his office, or within close reach of the federal building. But being an accomplished writer, and a published literary critic of considerable acclaim, it would have been against his grain, and philosophy as an admitted "critical approach" thinker, to have ever been cavalier with either Gravenhurst, or Bracebridge, or about respective authors, William Henry Smith, or Washington Irving, both of which he highly regarded as writers. He was a consumate professional at whatever pursuit commanded his attention. If there is one fault to be attributed to Dr. LeSueur, it's that he didn't offer a written statement of recognition, so that the citizens of these two South Muskoka hamlets, would appreciate, at the time and in the future, the true significance of this assigned literary provenance. Knowing the work of this man, we can easily and confidently claim, that he very much intended the names as an inaugural tribute, and best wishes, to these two fledgling communities about to double and triple in size within the coming decade. Which came true. When some critics paint this man as roguish because of his disrespectful conduct, because he didn't accept the titles the citizens had desired for their post offices, it should be remembered that both communities have done exceedingly well for all these years since, wearing these well thought out names by someone who meant the best, and offered a literary provenance to be nutured and exploited. After close to thirty years working on variations of this story for dozens of publications who have thought it relevant to their audiences, and living here at Birch Hollow with the goodwill of those involved in the story from its centre outward, this is part of our own minor renaisance, to keep the story alive, and the history pertinent in the future; should one day some mover and shaker in the business community, actually want to exploit this wonderful literary provenance of both authors, and of course, the pivotal writer / historian, William Dawson LeSueur. In the meantime, Suzanne and I have recognized, that our constant nagging at this "dead horse" as some argue, it has over the years developed in us, a genuine curiosity in the folk stories, in the contemporary sense, it as seeded....such as in the fair-game provenance of Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and the story of "Rip Van Winkle," and of course, "Christmas at Bracebridge Hall," each marvellously delicious tales that have, even in a small way, become more connected to Bracebridge, Ontario; and it's our passion to see it gain further inroads because it is entirely warranted. In the coming posts on this site, Suzanne and I are re-publishing more in-depth posts written some time ago, about both Irving and Smith, and of course LeSueur, because it is really the staging literature, for the very purpose of this enterprise .....being of course, "The Birch Hollow Antique Press." Please stay tuned for some history you probably didn't know existed.