History of the Lake
Origins of St. John
Lake St. John derives its name from an early English settler to the region named Captain St. Andrew St. John. Captain St. John was a British army officer born in 1794 and was the grandson of the 10th Baron St. John of Bletso in the County of Bedford. He served in the British 4th (The King’s Own Regiment of Foot) and 9th (East Norfolk Regiment of Foot) Regiment of Foot and retired as a Captain. He would later immigrate to Upper Canada and settle in Orillia, where he died in 1838. In 1837 Captain St. John was granted a land patent from the British Crown in the area of the old Stepan plant and rock wall along the lake, as well as other lands along Lake Couchiching and Rama Road, in what would become Longford Mills. St. John never settled this land and would eventually settle in Orillia, his widow selling the land along the lake to John Thomson in 1867.
Coat of arms of St. John.
Data fata secutus: Following my destiny
Lands Originally granted to St. Andrew St. John in 1837
Beauty-Point Subdivision (Bluebird Street)
The Beauty-Point Subdivision on the south end of the lake was established in 1957 by Pitts Homes & Cottages Ltd. The land was previously a mix of farmland and swampland that covered most of the south-east end of the lake. This was the first approved subdivision on the lake (not including the old Longford Mills community) and the start of our association in 1960. Airport Road would be extended in 1978 to connect with Bluebird Street to help alleviate non-residential traffic heading to the airport.
Queen of Sheba Park Subdivision (Sheba Drive)
The Queen of Sheba Park Subdivision on the south end of the lake was established in 1959 by a conglomerate of 16 owners/developers led by Michael Sheba. The land was previously part of the Boyd Farm prior to being developed. The Sheba Drive Ratepayers Association was created to represent the owners before eventually merging with the Lake St. John Cottage Owners Association. 3 parcels of land within the subdivision were deeded to the owners of property within the subdivision for their exclusive use by the developers (as areas of user common to each property owner in the subdivision).
Southwood Beach Subdivision (Southwood Beach Boulevard and Shady Court)
The Southwood Beach Subdivision on the north end of the lake was established in 1967 by Cottagelands Developments Ltd. The land was previously part of the Anderson Farm that covered most of the north end of the lake. The land almost became a provincial park with the first suggestion and survey work being conducted in 1957. Between June - October of 1960 the idea was seriously considered and investigated by the Department of Lands and Forest's Ontario Parks Integration Branch. The site was considered an ideal location with lake frontage (approximately 150 acres) and the owner Helen Anderson expressed interest in supporting the sale for a provincial park. Miss Anderson's ask of $60, 000 for the land was considered above market value by the Province at the time and the idea was eventually scrapped in favour of exploring other locations. The Southwood Beach Association was originally established to represent property owners before eventually merging with the Lake St. John Cottage Owners Association. In 1987 our association successfully petitioned and worked with the Township of Ramara to close the unopened shoreline road allowance in front of the lots along the lake, with the road allowance being divided and transferred/sold to the abutting properties.
Rama Lakefront Homes Subdivision (Rosy Beach Court)
Currently comprised of 24 residential lots overlooking Lake St. John, the current Rosy Beach subdivision was established in 2014 by Rama Lakefront Resorts Inc. The property previously served as the Myland Marina
(a seasonal RV park and marina) and even earlier as the Vollick's Marina. Prior to being developed into an RV park the land was part of the Anderson Farm that covered most of the north end of the lake.
St. John Creek Dam (Parks Canada)
The St. John Creek Dam located 300 metres upstream from the confluence with the Black River is currently managed by Parks Canada through the Trent-Severn Waterway Canal System as a non-navigable dam. The dam was constructed in 1914 with the purpose of regulating the water level of Lake St. John and the Black River. The estimated cost to construct the dam in 1914 was $2,500, but construction was more difficult than originally expected when quicksand was encountered at the site. The Department of Public Works required an additional $1,000 to complete the project (at a final cost of $3,500). The dam was transferred to the Department of Railways and Canals in 1916, to the Department of Transportation in 1936, and to Parks Canada in 1972. In the 1980's there was consideration in transferring management of the dam to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, however this did not end up occurring. The coffer dam consists of 10 12 inch by 12 inch stop logs in each of the two spillways. Current management by Parks Canada keeps only one spillway operational and the other remains fully stopped up. Spring conditions involve all of the stop longs being placed to stem spring flooding, however spring flows from the Black River will eventually overtop the dam. Summer conditions involve only 2 stop logs being left in, with the remaining stop logs being removed in late fall in preparation for winter and spring conditions.