The Essential Haliburton: Discover Highland Ontario

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Barnes started to write a local history but soon got bored with that and
switched to generating copy for a tourist brochure. Then, having given
that topic a fair try, he opted for a chamber-of-commerce-like review of
local employers. I doubt if he enjoyed writing this mishmash, for he
seems focused on the negatives of an area that, admittedly, has little
to recommend it.

Haliburton is the black hole of central Ontario, a little-known area of
rock and forest, fish and blackflies. Its pioneer days lacked
excitement, although the fishing was good and there were lots of trees
for the lumber harvest. Today, a handful of luxury resorts, lodges, and
backwood camps draw in a modest tourist trade. The area includes a slice
of Algonquin Park, which adds substantially to its fame.

The author’s brief, dry local history includes a sprinkling of
archival photos that do little other than prove that the area did,
indeed, have trees and fish. Haliburton needs good public relations;
this book doesn’t provide it.