Micklethwaite's Muskoka

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.

If you’re interested in Ontario’s—or Canada’s—social history,
photography, the Muskokas, or fun, you’ll love this book.

Its extravagant size is put to good use, accommodating quantities of
reproductions of beautifully crafted archival photos, enlarged so their
remarkable detail can be appreciated. The book is so full of
information, life, and energy—the photographer’s and the
author’s—that the king-size format seems necessary to contain it.

Frank Micklethwaite operated a photography business in the Muskokas
from approximately 1890 to 1910, during which time he shot at least 2000
photos. Some 200 of these are reproduced here, showing us the scenery,
boats, people, hotels, houses, and activities of the area at the height
of its fame as the ultimate cottage country.

While Micklethwaite’s photos captured the life of this unique time
and place, Denison’s text has captured the nature of Micklethwaite: a
man with a sense of humor, a lively appreciation for the Muskoka
environment, and a master photographer totally dedicated to his craft
and prepared to go to any length to get a shot.

Micklethwaite’s work has the sharpness and depth of field associated
with the large-format cameras of the era, and some of the photos have
the “still-life painting” look typical of the old glass negative
plates. He shot whatever he was commissioned to shoot plus whatever
appealed. The former often included family groups, buildings, and boats;
the latter tended to be scenics he hoped to sell for postcards.

Denison’s text draws heavily from archival material, reprinting
substantial chunks of prose and poetry written by Micklethwaite’s
contemporaries. His own writing style is light and lively, with his keen
sense of the amusing exercised at every opportunity. His research has
been extensive, and the book is packed with interesting segues to help
the reader achieve a vision of the time and place as Micklethwaite
experienced it.

A master work.