Willow Creek Depot

Photo by Glenn Walker - May 14, 2005

Plaque Location

The County of Simcoe
The Township of Springwater
In front of palisade at the end of a walk from the parking lot of the Fort Willow Conservation Area at the western end of the road named Portage Trail which is the first left from County Road 28 north about 4 km from County Road 40

Plaque Text

During the War of 1812, the Nine Mile Portage from Kempenfel(d)t Bay to Willow Creek formed part of the vital route , via Yonge Street, Lake Simcoe, the Nottawasaga River and Georgian Bay which linked Upper Canada with the British posts on the upper Great Lakes. Here, beside the Minesing Swamp and one mile from the landing on Willow Creek, were stored the hundreds of tonnes of military supplies and trade goods that maintained the western posts during 1814-15 and the years immediately following. The depot ultimately included some eight log structures built by the military authorities or fur trading companies, and was surrounded by a palisade measuring roughly 85 by 58 metres.