Fort Willow

This conservation area hosts a Ontario Historical Plaque telling the story of the Willow Creek Depot erected in 1961, a monument commemorating the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry erected in 2014, along with hiking trails and information that can be found on the buildings and facilities that once stood there.

Information from Tim Laye’s blog, Ontario War Memorials

Inscription

[Monument]

(ROYAL NEWFOUNDLAND REGIMENT crest)

Dedicated to

the men of
the Royal Newfoundland
Regiment of Fencible Infantry

In early 1814, 200 men of the Regiment marched from
Kingston, via York, along Nine Mile Portage to this place.

Here they built 29 batteauxwhich they took down the
Nottawasaga River and across Georgian Bay to
Michilimackinac with 30 tons of desperately needed
supplies for the British garrison there.

This heroic journey ensured British control of the North West
for the rest of the War of 1812

September 2014

[Plaque]

WILLOW CREEK DEPOT

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 on tons of
military supplies and trade goods that maintained the
western posts during 1814-1815 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 280 by 190 feet.

Erected by the Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board.

Cette aire de conservation abrite une plaque historique de l’Ontario, inaugurée en 1961, racontant l’histoire du dépôt de Willow Creek, un monument commémorant le Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry, érigé en 2014, ainsi que des sentiers de randonnée et des renseignements sur les bâtiments et les installations qui s’y trouvaient autrefois.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.