Kenora:

Began as a Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post in 1861. Rat Portage as it was called then was no more than a small community with hodgepodge rows of shanties lining the shoreline. However soon it became known as the "Roughest Town in Canada due to it's transient population that flooded into the area to look for work on the constriction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. This was soon followed by the Gold Rush which brought even more people into the area/community seeking their fortune, and just have a good old time.

Add the sometimes comical boundary dispute between Ontario and Manitoba (with Rat Portage literally right in the middle). This territorial dispute reached many comical happenings during the early 1880's. With both Provinces having local jail, they were at times filled with each others constables. In 1884 The Privy Council in England settled the dispute in favor of Ontario. This became official in 1889. The Town of Kenora Ontario was born.

The lumber business, gold mining, and commercial fishing flourished during the 1880-90's and this meant great growth for this area. Water power harnessed at the outlets of the lake to the river was utilized adding further industrial development to this area.

Since then Kenora has commenced growing and has become one of Ontario's major tourist regions. Lumbering, mining, still flourish in this community also. On January 1st. 2000 the three towns of Kenora, Keewatin, and Haffray-Melick amalgamated to form the Now - City of Kenora Ontario.