Sometimes it really is being at the right place at the right time that matters.
A Toronto geographer researching old maps of Toronto has uncovered what so far may be the oldest known map of Ontario.
Rick Laprairie learned about the map which is housed in the National Archives in Paris, France and had a high resolution copy made of it and sent to him.
The map was drawn up in 1678 by Jean-Baptiste-Louis Franquelin a cartographer in Lachine, which is present day Montreal.
North Bay history buff Chris Mayne says the map clearly depicts the Toronto region.
“But when you look at the map, just a little further from Toronto Holy Cow there’s Lac Nipissing (Lake Nipissing) and a whole chain of lakes from the left to the right,” Mayne said.
Mayne says the French River is easily seen as is the Mattawa River and the portages are also there.
Mayne says it’s the oldest map he’s ever seen that references the La Vase Portages, which makes up the historic Voyageur canoe route.
However Mayne says the way Franquelin portrays Lake Nipissing, it’s impossible to navigate because of numerous inaccuracies.
Mayne compares the image of the lake to a giant hairy amoeba.
Franquelin never saw the lake first hand.
Mayne says guides travelling to the area described to him from memory once they were back in Lachine.
“It was based on their recollections,” Mayne said.
“Did they come onto the lake from the left or right and Franqueline would try and pull that (information) into the map without ever actually having seen the place or having the benefit of aerial analysis.”
Mayne says considering the limitations Franquelin faced, his rendering of the area was remarkable but he still maintains Lake Nipissing looks like a giant amoeba.
Mayne says it’s not until 1845 that we start to see more accurate renderings of Lake Nipissing from known maps found to date.
Mayne says that later map was the creation of William Logan and it shows survey lines and accurately shows the location of the portages.
However Mayne says for people who enjoy the Voyageur history, the 1678 Franquelin map underscores that by the 17th century, areas we know today were already on North American maps.
