Minden Village

Minden?s beautiful surface calm is really quite deceptive

The meandering Gull River provides the picturesque setting for the small town of Minden, located in the southwestern section of Haliburton County, along Hwy. 35 north. Founded by Francis Kent in 1858, the town is particularly beautiful along South Water Street, still retaining many of its pioneer buildings. The Old Clergy House, for example, located on South Water Street, is the oldest standing log house in Haliburton County, dating to 1853. It is privately owned, and not open to the public, but frequently photographed. St. Pauls? Church, directly across the river from the Clergy House, was built in 1868, and still hosts an active congregation today. The Bethel Church, better know by its lovely alias ?The Church in the Wildwoods, ? was built in 1891, and is located on the Bethel Church Road, just north of the town. A stroll through Minden?s quiet downtown streets will provide many shopping opportunities ? shops there offer everything from native art, to gifts, food and antiques. Local craftspeople will be giving twice-weekly demonstrations of their skills, in the down town area, throughout the summer.

Buttermilk Falls is a must-see stop along this busy road

Highway 35, also known as ?the corridor,? winds its way north through the western portion of Haliburton County, providing travelers with some of the most scenic driving in Ontario. Towering pines and granite rock cuts greet motorists as they wend their way north through the small towns of Moore?s Falls, Miners Bay, Minden, Carnarvon, Halls Lake and on to Dorset. Proceeding north from the Highland?s southern border, just north of Norland, you are welcomed, officially, into the country by an information wicket near the Noble Motel. You can lean an awful lot at the information spot, which is also located at other strategic places around the county. The nearby town of Moor?s Falls is home of the Lutterworth Municipal Park, and excellent spot for a picnic, followed, perhaps, by a scenic boat ride. It?s a rejuvenating rest stop, with a lovely view of the rushing waters of Gull Lake as they empty into he falls. The park provides BBQs, picnic tables and about launch. Further north, along the highway, you?ll notice the famous ?airmail box? ? a mailbox erected (for the convenience of low-flying mail planes, one assumes) on the top of a telephone pole. This humorous gesture marks the entrance

Community Info

www.canpages.ca One?s hike can be extended along the banks of the Gull River. Picnic tables, a swimming site and benches are all available for public use. Minden?s surface calm is really quite deceptive. Through the summer months the town is abuzz with a host of events including fireworks displays, art and craft shows, sporting events, a circus and carnival, auctions, dances and church suppers. Canada Day is an extremely busy time in the downtown area, with a classic car show, fishing derby and much more. Main Street is also the site of the annual Timbersport Festival, a day long event in June, filled with logging competitions and related activities. The Haliburton County Fair takes place at the Minden Fairgrounds, just past Prentice and Parkside St, on Bobcaygeon Road, in mid-August. The Minden Wild Water Preserve, on Horseshoe Lake Road, off Hwy. 35 just north of Minden, plays host to many kayaking and water sports events, including Olympic kayaking trial. It, too, offers sightseers a scenic picnic area. Minden has lots for culture hounds as well. The Agnes Jamieson Gallery, the Minden Library and the County Town Museum are all located in a building complex on Bobcaygeon Road.

Scenic Highway 35

to Miner?s Bay, a picturesque resort village perched on the shores of Gull Lake. The Miner?s Bay lodge is a pioneer building, carefully preserved by its present owners, which provides overnight guests with an experience of times gone by. As you approach the Minden area, the scenery becomes more rugged and wild. Wetlands and small, solitary lakes support a wide variety of animal life ? moose, deer and fox are not uncommon sights, and , along the many waterway, ducks are downright plentiful. The little hamlet of Carnarvon sits at the intersection of highways 35 & 118. Dining establishments, convenience stores, and a bowling alley/restaurant (formerly Medley?s Dan Hall) ring the intersection. Once a going social concern the Medley?s Dance Hall hosted many Saturday night soirées ? its walls resounding with the music and laughter on an earlier time. The Zion United Church, built in the late 1800?s carries on many fine traditions, such as the community strawberry supper and baked sales. Located just beyond Boshkung Lake Road, on Hwy. 35, is Buttermilk Falls, a popular picnic spot. The concrete log chute on site replaced the original wooden one that existed in the early 1800s.

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