Early History of the Township of Foley
Foley Township was surveyed in 1866 by Mr. Stewart, P.L.S. It contains 36043 acres of land and about 5550 acres of water®
Parry Harbour (formerly Carrington) was the capital of Foley. It contained a saw mill, planing mill, shingle mill, two hotels, a church, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a post office, and a telegraph office.
Foley Township was settled by immigrants from England, Ireland Scotland, and Holland. The following lists of names are some of these early pioneers who settled in the Township.
William Wilcox, George Wilcox, William Mathewson, Thomas  MeGown, Abner Woolman, A. Oastler, William 0astler, James Burns, Hugh Cargill, David Carglll, Zacharriah Watts, John Ellis, Fred Brook, John brook, Malcolm McDougall, John Vankoughnett, William Vankoughnett, Dan Vankoughnett, Ben Vankoughnett, Mathew Rankin, James Rankin, Peter Smith, Philip Smith, R.S. Farrington, Steven Richmond, Calvin Quebec, Henry Little, James Badger, Alfred Badger, John Griffith, J.C. Miller, William Bennett, John Bennett, Thomas Healey, Joe Robertson , John Gough, Samuel Cochrane, Thomas Woods , James Chapman, James Spring, William Richmond, James Willett, Robert Thompson, James Scott, William Scott, Robert Moore, John Moore, Charles Wright, R. Jacklln, William Jacklin, Andrew Jacklin, Ellis Liscombe, Robert Boyd, David Boyd, John Helmkay, Henery Helmkay, Frank Helmkay, George Steele, Edward Haines„ James McRoberts, R. Armstrong, T. Burlotte, James Pender, George Sponhouse, Fred Haystead, William Haystead, George Grant, Tom Dickinson,.
The first schools in the Township were located at Windfall Lake and at Otter Lake across from the old store which was known as Hockens store. These schools were later abandoned and new sites were chosen. S.S.#3 was built at  Faldlng and is still there to-day. S.S.#2 school is the present Community Club Hall. Also there was a school, S.S#4 located on the Christie Road. The present school, Foley Central, has taken the place of the other schools.
Stores and Post Offices were located at Faldlng called Rankin's store; at Otter Lake called Hocken's store; and at James Bay Junction called Clark's store.
The Canada Atlantic, later called the Grand Trunk Railway was built in 1895. The Canadian National and the Canadian Pacific Railways were built in the early 1900's. Passenger trains going north and south stopped at the flag stations, namely: Holmur Faldlng, Blackroad, and Rosseau Road. Mail was received and was sent out twice daily on these passenger trains.
The road between Parry Sound and Rosseau was known as the Parry Sound Road. Rankin's place was the stopping off place for the people travelling from Rosseau to Parry Sound. Here they would get a meal and rest their horses.