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Before the Railway Maps of the 1840's indicated no settlement in the Katrine area and were labelled simply "immense forests." A map soon after Canada's Confederation in 1867 showed that Katrine had already been named but communities further north had not been. There was an "East Parry Sound Agency" containing three townships - McMurrich, Armour and Perry. The agent in 1879 was Edward Handy, "Elmsdale." The man who opened up the Doe Lake area was Mr. A. Begg, a native of the north of Scotland. From 1871 to 1875 he was engaged in promoting emigration from Scotland to Canada. He was applied to by temperance men to select a suitable tract for them on which to settle. In 1874 and the spring of 1875 he cut roads, built a saw mill and shingle mill, adding a grist mill and establishing a post office at Beggsboro just west of Doe Lake in 1876. Early records show that "the original programme of reserving the township for temperance people was not carried out." Begg's influence explains why Katrine came to be named after Katrine, Scotland — a community on the shores of Lake Katrine about 30 miles north of Glasgow and home of the clan Murray. In 1875 the Katrine area was called a "waste howling wilderness." Before 1887 there was a steam tug on Doe Lake called the Lady Katrina. It was used for towing logs from the pine stands of McMurrich Township to the sawmill at Katrine. It also was used for passenger and freight service north on the Magnetawan River to a landing close to the current Watt's dam. Travel further downstream was impossible because of rapids, but from the landing the Lady Katrina was able to service Chetwynd which was less than two miles to the east. After the low bridges were built on the stretch of river between Katrine and Burk's Falls, the Lady Katrina could no longer use the river for passage but ties between Katrine and Chetwynd people continued. When the Grand Trunk Railway arrived in 1887 Katrine really boomed, eventually with four stores, several mills, a basket factory, Orange Hall, school and two churches which later joined together. JAMES MEDILL, Sample of a business card from the 1870's. KATRINE. Dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots, Shoes, China, Glassware and Earthenware. Provisions a specialty. 6