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When the Grand Trunk Railway (now C.N.R.) began to project their line from Gravenhurst to Nippissing Junction in the early 80's, settlement in this northern district grew rapidly. There were two ways for the settlers to reach Sundridge, and most of the early settlers chose one or other of these. The settlers could take a boat from Gravenhurst then the end of the steel, and disembark at Rosseau, and then travel by the Nipissing Rd. to Magnetawan. From there they would have to travel what trails were available, and continue east along the surveyors to their lots in the Sundridge area. Very often they had to cut their own road. The Nipissing Road was purveyed and built by the Government for the convenience of the many new settlers coming to their homesteads. It also served the many lumbermen then operating in those areas which it passed through. The second way of reaching Sundridge was by following the survey of the Grand Trunk and the other roads running north travelled by the settlers who were already in the district. At the time the first settlers came to Sundridge there was a travelled road as far as Katrine. From there to Burks Falls and north the settlers had to follow the surveyors lines and cut their own trail when this was necessary. ......... Some of these pioneers informed me that it was possible to hire a teamster to leave them and their goods at Katrine or travel by stage. It was by this route that most of the settlers on the south side of Stoney Lake made their journey to their homesteads. The Government encouraged this early settlement by offering free land (200 acres) on the condition that a suitable home would be built and when fifteen acres would be cleared they would receive their patent. There were quite a few settlers along the Nipissing Road before any came in sight of Stoney Lake. One of these who had settled between Magnetawan and Stoney Lake, Mr. Thomas Boyes, informed me that he came to his homestead 75 years ago at the age of 5 years. He is still alive (1946) and vigorous. He settled on his homestead in the year 1871. He tells of the ministers and missionaries following the new settlements, and giving the people the gospel. While on their itinerant trips they would stop over and hold service in his home. A Baptist minister by the name Rev. Bosworth made regular trips, performed marriage ceremonies, and other ministries for the settlers. The first settler to come in view of Stoney Lake from Magnetawan was John Paget and family in the year 1877. On the South side of the Lake in - the same year and the following year came the Dobbs, Dukes, Wilsons, Gibbons, Hannafords, making their entrance by way of Gravenhurst and Katrine Tom Paget, son of John Paget, is still a resident of Sundridge. He tells of the first post office being in his home, and how the town got the name Sundridge.