HISTORY OF SUNDRIDGE --- Lucy RENNIE --- October 31, 1975 The first settlers came east from the Nipissing Road, north of Magnetawan. A trail was cut through the bush and was called the Distress Road. The present Hwy. 124 follows the original Distress Road. The end of the railway was Gravenhurst in 1870. John Paget who lived at the junction of the Distress and Muskoka Road (at present site of Ten Gables) had the first post office in 1875. Talk of view, so he decided the place should be called "Sunny Ridge" but the government sent back the name Sundridge. Miss Mary Edgar visited a place in England of the same name and brought greetings. Some of the early settlers were "The Dunbars, Tripps, Pagets, Gibbons, Willoughbys, Blacks, Andersons, Langs and Hills" Merrill Dunbar's grandfather had 3 mills. The first one just below William Street brought the machinery in by oxen from the end of the lake on the ice. The first boiler had all of the holes plugged and floated up the lake. He says he remembers a letter he received from his father in 1926 saying 50 years ago his father first saw the shore of Stoney Lake in 1875, millions of mosquitos and only 2 men and a boy to fight them. Tell here of the plight of settlers and the story flour and salt in Miss Edgar's book, ending up with - we think we have problems now, but those early settlers were in season and out of season. The first train through in 1885 caused quite a celebration, for years after practically half the town would come out to see the train come in. John Paget had the first store where Kidd's Hdwre. now is. That is why that street is called Paget Street. Later Jos. Edgar brought his merchandise in by train. That is where Lang's Grocery store now is. That building was built by Jas. Dunbar for his sister-in-law who brought yard goods and drapery over from Scotland. No customers, so she moved to Barrie.