Olympia before it was Olympia 

 

Highway 60 runs through central Ontario and serves as a gateway to the rugged beauty of Algonquin Provincial Park. If you are heading out of Huntsville along highway 60, east to Ottawa, you’ll come upon Limberlost Road, where a left turn and 14 kms will get you to a beautiful piece of property between two lakes. Seeing the property and the rustic buildings, you’d never know you were on the home of so much history.

 

This land has been on a journey all its own. It is a setting that holds a very special place in the hearts of thousands, Canadian and Norwegians alike.

 

To many the land is called Olympia Sports Camp, but to a generation of Norwegians it will always be known as Vesle Skaugum, which means “a home or clearing in the woods.”

 

Here is a Cole’s Notes version of Chapter 5 in A Hero’s Journey: From Little Norway to Olympia Sports Camp.

 

We are currently researching the indigenous roots of the land but there is evidence that the Ojibway Natives were the original inhabitants. 

 

The first European inhabitant of the Limberlost area was Reverend Norton Hill in the 1870’s as part of a European migration program that gave free land to those willing to develop it. He established Hillside Village (where the fire station is at the end of the road) He, and later his grandson Gordon, developed and ran Limberlost Lodge, the lands of which now comprise the Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve. It began operating in the early 1900’s as a premier recreational resort where they combined the activity of the rugged land with the splendour of high-class facilities and lodging. At the time it rivalled Niagara Falls as a honeymoon destination. To give their guests a true Muskoka experience they purchased a property about 5 miles away and included horseback riding and skiing in their year-round destination. Gordon Hill named the property Interlaken as it was between Fatty Lake and Long Lake, now called OxBow Lake and Dotty Lake.

 

Frank Peelar bought the Interlaken property, built a few buildings, including what is still the main dining hall, carved out a 33-acre farm, and got a patent for a trading post on August 30 1912.

 

How does this land play a role in WW11?

 

Nazi Germany invaded and took over Norway on June 10 1940. This caused the ruling party to flee and rule in exile while many Norwegian Patriots escaped and joined the Royal Norwegian Air Force. (RNAF) They needed a place to train and turned to their ally Canada for help. They established a training base at the foot of Bathurst Street in Toronto and at the Island airport opened what they called “Little Norway” on November 10 1940. It was a great day in the relationship between the two countries. Film star Mary Pickford was one of many dignitaries there for the opening. 

 

The Norwegians loved the facilities and location in Toronto but spent a lot of their leisure time in an area about two hours north that reminded them of home. They purchased a property for rest and relaxation in 1941 that they called “Vesle Skaugum” in honour of Crown Prince Olaf, whose property near Oslo went by the same name. They decided to move their training location to the Muskoka Airport in Gravenhurst.  On May 4 1942 Little Norway opened at the Muskoka Airport. Hundreds of Norwegians trained as pilots and crew before returning to the battlefields of Europe.

 

For the much-needed leisure time the Norwegians turned to “Vesle Skaugum” and its two lakes surrounded by deep forests perfect for year-round pleasure.  The Crown Prince visited the site and officially opened the main building on January 18 1942 with the Norwegian emblem over the doorway.  A great inscription that stands to this day was placed over the fireplace that says.” Merkje-Det-Stend- Um- Mannen- Han-Stupe which loosely translated means “The mark of man will stand though man may fall.”

 

With the Nazi’s defeated and the end of the War “Little Norway” at the Muskoka Airport officially closed on February 17 1945 and the property known as Vesle Skaugum was sold by the RNAF to the Toronto Kiwanis Club in September of that year. The Kiwanis Club ran a summer camp for underprivileged kids for many years.

 

 

Then in 1979 Dave Grace saw the property and took the bat off the shoulder and purchased the land as the permanent home to Olympia Sports Camp.

 

 

Always remember that the men and women who trained at Little Norway and enjoyed the property we now know and enjoy as Olympia Sports Camp helped emancipate Norway, and the world.




 

This blog is about the journey of the  writing of the book  A Hero's Journey: From Little Norway to Olympia Sports Camp. The blog will contain excerpts from the book and my personal thoughts on what the place and the people that make up Olympia's journey is all about. The title comes from the great book Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom. The blog's title is recognizing Dave Grace as Camp Director but all content is my own.

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