Barry's Bay is a charming community nestled in the township of Madawaska Valley, Ontario, Canada. Situated two hours west of Ottawa on the picturesque shores of Kamaniskeg Lake, this quaint town boasted a population of 1,259 as of 2016.
The Algonquin people, the original inhabitants of the area, named it Kuaenash Ne-ishing, translating to 'beautiful bay'. They utilized this scenic location as a meeting point, often hosting vibrant pow wow gatherings.
The first attempts to survey the waterways of this region by the authorities of the British colony of Upper Canada occurred in 1847. Mapmaker James Haslett, during his visit, noted the presence of an Irish farmer named William Byers. This name was possibly transcribed as "Barry's", leading to the christening of the area as Barry's Bay on Haslett's maps.
A more colloquial backstory suggests that the first permanent structure was erected in the late 1850s by a James Barry, a foreman for a lumber company. The lumberjacks working under Barry began referring to the area as Barry's Camp on the Bay, which was eventually shortened to Barry's Bay.
The earliest settlers were loggers and farmers, and by the late 1850s, the authorities of Upper Canada sought to expand colonization in this region by constructing the Opeongo Line, a series of roads extending westward from Renfrew. Between 1858 and 1910, the area attracted settlers of Irish and Polish descent. The Barry's Bay post office was established in 1876, and the town was officially incorporated in 1933.
During World War II, the town served as a standby base for the Canadian Military. Local workers and lumbermen were transformed into soldiers to contribute to Canada's war efforts.
The historic train station in Barry's Bay is now the home of the South of 60 Arts' Centre, a venue for a variety of arts and craft shows, musical events, and festivals. In 2008, the town re-opened the Radcliffe Hills Ski Area for snowboarding and downhill skiing. Barry's Bay was also the Central Canada finalist in the 2006 CBC Hockeyville competition.
The community has dedicated a park and monument to honor the construction of the Canadian Avro CF-105 Arrow and its chief test pilot, local resident Janusz Żurakowski. The CF-105 was an advanced Canadian designed-and-built interceptor that played a crucial role in the advancement of aviation technology in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
