Port Sandfield is a community on Lake Rosseau

Lake Rosseau

Lake Rosseau is located in Ontario about 200 kilometers north of Toronto. The lake is surrounded by many cottages, some dating back to the late 19th century. The south end of the lake is in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and the north end is in Seguin Township. Lake Rosseau is connected to Lake...

 in Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, located within and governed by the municipality of Muskoka Lakes

Muskoka Lakes, Ontario

The Township of Muskoka Lakes is an area municipality of the District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario. It has a year-round population of 6,467 and a summer population of 34,000.-History and government:...

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It was founded in 1870, when a canal was built connecting Lake Joseph

Lake Joseph

Lake Joseph is located in Seguin Township, Ontario. The lake is surrounded by many cottages. Lake Joseph is connected to Lake Rosseau through the narrows at Port Sandfield and the Joseph River.-Lake Front Resident Advocacy Group:...

 to Lake Rosseau

Lake Rosseau

Lake Rosseau is located in Ontario about 200 kilometers north of Toronto. The lake is surrounded by many cottages, some dating back to the late 19th century. The south end of the lake is in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and the north end is in Seguin Township. Lake Rosseau is connected to Lake...

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Alexander Peter Cockburn

Alexander Peter Cockburn

Alexander Peter Cockburn was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Victoria North in the 1st Parliament of Ontario and Muskoka and then Ontario North in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member from 1872 to 1887.He was born in Finch in 1837, the son of Scottish...

, a member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament and founder and first President of the Muskoka Settlers’ Association played a leading role in getting the canal funded. The canal was funded at the same time as a lock at Port Carling.
The canal and lock allowed a fleet of steamboats to carry freight, mail, cargo and timber over the three largest lakes in the county of Muskoka.

Port Sandfield was named after John Sandfield MacDonald

John Sandfield Macdonald

John Sandfield Macdonald, QC was the first Premier of the province of Ontario, one of the four founding provinces created at the confederation of Canada in 1867...

, who was then the Premier

Premier

Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...

 of Ontario.
The swing bridge

Swing bridge

A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...

over the canal built in 1924 is the oldest in the province.

The canal fell into disuse, but was rehabilitated in 1999.