Sioux Narrows is a small community located in Northwestern Ontario, on the shores of Lake of the Woods. Sioux Narrows is located on Highway 71 between Kenora (75 km to the north) and Fort Frances (140 kilometres to the south). Highway 71 connects Highway 11, the Northern Route of the Trans-Canada Highway with the #17 Main Route of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Sioux Narrows is a popular destination for tourists, drawn to the area for its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and cultural heritage.
Sioux Narrows History
The town’s history is closely tied to the development of the logging and fishing industries in the area.
The name Sioux Narrows comes from a narrow passage of water that connects Lake of the Woods to a smaller body of water known as Regina Bay. The town takes its name from the fact that this narrow passage was traditionally used by Sioux and Ojibwe tribes to transport goods and conduct trade.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the logging industry began to boom in Northwestern Ontario, and Sioux Narrows became an important hub for the transportation of timber. The town was also an important stopping point for steamships and other vessels traveling through the waterways of the region.
In the early 1900s, the fishing industry began to develop in the area, with the establishment of several fish processing plants and canneries. This brought an influx of new residents to the town, and Sioux Narrows began to grow and develop as a community.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Sioux Narrows became a popular destination for tourists and sportsmen, drawn to the area for its excellent fishing and hunting opportunities. This led to the establishment of several resorts and lodges in the town, which remain an important part of the local economy to this day.
Highway 71 connecting Kenora and Fort Frances was completed in 1936 when the bridge was built at the Sioux Narrows gap. The bridge was solidly built of old-growth Dougls Fir.
During World War II, Sioux Narrows was home to a radar station and a pilot training base for pilots, and many local residents were employed in support of these facilities