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(ras. HISTORY OF FERNDALE - SWAN LAKE WOMEN'S INSTITUTE -;j The Ferndale-Swan Lake Institute was organized at 23' the home of Mrs. Wm. Coram on November 12, 1935. Mrs. Samuel, District President was In charge of the meeting. Mrs. John Noble was the first President. Mrs. E. C. Scott was Secretary-Treasurer. There were 20 members a nd 10 visitors. Topic of the first meeting was "How we are benefited by meeting together" by Mrs. W. B. Moore of Lion's Head. GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY of' the district covered by Ferndale-Swan Lake Institute North boundary - Thirty-fifth sideroad of Eastnor from the first concession to Georgian Bay East boundary - One and one quarter miles of' Georgian Bay coast line and fourth concession of Eastnor South boundary - lot eighteen West boundary - First concession of Eastnor '75 About one and one quarter miles of' Georgian Bay.. 't' shore Is included in this Area and is a beautiful wooded tourists' paradise with many cottages. Off this shore ls one of' the finest fishing grounds for lake trout in Ontario. The rest of' this territory is fine farming land including the drained bed of Swan Lake. HISTORY OF THE HAMLET OF FERNDALE Ferndale derived Its name from the many ferns that grew on the farms surrounding the corner and was referred to as "A Dale of Ferns" hence Ferndale. Many of' the ferns have been cleared away as the land was cleared but on lot 27 Con. 3 can still be found . a goodly number on the waste land of that farm. When the history of Bruce County was written, the Bruce Peninsula was known as the Indian Peninsula and was referred to as the most unpromising part of' the county. Land that at one time had a fair amount of timber on It had been burned over by forest fires, remaining was bare rocks on which a scanty growth of stunted trees were to he seen. Good land was a swamp which having been drained became excellent land yielding large crops, this section being a fine example (~17 of suoh soil. 3 And so through the Years from the expanses of bare -' rocks and fertile land has sprung up the little hamlet of Ferndale situated on the four corners of the provin- cial highway number 6 and 25th sideroad of Eastnor township. When the school was built in 1891 there were