History
Peterborough, surrounded by lakes and rivers, was a natural centre for canoe-making. First Nations people developed many efficient methods of transportation suited to Canada’s geography and climate such as the canoe and snowshoes. In years to come, Peterborough would become a world centre for industrial production of these First Nations inventions. Canoe manufacturers and the Peterborough Ski and Toboggan Company (a division of the Peterborough Canoe Company) produced and shipped canoes, toboggans and snowshoes around the world. The Peterborough Canoe Company was started by John Stephenson of Ashburnham and Tom Gordon of Lakefield in the late 1850s. Their canoe design was lightweight and strong, combining the best features of the bark and dugout canoes. This new design put Peterborough on the map as the "Canoe Capital of Canada," and soon, many canoe-making companies emerged.