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The History of the Old Stone Crypt

Ξ October 29th, 2009 | → 5 Comments | ∇ In and Around Muskoka Ontario, Tripin around Towns |

Driving around the back roads of Muskoka I recently found this old stone crypt near Torrance, Ontario.

I discovered this is the final resting place for William Odell Darling Pine Whiting and family. (Boy, they had long names back then) W.O. Whiting was from England and fell in love with Muskoka in 1885 when he was returning to Toronto while serving with the Northwest Grenadiers after the Riel rebellion.

He later returned in 1892 and bought a large piece of beachfront stretching from Sandy Point to Coulter’s Narrows on Lake Muskoka. William built a 210 room, 4-story hotel called the Brighton Beach Hotel which was a replica of a hotel back in Brighton Beach England. Unfortunately the hotel burned down before it ever opened. Later, William and his wife Clara Cronkhite built a second smaller hotel named the Brighton Beach II which operated for a short while until it burned down in 1917.

Here is a good article about the Whiting family called; Ninety-Three Muskoka Summers

Crypt-800

Please click for a large photo

 

5 Responses to ' The History of the Old Stone Crypt '

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  1. Jenn Jilks said,

    on October 29th, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    Where is this, Ed? Mom and dad are sitting on a shelf. I need to figure out where to put them! I think my brother wants them in Torrance, but I haven’t been able to find the cemetery he meant.

    Kewl photo!

  2. Heather said,

    on November 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 pm

    Don’t see crypts much around here…

    Cheers

  3. sue and david whiting said,

    on December 5th, 2009 at 3:42 am

    We visit Canada and include the Muskoka area every second year from England,we will look for crypt next time ( 2011 ) would love to have more information on cemetery location.My husbands family roots were in England around the area that William Whiting originated from.

  4. Bill Macfarlane said,

    on April 11th, 2010 at 8:58 am

    it is located on Torrance Rd which turns into East Bay Road off HWY 169 North towards Bala

  5. Ellen said,

    on May 26th, 2010 at 5:39 pm

    Hi I have the family history on Ancestry and I an the custodian of the Family plots in the Torrance Cemetary. Would love to meet the Whitings from England.We are planning a family reunion in Aug

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