Tehkummah

The hamlet of Tehkummah is a traditional country town that features a cluster of homes, a large and busy community hall, the municipal office and library (in the same building). These municipal assets are located in a three-room school that was the next step up after one room schools like the one in South Baymouth (now the hub of the community’s museum) were closed in favour of bussing to more central locations.

But, like the one room school in neighbouring South Baymouth, it has been repurposed and elementary school children ride buses to still larger schools.

It is a nice touch that, behind this municipal complex in what would have been the school’s playground, a children’s play area has been established.

The heart of the hamlet, and still a vital part of the entire township (which includes South Baymouth), is the large, renamed Ward’s Store. It is in its fourth generation of Ward family and has the ambience, toppings and useful contents of a traditional general store; the last one on Manitoulin Island. Besides dry goods, hardware, food items, the store recently became home to a LCBO agency store and so now also sells beer, wine and spirits out of a designated space near the front door.