The ancestors of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation were inhabitants of the Lake Simcoe region long before the arrival of white settlers. Chippewa Chief, Joseph Snake, and his people first lived on Snake Island, one of three islands (Snake, Fox and Georgina) not surrendered to the Crown.
In 1830, Snake and two other Chippewa communities (led by Chief Assance and Chief Yellowhead) were moved to 9,800 acres near what is now Coldwater, Ontario as part of the government’s Coldwater Experiment to colonize the Chippewa people. Then, just six years later, the Chiefs were forced to surrender these lands under treaty. Chief Joseph Snake slowly moved his people back to Snake Island. By 1860, the band had outgrown small Snake Island and Chief Snake moved his people onto the larger and more spacious Georgina Island.
Present day, the Chippewas of Georgina Island on-reserve membership resides on Georgina Island, a private residential community. A small portion of properties on Georgina Island, and the majority of Snake and Fox Island, are leased to non-members and contain summer cottages.
Chippewas of Georgina Island