Orillia City Map Poster

About Orillia

The city is situated on the traditional territory of the Anishnaabe, who spoke one of the Algonquian languages. The land was given as a gift to them by Naadaawe (the Creator) and his people, according to Anishinabemowin legend. The word "Orillia" means "Beautiful Place" in Ojibwe language; this name was given by other First Nations peoples who originally called it ""Me-a-gwad"" meaning "where there are many fish". In 1867 Orillia was incorporated as a village and became an important shipping port for local agriculture products such as wheat, flour and tobacco. In 1895 it became a town with most government services available at that time including telephone service connected from Toronto via Hamilton through Sault Ste Marie then up north into North Bay where they would connect with Bell Canada's lines going westward across northern Ontario until reaching Winnipeg Manitoba or southward down through Michigan USA until reaching New York City or Boston Massachusetts .