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Just a heads up, the most recent episode of Murdoch Mysteries revolved around a murder mystery in in Algonquin Park. There's two time periods in it, one is 1875 and the other is about 30 years after. You get to see some of the old school equipment such as canvas tents, heavy cast-iron cookware, etc.
I'm not sure if it was filmed in Algonquin but the terrain looks bang on, I just wish they had some bigger panoramic shots of the lake to really give you the feel of how beautiful the place is. I would have loved it if they referenced more concrete information such as the lake they were on, the camp they stayed at and I also had expected to hear some names from that era that I would recognize (e.g. J.R. Booth).
All in all, still worth the watch.
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I was trying to recall whether or not 1875 was a realistic date.
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Yes Shawn. If in fact the producers of this episode infer that young Murdoch attended a children's camp in Algonquin Park in 1875 .. well, they are off by a few decades.
A few sample dates help put the park area in some historical context ...
1846 - five million CF of pine were logged and floated down the Madawaska, Bonnechere and Petawawa rivers.
1853 - Alexander Murray ( of the Geological Survey) travelled via Canoe, Otterslide, Burnroot, Cedar and the Petawawa .. documenting the poor agricultural prospects.
1893 - The Ontario Legislature formed "Algonquin National Park".
1896 - The OAPS Railway was completed through the park, primarily for hauling logs and freight.
1908 - Algonquin's first childrens' camp was founded .. Northway Lodge for girls, on Cache Lake.
1914 - Camp Pathfinder (for boys) was founded on Source Lake.
Perhaps the episode's premise of young Murdoch's experience in "pre-park" Algonquin could be taken as an organization's "childrens' camping trip into the wilderness" .. somewhat like those conducted today in the park. However, in the year 1875 the area was much more primitive, wild and unserviced.
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Thanks Barry, you confirm my recollection. Liberties were taken but the Algonquin subject was still entertaining. I'll choose to believe your latter scenario. 🙂
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I was able to sit down after dinner, achieve a video-stream connection and watch the episode. It's interesting to watch such a screenplay's production, while looking for any blips and inaccuracies.
In one scene, Murdoch refers to "summer camp in Algonquin" and later there's merely reference to "wilderness trip". Given that the children are seen unloading their packs from horse-drawn wagons and immediately departing on a backpacking trip, we can assume that the existence of an actual structural camp was not being inferred.
At the scene of the 1875 murder, it's interesting to see that the victim's wooden boat had an upright flat stern with a motor-notch .. not the lines of a period skiff or dory-type boat.
The "present-day" (1903) railway station is called "Algonquin", has a police station structure and exists by a watercourse that had walleye back in 1875. Is that sounding a bit "fishy"?
I confess to having being suspicious of the flashlight that Murdoch pulled out of his 1903 pack. But research tells me that In 1899, English inventor David Misell invented the first flashlight. It had three D batteries placed in a tube that acted as a handle of the device. So OK for the flashlight!
Petty armchair criticisms aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the episode.
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From what I've seen of the show, I don't think "historical accuracy" comes into play very much. 
It's a very pretty costume drama, for sure.
Barbara
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Murdoch Mysteries Facebook page:
Included in the interview about this episode is the young lad who plays "young" Murdoch. Quite the mature and professional actor.
A caption from one of the photos: Alex Paxton-Beesley (“Pink”) and crew on location in Rockwood Conversation Area.
Barbara
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