The Commanda Museum sits on Highway 522 in the small community of Commanda, in Nipissing Township. It is housed in the old Commanda General Store, a building that has stood for well over a century. Today it is the only commercial building left from what was once a busy village, and it gives visitors a real look at what life was like for the early settlers of the Almaguin Highlands.
The story of the store begins in 1885. That year, James Arthurs opened the Commanda General Store to serve the settlers who were making their way north along the Old Nipissing Road. The road was one of the last routes built to bring new immigrants into Ontario’s near north, and Commanda grew up around it as a stopping point. Arthurs himself went on to do big things. He established the 162 Battalion during the First World War and later became a Canadian senator. But back in 1885, he was simply a shopkeeper serving a hardy group of newcomers who were braving harsh conditions to build new lives.
The store stayed open for 92 years. It moved to a new spot in the early 1930s and finally closed its doors in 1977. When it closed, the village had already faded, and the old store was all that remained of Commanda’s commercial past. The building is a fine example of late 19th century Victorian commercial architecture, and it has been kept in good shape so visitors can see it much as it would have looked long ago.
Inside, the museum’s exhibits bring the years from 1885 to the mid 1930s back to life. You can see the kinds of wares that would have lined the shelves when the store was open. There are displays of old food packaging, clothing, and tools. There are also photographs of the people who owned and ran the store over the years, along with photos of the town itself. Together, they paint a vivid picture of a small community that has mostly vanished.
The museum is open Friday through Sunday from 11 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. It is a quiet stop, but a rewarding one for anyone who wants to understand the history of this corner of cottage country.