Outdoors: Interesting facts about the Group of Seven

The Group of Seven is Canada’s greatest art collective. Together, they changed the art world in Canada forever. 

This group rode the rails into the deep recesses of the Algoma wilderness to escape not just the hustle and bustle of Toronto, but to immerse themselves into our landscapes that brought them peace and a sense of tranquility. 

With the death of their friend Tom Thomson and the horrors of World War I, our healing landscapes brought them here again and again. 

There are many stories of the Group of Seven in Algoma and the North Shore of Lake Superior, but here are 10 interesting facts about members of the Group that might surprise you!

1. The first trips to Algoma were in May and September of 1918 when members of the Group first painted along the rail line.

2. Members of the Group used handcarts to travel up and down the rail line to access painting sites.

3. A.Y. Jackson returned to Michipicoten Bay and area often between 1955 and 1961 where he shared ownership of a cottage. The cottage still stands today in Wawa, although located on private property.

4. A.Y. Jackson painted a headstone in the Garden River Cemetery and no one knows why. It’s a mystery!

5. Not all members of the Group painted in Algoma; Frederick Varley never painted here but his grandson travels here every summer to hike in Lake Superior Provincial Park!

- Heather Bot

Read more about the Group of Seven interesting facts.