- Bigwin Inn opened its doors on June 26, 1920.
- According to C.O. Shaw, under his ownership of over 20 years, Bigwin Inn never reported a loss (given its high operating costs, this was very impressive)
- Bigwin Inn paid for itself in its first 7 years of operation
- Staff at Bigwin usually ranged between 250-300 people (mostly students)
- Bigwin was so elaborate that it had its own farm, where fresh produce and dairy products were shipped daily to the inn
- In 1927 a 2,600 square foot stable was built at Norway Point in order to provide horse-back riding to Bigwin�s guests
- The covered walkways, known as cloisters, were mostly built by WWI German POWs, and these arteries provided a link to all the major buildings at the resort
- Lady Eaton�s private yacht, the Wanda III, was added to Bigwin�s fleet of boats in 1931, and often offered cruises of Lake Of Bays. The Wanda III is still in operation today in Gravenhurst, and is available for private bookings
- Guests to the resort included such famous names as Billy Bishop (Canadian flying ace), Franklin Carmichael (of the Group of Seven), Glenn Gould, Ernest Hemingway, Donna Douglas (actress on Beverly Hillbillies), Clark Gable (actor), the Rockefellers, William Wrigley (of Wrigley�s gum), Her Royal Highness Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, Canadian Prime Minister Arthur Meighen and a slew of others
- Later luxuries added to the hotel after Shaw included adding air-taxi service from Toronto by way of a new 3000 foot airstrip right on the island (or by float plane), paging and background sound system, discotheque in the Rotunda, cocktail lounges, more habourfront facilities, and extensive renovations to existing buildings
Activities available at Bigwin:
Here are some of the outdoor activities that were available to Bigwin guests:
- swimming
- four clay tennis courts
- badminton courts
- horseshoe pits
- 18-hole golf course
- 3 bowling greens
- baseball diamond
- horseback riding
- sailing
- canoeing
Dining-room Complex
- The dining-room complex could seat up to 750 (the hotel itself could only accommodate 500), and with over 55,000 square feet, meant that each guest had 73 square feet to him/herself!
- The main hall, the �Indian Head Room�, was a sight to be seen � a ceiling over 35 feet about a 130-foot diameter fully open hall
- Waitresses abode by very strict rules, and had to memorize all orders. All hot and cold dishes were carried separately, and to ensure absolute cleanliness, spare outfits were available to all staff in case of spillage.
- The Indian Head Room was smoke and alcohol free (it was Shaw who insisted that all of Bigwin be absolutely alcohol-free)
- There was an auxiliary dining room (smaller, but still comfortable) so that nurses, infants, and nannies would not upset the stature of the Indian Head Room. In fact, to encourage the use of the room, Bigwin offered discounts to those guests who took advantage of this room
- The new Marine Dining Room (built in 1929/30) next to the Indian Head Room offered guests less elaborate and more intimate dining experiences, and seated up to 150
Dance Pavilion
- The dance pavilion was designed similar to the dining-room complex, grand and luxurious, so that as soon as guests finished their dinner, they would be equally as excited to go dance at the Pavilion. The hall was impressive at 12,000 square feet
- The Pavilion was built over water with boat slips underneath to allow guests� boats to be protected by any harsh weather
- To make use of its size during the day, the Pavilion was used as convention space, and could seat 1000 people
- Bigwin had its own 9-piece orchestra, and on evenings the Pavilion was the place to be � whether there was a play, a musical concert, or just a night of dancing
The Rotunda
- As Douglas McTaggart states, ��the Rotunda was designed by John Wilson to be darker and more stately that the resort�s other buildings.�
- From the bottom (native boulders as foundations) to the top (long and huge beams made of redwood), the Rotunda was definitely more local in appearance than the other main buildings
- The eight beautifully designed fireplaces were big enough to burn 5-foot logs�yes, 5 feet!!!
- The Rotunda was the first building guests saw from inside, and was designed to be the centerpiece of the hotel
- The Rotunda housed all the essentials � children�s playroom, library, writing cloves, reception desk, 24-hour switchboard and telegraph office, post office, doctor�s/nurse�s office, beauty parlour, barbershop, newsstand, giftshop, office space and accommodation space � all together, 26,000 square feet!
Other Buildings
- The two lodges were placed on both sides of the Rotunda, and each measured over 55,000 square feet. There were three floors, each with one straight corridor measuring over a 1/8 of a mile in length. Rooms were very spacious � 225 square feet with 12-foot ceilings, and were equipped with large clothes closets and 56 square foot bathrooms equipped with both hot and cold water
- The Tea House was built in 1929 to serve as a place to have snacks during the day. From 10 am to 12 midnight, the 4,000 square foot Tea House was a nice place to get away from the somewhat overwhelming presence of the other areas of the resort
- An 8000 square foot ferry house was added in the late 20s to house Bigwin�s extensive fleet of boats
- Bigwin had its own 2000 square foot powerhouse to ensure a constant power supply at all times
- The observation water tower could store over 100,000 gallons of water
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