Gary Denniss


Frank Garfield "Gary" Denniss is a Canadian historian, newspaper columnist, retired public school teacher, speaker and ordained minister born in 1944 in Bracebridge, Ontario Denniss is the author of 43 books on the history of the District Municipality of Muskoka,

Biography

Gary Denniss was born at Bracebridge Memorial Hospital on May 31, 1944, to Frank Edwin Denniss II, and Jessie Evelyn Arnott. Mr Denniss taught in the public schools in the Bracebridge, Ontario area until his retirement in 1998. He continues to live in Bracebridge, where he writes, teaches piano, and officiates at weddings and funerals. Since 1991, Mr Denniss has held a leadership role in the maintenance of Bracebridge veterans' gravesites, veterans' memories and Langford Cemetery, Macaulay Township.

Published works

  • "Macaulay Township in Days Gone By" : Herald-Gazette Press, 1970,.
  • "The Pioneer Zimmerman Family of Macaulay Township", newspaper article, Herald-Gazette, Bracebridge, ON. April 2, 1970.
  • "A Brief History of the Schools in Muskoka", Herald-Gazette Press, 1972.
  • "Free Methodist Hill, a Centennial History", 1879–1979, Herald-Gazette, 1979.
  • "The Spirit of the Twelfth ; The story of the Orange Order in Canada", Gravenhurst Printing, 1982
  • "Muskoka - Ontario’s First District Municipality", 1995, GarDen Press.
  • "A Brief History of the Churches in Muskoka", 1997, 1998 and 2003, Publisher: GarDen Press, 2003,
  • "The Story of Springdale Park", Publisher: Springdale Park Spiritual Association, 1998., by Gary Denniss.
  • "Educating Muskoka District", 1999,, by Gary Denniss.
  • "The Educational Heritage of Muskoka", 2001,.
  • "The Past Before Us: A History of Free Methodist Camp Meetings in Muskoka, 2002,.
  • "In Loving Memory: The History of Langford Cemetery", 2006.
  • "Going to School in Macaulay", 2010, by Gary Denniss.
  • "The Holditch Family Reunion", Sept. 2013, GarDen Press.
  • "Historic Routes of Bracebridge", 2012, GarDen Press.
  • "Bracebridge Connections", Vol. 1, 2014, GarDen Press.
  • "Bracebridge Connections", Vol. 2, 2015, GarDen Press
  • "Bracebridge in the Fifties", 2016, GarDen Press
  • "Bracebridge in the Sixties", 2017, GarDen Press
  • "Bracebridge in the Seventies", GarDen Press, February 2018,
  • "Muskoka Scrapbook", 1952.
  • "A Good Town Continues - Bracebridge 1915–1999", contributed to by Gary Denniss.
  • "The Orange Lodge and its History in Muskoka", 1999.
  • "Titch of Muskoka "
  • "Muskoka Scrapbook - a five-part series of books on World War 1" -1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918): Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, Volume 5 "Muskoka Scrapbook - Speaker Series", sponsored by Muskoka Steamship and Historical Society", First speaker, Gary Denniss, Sun., April 22, 2007.
  • Bracebridge in the Eighties December 2018, GarDen Press
  • The Family Heritage of Howard and Sheila Vincent,, December 2018, GarDen Press
  • "The Arnott's of 36 Edward Street",, June 2019. The Book Covers Muskoka's Rugged, Rich Past", Mark Clairmont, Muskoka Today
  • "Langford Cemetery 1873-2023"
  • "The Zimmerman Family Legacy"
  • "The Denniss Family Legacy"
  • "Muskoka Memories 101" November 2019,
  • "Muskoka Memories 102"
  • "Muskoka Memories 103" October 2021
  • "Muskoka Memories 104"
  • "Muskoka Memories 105"
  • "Muskoka Memories 106"
  • "Muskoka Memories 107"
  • "Muskoka Memories 108"
  • "Muskoka Memories 109"
  • "Muskoka Memories 110"

    Other Links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srTeIAKzUCU
https://muskokatoday.com/2023/08/latest-gary-denniss-history-book-covers-muskokas-rugged-rich-past

Reviews

  • "Among local Historians, Gary Denniss is Royalty", by Ted Currie, Muskoka Today, Nov. 3–17 issue, 1995.

    Awards and honors

  • Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement, presented by Lt. Gov. David Onley, Feb. 21, 2013
  • Heritage Community Recognition Award, presented to Mr. Denniss at the Rene Caisse Theatre, the Town of Bracebridge, by Councillor Steve Clement and C. Hammond, June 27, 2012
  • Robert J. Boyer Award, "honours the dedication of individuals in our community who work to keep the natural and cultural history of our region alive", presented to Gary Denniss by the Board of Directors, Muskoka Conservancy, May 17, 2013.