Originally a 14th-century Huron settlement on southern Georgian Bay. The region became heavily populated in the early 1600's by French fur traders and Jesuit missionaries. More than 25 hand-painted murals on downtown buildings depicts the Jesuit influence. Midland is now a popular summer vacation spot for boating, swimming, windsurfing, fishing, golfing, and scuba diving. Winter brings enthusiasts for ice fishing, snowmobiling, and cross country-skiing.