Fraser Township, now part of Head, Clara and Maria, occupies a remote corner of Renfrew County along the Ottawa River. It was originally surveyed in the late 1800s under Crown direction, with the intent of promoting timber extraction and eventual settlement. However, its rocky terrain and poor agricultural prospects limited population growth.

Timber rights were the dominant economic activity here. Much of the land was issued under license for logging, and some properties retain Crown timber reservations to this day. The river provided the only reliable transport route, and several timber slides and loading docks once dotted the shoreline.

From a survey standpoint, Fraser Township involves large, often unoccupied lots with minimal monumentation. Access is typically via seasonal roads or water, and original survey plans may never have been fully realized on the ground. Crown land management, public access corridors, and historic logging claims frequently factor into modern survey work. The Ottawa River’s shifting edge introduces additional complexity in defining riparian boundaries.