Grattan Township, surveyed in the mid-19th century as part of the Crown’s inland expansion, features a classic Ontario concession grid laid over varied terrain. Its early development was spurred by Irish immigrants who travelled along the Opeongo Colonization Road and settled the area through land grants. Farming, despite the rocky soil, became the foundation of the local economy, supplemented by timber harvesting and small-scale industry.

The township includes part of the Bonnechere River watershed, which influenced both land use and access. Water-powered mills dotted its creeks, and many road allowances were laid out to serve these sites. Several school sections and church lots appear on early plans, reflecting the township’s dispersed but stable population.

For surveyors, Grattan presents relatively consistent lot patterns, but occupation often strays from paper plans. Long-standing farms may straddle original lot lines, and fencing can override legal descriptions. Original Crown patents and settlement duty documentation provide valuable insight into title chains. Topography—especially near the Bonnechere—often forced practical deviations that require reconciling historical surveys with field evidence.