The former Township of Head forms part of the amalgamated municipality of Head, Clara & Maria in the westernmost reaches of Renfrew County. Sparsely populated and heavily forested, Head Township was surveyed in the mid-19th century as part of Ontario’s final push to open up Crown lands along the Ottawa River and its tributaries.

The landscape here is rugged—steep hills, scattered lakes, and few arable patches of land. Settlement was limited, and most Crown grants were issued to timber companies rather than farming families. Road access remains limited to this day, and large swaths of Head Township are undeveloped.

From a cadastral standpoint, Head Township is a study in minimal disturbance. Crown lot lines are often intact on paper but never opened on the ground, and monumentation is sparse. Surveyors here often rely on remote sensing, historic timber licenses, and shoreline reservations. The township contains several isolated parcels tied to mineral claims or logging rights, each requiring review of Crown land records and sometimes Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources archives.