Little Current is located on the northeastern shore of Manitoulin, where the island makes its closest approach to the Ontario mainland. It was first settled in the 1860's and soon grew into a major Great Lakes port. During the 1880's and 1890's, the town's docks were lined with passenger steamers and sumertime visitors from the lower lakes. Besides tourism, lumbering was the mainstay of the economy and remained so until after World War One.