The early town of Rat Portage was little more than a small clearing in the bush, with a
                       meandering row of shanties along the shoreline. But this rustic little town was to become
                       the main object of interest in the Ontario-Manitoba boundary dispute which lasted from
                       1870 to 1884. Each province claimed the town as part of their territory. Both provinces had
                       jails in the town, and both issued titles to mining claims and timber licenses. Even though
                       Rat Portage, Manitoba was incorporated as a municipality in 1882, on September 28,
                       1883, polling took place here to elect members to the Provincial Legislatures of both
                       provinces. Finally, in 1884, the Privy Council of England, to which the dispute had been
                       taken, decided in favour of Ontario. It became official in 1889.