The township comprises the communities of Amigo Beach, Ardtrea, Buckskin, Buena Vista Park, Burnside, Carlyon, Coldwater, Cumberland Beach, Fesserton, Hamlet, Hampshire Mills, Happyland, Hawkins Corner, Hydro Glen, Lovering, Maple Valley, Marchmont, Menoke Beach, Mordolphin, Mount Stephen, Port Severn, Port Stanton, Scarlet Park, Severn Bridge, Severn Falls, Sparrow Lake, Swift Rapids, Uhthoff, the Uhthoff Hunt Camp, Wilson Point, and Washago.

Chief John Aisance and his band of Chippewas (also known as Ojibwa) settled along the Coldwater River in 1830, calling the place Gissinausebing, which means "cold water."

They built a grist mill on the site in 1833, which the Native people owned until 1849.

Since the timber supply in the area had been greatly reduced, the mill was not rebuilt and the population of the village began to decline.

With the completion of the Trent–Severn Waterway in this area in 1915, economic activity shifted from lumber to tourism.