Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
The Gunshot Treaty (also known as the Johnson-Butler Purchase) of 1787–1788 was an early Upper Canada land agreement. Spanning from the eastern border of the Toronto Purchase to the Bay of Quinte, it famously defined its northern boundary as the distance a gunshot could be heard from the shore of Lake Ontario. The lack of formal documentation, specific northern boundaries, or defined terms created massive disputes over land rights for over a century.
The Gunshot Treaty (also known as the Johnson-Butler Purchase) of 1787–1788 was an early Upper Canada land agreement. Spanning from the eastern border of the Toronto Purchase to the Bay of Quinte, it famously defined its northern boundary as the distance a gunshot could be heard from the shore of Lake Ontario. The lack of formal documentation, specific northern boundaries, or defined terms created massive disputes over land rights for over a century.
