The Art of the Hunt: Treasure Seeking on the Backroads of Almaguin

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The Art of the Hunt: Treasure Seeking on the Backroads of Almaguin

June 22nd, 2026 by Megan Yemm

Leaving down Deer Lake Road in Emsdale, eyes peeled for #438, I can feel the shift happen — that familiar twitch in my legs, that little spark in my chest — as I gear up for a very different kind of hunting than most people expect on an Almaguin backroad. My ammunition is caffeine. My weapon of choice? A well‑worn wallet and an unshakable belief that today might be the day I find the thing.

The gravel crunches under my tires as I pull into a small, unassuming clearing beside a nondescript barn. Before I can even step out, an ATV hums its way toward me from the main house. At the wheel is Val Sheekay, owner of Antiques in the Barn, in Emsdale, ready to guide me into the kind of treasure hunt only Almaguin can offer.

Val has built a space where the thrill of the unexpected is the whole point. She is always on the hunt for pieces she has never seen before, the kind that make customers stop mid‑aisle and say, “Wow, I have never seen one of these before.” That moment, she says, is magic.

Val sources treasures through weekly online auctions and the steady stream of locals who arrive with trunks, boxes, and barn finds from family farms. “I am cleaning out my dad’s farm, would you be interested?” is a sentence she hears often, and her answer is always the same: Absolutely. I will take it all.

Visitors are welcomed with genuine warmth and the hope that something on the shelves will talk to them. Sustainability is woven into everything Val does. Antiques are the original form of reuse, meant to be kept, loved, and passed on.

And in true Almaguin spirit, Val sends customers to every other shop in the region. “We all benefit by helping one another,” she says. It is a simple philosophy that keeps the local treasure‑hunting trail thriving.

Val Skeekay, owner of Antiques in the BarnAntique's in the Barn isn’t the only place keeping Almaguin’s treasure‑hunting spirit alive. Across the region tucked behind barns, inside old storefronts, and down winding sideroads a handful of passionate collectors and curators are shaping a scene that’s as eclectic as the items they rescue. I spent a few days visiting them, asking what makes their shops tick and what makes the scene in Almaguin special. 

If Almaguin has a beating heart for second‑life treasures, it is tucked inside a 400‑square‑foot barn known as The Muskoka Room. The barn itself has a story too. Locals once called it the Paddle Barn, named for the wooden paddles crafted there decades ago for Algonquin‑bound cottagers.

Lindsay Edwards and her daughter Bella opened their doors in July 2020, mid‑pandemic and mid‑chaos, and immediately found themselves swept into the region’s hidden history. Since then, they have cleaned out 128 estates, uncovering everything from “1800s bottles containing a baby’s first haircut” to an amputated arm belonging to a Canadian war veteran. These are the kinds of finds that remind you how strange, intimate, and human this work can be.

Corners and cabinets full of treasures at The Muskoka Room in EmsdaleBut Lindsay insists the real treasure is always the next owner. “We are not a museum… we pass pieces immediately to the next character meant to write their next chapter.”

Their sourcing is gritty and emotional. Four a.m. departures, midnight returns, and the trust of families overwhelmed by downsizing. Almaguin’s century farms, multi‑generational cottages, and isolated properties feed a constant stream of raw, unfiltered history into the shop. That same spirit of preservation is alive elsewhere in Emsdale — in a shop preparing to open its doors for the very first time. 

Owner Lindy Vardy has spent a lifetime preparing and many locals will recognize the property as the former Variegated Devas nursery. The building is now complete, the treasures are in place, and Lindy is in the final stages of sorting and styling before opening The Jewel Box.

Her most extraordinary piece is one she will never part with: an 1863 Civil War militia uniform coat, a stunning garment of braid and brass that she describes as an honour to steward.

Most items find her through local collectors, estate pieces, and Almaguin’s deep well of pioneer history and seasonal nostalgia. When The Jewel Box opens, visitors can expect a bright space filled with curated displays and something for every budget. 

Sustainability is central to Lindy’s philosophy. Every saved item is a victory, every mark a story worth keeping. And she’s already dreaming beyond opening day, from artisan pop‑ups to a potential guild of local vintage shops that could turn Almaguin into a true treasure‑hunting destination.

Treasure hunting in Almaguin isn’t just about the objects you bring home. It’s about the people who pull history out of barns and backrooms, who rescue stories from attics and estates, and who believe the past deserves another chance to shine. Each stop adds another thread to the region’s tapestry, and more often than not, the treasures find you first.

If you are planning your own trip, these experts suggest coming prepared. Bring a co‑pilot who loves the hunt, pack snacks and water for the backroads, wear a small crossbody bag, and keep your trunk empty for the surprises ahead. And because this is Almaguin, bring bug spray and comfortable shoes, you are almost guaranteed to find yourself wandering through the rugged natural surroundings that make this region what it is. Most of all, bring curiosity and someone who loves the thrill of the hunt right alongside you.