The lake, like most lakes in Ontario, were created during and after the last ice age. Various tribes of indians lived in the area and became farmers of the  land. In the 16th century Champlain passed through Stony Lake with the couriers de bois on his way back from the west. As time went on, logging became a big industry in the Kawarthas and Stony was used as part of the highway for moving logs down to the sawmills such as at Peterborough. Steel pins with hooks can still be seen anchored in the rock of some of the islands on Stony lake. These hooks were used to tie up the log booms. A system of locks was needed to facilitate the movement of traffic up and down the Kawarthas and in Bobcaygeon in 1833 the first lock was built.. The system was worked on over many years but between 1883 and 1887 locks were built at Burleigh Falls, Lovesick, Buckhorn and Fenelon Falls. The Kawartha Lakes then became navigable from Lakefield to Balsom Lake.