The Deseronto Canoe Club was founded with fifteen members in 1884 by F.S. Rathbun who went on to become ACA Commodore two years later. (This may actually be 1883 since Deseronto is listed as an attending club at the 1883 ACA meet on Stoney Lake) In 1885, Rathbun organised what was to be known as the first "Canadian Canoe Club Meet" at Deseronto and presented a handsome cup to be raced for monthly during the 1885 season. The meet was held at Unger's Island, June 8-10. Deseronto expected to build a large boathouse in the spring of 1885 according to "The American Canoeist" magazine, April 1885. According to a genealogical record of the Rathbun family, the canoe club was on the Rathbun waterfront property and burned down in the disastrous fire which consumed the east end of Deseronto on May 24, 1896. Deseronto is not on the list of ACA clubs by 1900.