December 2009 Volume 2: Issue 1
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Kinmount Gazette KINMOUNT GAZETTE COMMITTEE A S U B - COMMITTEE OF T HE KINMOUNT COMMITTEE FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT December 2009 Volume 2: Issue 1 Mining in the Kinmount Area Inside this issue: Just south of Union Creek at the site for many years. Even- didn‟t help that a “mother- NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS 2 the junction of City Road 49 tually Mother Nature re- lode” of ore was elusive as (formerly County Road 649) claimed the mine site and soon well. & 121 lies the “ghost” com- nothing remained but the shaft SANTA CLAUS PARADE 3 munity of Galena Hill. Ga- and a few rusting pieces of Seeking new investors, the lena is a term for sulphide of machinery. foreman of the mine (whose REMEMBRANCE DAY 6 lead ore. As early as 1863, name will remain anonymous), lead was located along the The spike in lead prices after invited several Toronto inves- ridge just south of the Union 1900 led to a second mine tors for an inspection. Worried SPOT THE SHOT REVISITED 7 Creek on Lot 20, Concession being opened on the same about the quality of the A of Galway Township. A ridge, across the Bobcaygeon Somerville lead, he Peterborough mining specu- Road on Lot 2, Concession 5 “imported” several barrels of lator named Henry Calcutt of Somerville Township. The high quality ore from the Gal- KINMOUNT KIDS’ CORNER 10 formed the Galway Mining Somerville Lead Mines began way Mine & planted the rocks. Co and began operations in as an open pit mine, but soon a Despite smuggling lead across 1867. A 100 ft shaft was 100‟ shaft was sunk with a the county line, the Somerville THE HOT STOVE 11 sunk & a series of buildings 120‟ drift to follow a major Mine was closed in 1935, and dotted the mine site. Silver vein of lead. However, the like its Galway counterpart, EDITORIAL 15 was the main target, its price dreaded “financial difficul- slowly went back to Nature. being $20 an ounce, much ties”, a disease that plagued all Maybe someday, the demand higher than the more plenti- mines in the Kinmount area, for lead will be there and Ga- The lead mine at Galena Hill ful lead. Neither mineral was eventually bit the Somerville lena Hill will once again ring on the Somerville Side of the found in commercial quanti- Lead Mine too. A price crash to the sounds of mining! Road. ties and the mine operated for lead ore led to suspension sporadically for several dec- of operations after 1920. It ades. In 1898 the mine site was purchased for back taxes by a Mr Burnham, also from Peterborough. In 1900, a spike in the price of lead ore led to another mining rush at Galena Hill. The shaft was reopened, new, modern equipment brought in and a crushing mill built. The ore was cadged by horse & wagon to the nearest rail- head, in this case Burnt River. The mines contin- ued ,again sporadically until the end of World War I when they closed for good. But the company did not give up hope and kept a caretaker on Kinmount Gazette Neighbours and Friends: had a rival for township centre Orange Lodge, Order of For- One township west of Kin- status. Elliott Falls, a mile resters Lodge, Horticultural Main Street Kinmount mount on the Gull River, lays north on the same Gull River, Society, Woman‟s Institute, the village of Norland. The also had an excellent mill site, library, telephone company, Kawartha Credit Union is a Gull River system drains the access on the Cameron Road waterworks and even a militia full-service financial western half of Haliburton and a small business commu- company! The village served institution with County & is a major water- nity. It was a toss-up until the as a shopping centre for a 19 branches way. Norland is historically arrival of the Monck Road large area, especially along in North and tied closely to Coboconk and (highway #503/County Road the Monck Road to the west. East-Central Ontario Fenelon Falls. Like most vil- 45) passed through Norland. from Trenton lage sites in our area, Norland The Elliott Falls community This past year, Norland also to was the site of a major water- eventually vanished and Nor- celebrated its 150th anniver- Parry Sound. fall & thus a mill site for the land became the “centre” for sary. A huge parade high- first pioneer entrepreneurs. the area. lighted the weekend celebra- Coboconk had a sawmill by tions. Today Norland is still a ATM available 24 hours 1855, and AA McLauchlin While Norland had 2 of 3 key busy crossroads village, as began a mill at Norland by ingredients for a successful any traveller on summer 705-488-9963 1858. The Gull River was a pioneer community (major weekends will testify! major log-driving route, and waterway + road junction), it made water access practical lacked the third key ingredi- from both Cameron Lake and ent: a railway. For a town Don’t Forget to Shop Locally! points north. relying heavily on lumber mills, this was fatal for pros- The Kinmount and Area McLauchlin‟s mill was ready perity. The big Norland saw- Artisans Marketplace by 1861, but he had to await mill was in constant financial the arrival of the Cameron difficulties. From 1861 to is open Colonization Road, which 1873, each year saw a differ- Friday, Saturday and Sunday reached Norland in 1861 to ent “manager” running the 10 AM-4 PM cadge in his machinery. The mill. In 1873, S E Pettigrew Until December 14th first sawmill effectively tried his hand. In 1876 a To- & Every Day blocked log drives on the Gull ronto law firm bought the mill from Dec. 14th-24th River, a big mistake! After after loan default. The mill legal wrangling, MClauchlin changed hands 7 times until it Shop tax free for the was forced to move his mill was simply dismantled in Month of December! from its position right over 1892! Every owner/leasor lost the river to the west bank & money! The reason was sim- A very busy intersection at install a timber slide for in- ple: Norland lacked access to Hwy 35 and County Road 45 circa 1910 tinerent log drives. The post outside markets ie) a railway. office was officially opened Smaller mills came & went on July 1, 1859. Originally over the years, with the last called “McLauchlin‟s Mills”, mill ( a subsidiary of J.Austin the first postmaster & Son of Kinmount) ceasing (McLauchlin himself!) chose operation in 1954. the name “Nordland” for the new community. A copy error Despite the sporadic nature of by an anonymous postal clerk the lumber business, Norland led to the “d” being left out, did develop as a major centre. and Norland was born. The It contained a grist mill, town- name came from the fact it ship office, business sector, was so far “north” of the other blacksmith, agricultural soci- settlements. ety, school, 2 churches and other trappings or urban, In the pioneer era, Norland backwoods life such as an Page 2 Kinmount Gazette Santa Claus Parade proximately 15 floats + the Top: Children A Christmas tradition in Kin- marching students of the love to partici- mount is the annual Santa Kinmount Public School. It pate in the an- Claus Parade. The parade is was an “Olympic nual parade; usually held the second Sun- year” (Calgary Winter bottom: The day of December (Dec 13 at Olympics) and the students three Scott gals 2:00 PM this year) and starts dressed as athletes from and their horses at Tim-Br Mart, parades down other countries. It was a are an annual the Main Street & up the Hill huge success and the town fixture in the to the Legion. has continued the tradition parade. right up to the next Cana- Santa Claus Parades are a dian Olympic Year (2010) rather new tradition. The lar- when Vancouver will hold ger cities have sponsored Canada‟s next Olympics. them for years, but they have spread to the smaller centres As with any outside event in the last 25 years. this time of year, the weather is unpredictable. It The first Santa Claus Parades can be sunny or a blizzard & in Kinmount were in the the Kinmount Santa Claus 1960s. They were organized Parade has seen both ex- by the first Lions Club, but tremes! But it always puts died out with the demise of the village in the mood. Kin- the club sometime before mount is the last community 1970. In 1988 interested resi- to hold its parade, but the dents reorganized the Parade. lateness seems to add to the The first parade featured ap- mood of the holiday season. History of Christmas Trees in Canada It is believed the first practice of and British pioneers settled through- others this process is as simple as decorating a Christmas tree origi- out the growing nation. bringing the artificial tree out of nated in Germany in the 16th cen- storage. Either way, as it has for tury. The first documented Christ- Christmas in Canada, in the 1800‟s centuries, the evergreen symbolizes mas tree in Canada was set up in was often a rough and ready affair. belief in renewed life, hope and Sorel, Quebec in 1781 by Baron Due to lack of space in the first pio- faith. It is a symbol of joy and de- Friederick von Riedesel. The baron, neer homes Christmas trees were light to all. who was born in Germany, selected usually a rarity. As homes became Experience joy and delight at Kin- a handsome balsam fir from the for- more robust the tradition of deco- mount‟s “Lights Across Canada” ests that surrounded his home and rated Christmas trees exploded - the celebration at the Town Tree Light- decorated it with white candles.