Kinmount Gazette
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Kinmount Gazette KINMOUNT GAZETTE THE KINMOUNT COMMITTEE FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT January 2019 Volume 11: Issue 3 Inside this issue: FRIENDS & NEIGHBOURS: MANVERS 2 The Galway Gold Rush FAMOUS KINMOUNTIANS 4 In the 1800s, there was one sure-fire way of valuable metal of all, gold, also had its 7 getting rich quick: find gold! The history of moments in the local history. IN THE LIONS DEN 7 this century is littered with famous “gold SPOT THE SHOT RECAPTURED 7 rushes” around the world. California The whole search for gold in our area (1840s), British Columbia (Cariboo) 1850s was given an early jolt by the discovery 8 and of course, the famous Klondike Gold of gold in Belmont Township (east side Rush (1890s). Many were the tales told of of Peterborough County) at Cordova KID’S CORNER 9 finding fortunes in gild simply “lying about”, Mines. The strike was never a huge prof- itable one, but gold fever came and went THE HOT STOVE 10 ready for the taking. Anytime the rumour spread about a gold strike, prospectors fol- for the next 60 years! Hastings County 13 lowed. (also on the Canadian Shield edge like Kinmount), had a big rush in the 1860s at FOOD FANATIC 15 When the Ottawa-Huron Tract was opened a time named Eldorado. Neither strike 15 for settlement in the 1850s, of course pro- became a rich gold find, but the prece- spectors and miners flooded in to hunt for dent of gold in them there hills of the ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BR. 441 16 the world’s most valuable metal. Various Canadian Shield was established: you THE LIBRARY LINK 16 ores of different values were actually found just had to find the right spot or mother- lode! Why not at Kinmount! 17 in the Kinmount area, the most common THE GALWEGIANS 17 being iron ore. Irondale and Furnace Falls THANK YOU TO OUR PATRONS 17 were the areas of the most promising strikes, The stories and legends of gold strikes at but that is not the subject of this tale. Lead Kinmount have never been recorded in 18 and zinc were mined over several decades at detail. Various tempting tales can be THE HIGH FIVE CLUB 18 Galena Hill, just south of Kinmount, but found in the local newspapers, but the again, a tale for another time. But the most news is always about “potential” or EDITORIAL 19 Continued p. 3 Get Results! ADVERTISE IN THE GAZETTE! Rates per issue: Business Card Size $20 2 x Business Card $40 1/4 Page $55 1/2 Page $100 Full Page $200 [email protected] 705 - 488 - 2919 The Gazette is a non profit monthly publication produced by volunteers. The Gazette depends on advertising sales & donations to remain operating. We are very grateful for the continuing support of area businesses & patrons. Saturday, February 2nd - Family Snowflake Ball Do you enjoy the Gazette? Send a donation! Kinmount Community Centre Kinmount Gazette, c/o KCPED, 6:30-9:00 PO Box 286, Kinmount. On K0M 2A0 Make cheques payable to K.C.P.E.D. Your name will appear in our Sunday, February 3rd—Family Festival Thank You to Our Patrons Section Kinmount Arena Tax Receipts issued for Donations $25+ 11:00-2:00 Free Skating, Sleigh Rides, Downhill Dash, Outdoor Fun Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development Friends and Neighbours: Pontypool & Yelverton Pontypool recorded as a play “The Right Pontypool was the last community Road to Pontypool” and featured in Manvers Township to be in the summer of 2008 at the 4th “founded”. It did not exist until Line Theatre near Millbrook. the CPR railway passed through Today Pontypool is a quiet small the site in the late 1880s. Previ- village with less than 1,000 peo- ously the area contained farms ple. The railway still passes and a mill, powered by water through the village, but is a shad- flowing from 5 small pools flow- ow of its former self. Highway ing out of the Oak Ridges mo- #35 has a bypass around the vil- raine. Besides the mill, a small lage, but you can still see the general store was opened by the grain elevator from the highway, mill owner. The post office, rising above the valley. opened in 1881, was called Ponty- pool after a town in Wales. Yelverton The railway changed everything. Another cross roads hamlet in A siding was built at the village western Manvers Township was site, and it became a major ship- Yelverton. Named after a famous ping point for local products. English family and a series of Grain became such an important places in England. In fact, there commodity grown in the area that are 3 Yelvertons in England plus a grain elevator was constructed at many more in the USA and Cana- the station. The grain elevator still da. The Ontario Yelverton is lo- exists today, one of only two left cated on the east side of Manvers in all Ontario. It remains the vil- Township on what was called the lage’s most visible landmark, alt- “old portage road” from Lake hough it is not in use today. Ontario to the Scogog River (and The village boomed after the rail- the Kawartha Lakes). The earliest way arrived, often to the detri- pioneers followed this old native ment of surrounding villages trail and the first settlers settled which declined into ghost town along its route. Thus Yelverton status. (The same issue happened was one of the first settlements in at Bethany, and indeed all over West Manvers. A post office was Manvers Township.) The village opened in 1861, a school, church population swelled to over 600, and general store set up at the and businesses included a hotel, a concession crossroads. blacksmith, bakery, hardware But Yelverton was ignored by the store, livery stable, shoe-maker, 2 railways and business shifted to implement dealers, 3 general other villages such as Pontypool stores and the Pontypool Tele- and Bethany. The settlement de- phone Company (a sure sign of clined until all that was left were prosperity!). farms, the church and a school After 1916, Pontypool became a (since consolidated). Today a summer resort that catered to Jew- guide book admits travellers can- ish immigrants who had settled in not easily locate the village, if one Toronto. These new arrivals were ever existed! not welcome at Toronto summer resorts (Sunnyside Beach had a sign reading: “No Dogs or Jews Allowed”). A local Jewish family began to accept summer visitors and soon the shores of the mill ponds were lined with resorts and campgrounds that catered to these Toronto residents. A “summer- synagogue” operated during the tourist season only. The commu- nity gradually dissolved by 1970 as the summer guests moved to other sites such as Muskoka. This From the top: Pontypool today; Tourists from Toronto wait for the train; A Jewish Resort at snapshot of Pontypool history was Pontypool; Yelverton United Church Page 2 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development The Galway Gold Rush, cont. from p.1 “promising”; never much “holes in the ground” were dug about the results. And of and the same hopes were ulti- course, the History of Kin- mately dashed. An Ontario mount does not record facts Mines listing records the follow- about gold mines, so the result ing claims: can be surmised there was Con 14, Lot 16 – several pits, no never a major gold mine in the gold area. But the legends them- Con 14. Lots 5,6 – nothing selves are fascinating. Con 15. Lot 15 Con 15, Lot 16 A number of newspaper arti- Con 17, Lots 10, 11 cles record the enthusiasm for Con 18, Lots 10,11 gold in the area. In 1891, an ore sample from the Galway All sites were negative for gold, Gold Mine was on its way to silver or any other mineral of be assayed (checked for gold value. Nothing of value was ever content). No word was ever found. printed on the results (clearly a failure!). In 1892, the Reyn- The Galway Gold Rush never olds Mine (Concession 4, Lot produced any gold. But it did 18) was gallantly announced produce two stories worthy of to be the mother-lode of all mention. The first one is a gold strikes. A 25’ deep pit “satirical” article published in was excavated and ore sam- the Bobcaygeon Independent ples sent for assaying. The under the title “Development of results: gold - 0%, silver – 0%, the North Country”. nickel .19%. Another dead mine. “Galway Gulch Gold Mining Company: Head Offices, Bob- Next to chase the rumours of caygeon. Capital $10,000,000 gold was the partnership of divided into 10 million shares at AY Hopkins and James $1 each. Officers: Adolphr Smiff Marks. In 1906 they sunk a – president, Mr Smiff – vice shaft 45’ down on the Flaherty president, A Smiff – sec-treas. farm (Con 10 , Lot 17 Gal- The following gentlemen are in way). Verdict: no gold was no way connected to this compa- found. But optimism still ny: Marquis de Salisbury, Rt reigned and in 1916 another Hon Jos Chamberlain, Lord shaft was sunk on Lot 18 , Con Rosebury, Hon Wilfrid Laurier, 9: still no gold. Back a third Dalton McCarthy; but their tine in 1941, several trenches names give a tone and silk fringe and pits on the last lot again effect to the prospectus highly revealed no gold. Third time desirable to the promoter. The was still not lucky! So much Galway Gold Gulch Mining for the Hopkins Mine.