Pakesley (ghost town)

This was the destination point for lumber from the Lost Channel mill. In 1912, the CPR line was established which linked Bolton to Sudbury. The Schroeder Mills and Timber company created a spur line to the CPR railway, named the Key Valley Line. Pakesley was the junction point for the railway to the CPR line.

The lumber was cut at Lost channel east of Pakesley but needed a way to be shipped out. In 1919, Schroeder Mills and Timber created the lumber yard at what is now Pakesley. At this site a post office, store, hotel, restaurant and an Ontario Department of Lands and Forests fire headquarters was erected. This was a watchtower and rangers station.

A two story red railway station was built near the tracks, where the agent and his family slept. In addition, three boarding houses, two office buildings, stables and a warehouse were built. Not all workers lived in the boarding houses. Some workers built homes near the railway for their families. For the children, a school was built.

By 1924, the population stood at approximately 150 people. As there were more travellers, the CPR expanded their facilitiy to a seven room train station.

With the effects of the depression now being felt by all, by 1933, Lost Channel was no longer in business. The lumber yard at Pakesley still contained 40 million feet of wood which had to be sold at reduced prices. Pakesley lasted however, until the 50's as the Lands and Forests continued to maintain their fire tower.

Then the hotel closed as did the post office in 1950. The fire tower was closed by 1958 and the station torn down in 1971 as is CPR pratice.

Location: Take highway 522 off of Highway 69 (about 80km north past Parry Sound). The site is at the railway crossing (which has warning lights). It is hard to miss.

• In the middle of the 1900's other ghost towns listed on this site also had a Department of Lands and Forests' fire tower lookout located on a nearby hill. These include: Pakesley, Key Junction, Key Harbour, Dufferin Bridge, Bummer's Roost, Pickerel Landing, Lost Channel, Byng Inlet, Moon River, Cheddar, Germania, Ormsby, Uphill, Biscostasing, Renabie Mine, Milnet, Armstrong, Metagama, Cheminis, Wavell and Pineal Lake . For more info. on Ontario's Fire Tower Lookouts go to this link: Ontario's Fire Tower Lookouts.