Toronto Brickworks - Coby

The first settlers to Ontario built their homes of the material that was most readily available to them - wood. Lumber exports soared in the 1850s, however, and the timber that remained was of poorer quality as lumber was a huge cash crop. It made sense to cover the poor quality timber-framed walls with readily available brick. By the 1870s, wood was becoming more difficult to access, and brick continued to be the construction material of choice.

Many small farms had their own brick kilns and a number of larger kilns began to spring up where the clay and limestone was readily available. The three limestone kilns owned by the Toronto Brick Company in Cobooconk are one of the few remaining limestone kilns to be found.

Driving up Highway 35 through Coby one can’t miss these three statuesque limestone towers that stand unused at the edge of town. Giant reminders of a busy industry of days gone by.