Rock Lake

From 1896 to 1940 5 mines sprung up to mine the copper in the area. THe Aberdeen was the first in production. Having been Discovered in 1896 it was in full production by 1898. The small mine employed a small crew of 25-40 workers at its peak. The property had a large bunkhouse and a dinning hall alongside 3 homes for the general superintidant and manadger.

The Aberdeen Mine consisted of an open pit and two shallow shafts the deepest reaching 115 feet in depth. In 1907 the mine closed after producing 134,000 lbs of copper. The mill ore was reduced at the mines stamp mill before being s,elted in Bruce Mines. Only a 60% recovery rate was achievable and the product from the Aberdeen mines redered the copper heavily blistered.

James Bay Mines Ltd drilled the property in 1937, and Noranda Mines attempted to rehabilatate the mine in 1938 but chose to shut it down for good in 1940.

THE Rochester, PLummer and Frit Mines were all small outfits. THe Plummer produced 5003 lbs of copper from a single rich vein. however the mines entire output came from that single 25 feet vein, reaching 3 feet at its widest.

The Rochester produced the least after shipping its first boat load of copper ore for Sudbury in 1916 the ship which left Bruce Mines sank near Little Current, two days after the mishap a farmers slash pile burnt out of controled and destroyed 1400 acres of land and the entire mine. Uninsurred the mine never reopened.

The Rock Lake was the largest producer. Established in 1899 the mine complete with 30 ton stamp mill began shipping concentrates to the Bruce Mines smelter. In 1901 75 men were on the mines payroll while 135,000 lbs of copper was produced annually. The mine had a single shaft sunk to 450 ft. In 1905 the mine reached a payroll of 120 men until 1913 when the mine closed.

In 1902 the government was so encouraged by reports in this new emerging "copper district" that it surveyed a small village site nearby the mine and called it "Plummer Town Site #1" it contained 240 lots. A second townsite was surveyed but never developped between the Aberdeen and Rochester Mines.

THe Plummer Town site was first called McLarty(a)s for Robert McLarty(a)s Mine Superintendant. In 1911 he was caught rigging the polls at the mine during the 1911 federal election and was dismissed from his postal duties as a direct result of his actions. In 1913 the mine closed for the last time and the village which could once boasted 150 residents was abandoned. the post office moved from the company store to a private dwelling until it was moved to Plummer the farming settlement in the weatern most part of Plummer Twp around 1920. In 1912 the name of the office was changed to plummer.