WrecksdaleWreck

Mining locations established 1848 by Montreal interests. Native concerns over European Settlement lead to surrender of Indian lands under jurisdiction of Hudson Bay Co. (north of Severn River) by Robinson Treaties of 1850 at Sault Ste. Marie.

Oldest settlement in Northern Ontario. In 1902 concerned residents formed a committee to arrange relocation of cemetery from center of the unorganized village. Correspondence with Provincial Secretary led to the creation of the Town of Bruce Mines.

No finacial hard times, Pratt & Shanacy (of Midland) closed the mill in 1927 when they ran out of timber to cut. They kept the store open, but acquired another mill to run near Bala. The Biscotasing mill was sold, dismantled and moved in 1838 to Standard Chemical Co. at Harcourt, now the location of Pine Grove Camp.

The original 1910 Canadian Northern Railway crossed Vermillion River south of the town and again west of town to a third (present) crossing of the river west of the rail yard. The rails were relocated after the CNoR line from North Bay was built in 1915. This place was originally named Orefields because of the presence of Iron Pyrite in the soil surface.

My grandfather worked there as a security guard from 1928. He lived in a house on west side of the park and moved to the east side after the park closed. I've been there in the 50s and 60s and did all that.

Firebox door.

Coal Tipple for fueling steam locomotives last used in 1959.

By the time the rails extended beyond Ruel, Westree became the popular route to Gowganda.

This section of track the Ruel Subdivision was named for Girard Ruel, a CNoR officer.

From here in 1910 Gowganda Transport Co. operated an overland cartage route to Gowganda.