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I had heard about this place before, but wasn't completely sure as to its exact whereabouts. One afternoon, while driving to Manitoulin Island, I finally caught a glimpse of it off the embankment as I crossed the bridge.
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On a sunny Sunday morning, we decided to take a drive toward North Bay. To this point, I hadn't been here very often except going through on my way to somewhere else. Today would be different though, as I hoped to chase down a few places of interest on my list. One in particular fascinated me, but I had already resigned myself to the likelihood that I wouldn't get past the gate.
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Prior to 1912, Coniston was mostly a farming community. The Mond Nickel Company decided to build a new facility, and felt that Coniston was ideal due to the close proximity of both major railroads.
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Milnet, originally known as Sellwood Junction, began its journey in the early 20th century as a remote station and watering stop for the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR, later CN). The railway line's arrival marked the beginning of an intense period of lumbering activity in the area. Shortly after the railway line opened, the lumber industry moved in, leading to the establishment of a sawmill on the shores of the Vermillion River. By 1917, the Marshay Lumber Company had bought and expanded the mill, adding a planning mill and transforming the area into a bustling company townsite with about 200 residents.
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My best information at this time indicates this massive building was completed in 1955 at a cost of $19,000,000 and features a 637-foot stack. The plant was the first of its kind, utilizing a process invented and developed by the company to separate iron from the waste ore produced by mining nickel. The high grade iron that resulted from this proceass gave the company a new revenue stream and boosted the efficiency of their operation overall.
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Completed in July, 1952, as 209 RCAF Radio Station, this radar station made up part of the Pinetree Line, a string of radar stations used to defend against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Shortly afterwards, it was renamed RCAF Falconbridge. It was manned by the 33 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. It became part of the SAGE defense network in 1963.
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HMCS Haida, a Tribal Class destroyer, served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1943 to 1963. During World War II, Haida destroyed more tonnage of enemy ships than any other Canadian Navy vessel. At 337 feet in length, 36.5 feet at the beam, with a draught of 13 feet, Haida was designed to be more of a small cruiser than a standard destroyer.
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Once a low-security work farm for prisoners, this prison supported an entire town for many years. Houses from the town were either torn down, or sold and moved to other places. The main prison building, and many of its supporting buildings, was also torn down. The only remnants, aside from the outline of streets, sidewalks, and disconnected power poles, is Camp Bison pictured here.
