Mount Albert, Ontario has a rich history in the logging and forestry industry. The town, located 80 kilometers north of Toronto, was once the home to many sawmills and logging companies. The history of this small town is intertwined with the story of the logging camps that once dotted the area.
The first European settlement of the area began in the early 1800s. In 1801, the first sawmill was opened in Bradford, just north of Mount Albert. However, it wasn’t until the arrival of the railroad in the mid-1800s that the logging industry really began to flourish. With the railroad came easier access to the dense forests in the area, and the ability to transport lumber out of the area.
As a result, many sawmills began to pop up in the surrounding area. One of the first sawmills in Mount Albert was owned by William Gordon, who had been logging in the area since the 1840s. In 1864, Gordon established a sawmill in the town that became one of the most successful in the area. The mill was built on the banks of the Cedar River, which provided the necessary water power to run the sawmill.
Gordon’s sawmill was just one of many in the area. By the late 1800s, there were over 10 sawmills operating in the town, employing hundreds of workers. The mills produced a variety of products, including lumber, shingles, and other building materials. The success of these mills depended on the availability of the surrounding forests.
The forests around Mount Albert were some of the richest in the area. The forests consisted mainly of white pine, hemlock, and maple. The white pine was especially valuable for building material, as it was strong, durable, and easy to work with. The forests were also a source of fuel for the mills, as the mills needed a large amount of wood to operate.
In order to get access to these valuable resources, logging camps were established throughout the area. These camps were typically located deep in the forests, and workers would live in them for months at a time. The work was difficult and dangerous, and the camps were often isolated and harsh. Workers would spend their days chopping down trees, hauling them back to the camps, and preparing them to be transported to the sawmills.
One of the most significant logging camps in the area was the Scott Logging Company camp. The camp was located in the Cedar River watershed, just east of Mount Albert. The camp was established in the late 1800s and was one of the largest in the area. The camp employed hundreds of workers, who lived in bunkhouses and worked long hours in the forests.
The workers were comprised of a variety of backgrounds, including immigrants, Indigenous people, and local residents. The work was difficult and dangerous, and many workers suffered injuries or were killed on the job. However, the work provided much-needed employment for local residents and was a major source of income for the area.
The logging industry in the area began to decline in the early 1900s. The forests were beginning to run out of the valuable resources that had made them so valuable in the past. As a result, many of the sawmills in the area began to close down, and the logging camps were abandoned.
Today, there are few remnants of the logging industry in Mount Albert. However, the history of the industry is still visible in the town’s architecture and culture. Many of the town’s historic buildings, such as the Mount Albert United Church, were built using lumber from the local sawmills. The town’s annual Maple Syrup Festival is a celebration of the area’s agricultural and forestry history.
Mount Albert’s history in the logging and forestry industry is a reminder of the importance of the forests to the early development of Ontario. The industry helped to build the area’s economy and provided much-needed employment for local residents. Today, the forests around Mount Albert are much different than they were in the past, but their importance to the local ecosystem and economy is still celebrated.