BURWASH
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BURWASH |
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NAME: Burwash COUNTY: -- ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Snow in Winter, Warm Summer. BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer |
COMMENTS:
Semi-Ghost. UPDATE:I visited the site last
year and it has been completely leveled. Only the roads, sidewalks, frontsteps
and the yards, with trees and hedges remain. UPDATE: Burwash is totally
levelled now. I was there in September, 2000 and the only thing left are
the roads. Burwash never housed hardened criminals (2 years less a day was
maximum sentence). When it closed, it was not to the relief of the community,
but the exact opposite. Burwash represented a unique way of life, that was
abruptly ended for approximately 150 families. Most people were very distraught,
in fact one of the employees (guard) hung himself rather than take a transfer.
My parents moved there in 1946 and remained until 3 years after the closure
which was in 1974. I spent my childhood there. We had a wonderful reunion
right on the grounds last year and it was absolutely phenominal. Even though
there are no longer any buildings, the memories are still everywhere. Most
people hadn't been there for 25 or more years. The reason Burwash was located
where it was, was because of the isolation, and it was precisely that reason
the people were given for the closure (government - go figure). It was an
Industrial Farm and at one point pretty well totally self sufficient. Anyway,
it was all very political and I suppose we will never know the exact reason.
- Norma Beauchemin REMAINS: Original buildings throughout newer ones. |
| Probably the most modern ghost town anywhere is Burwash. Once home to hardened and incorrigible criminals, the site now stands completely abandoned. Nowhere in Ontario is there a greater concentration of abandoned buildings among the provenance’s ghost towns. Originally isolated on 35,000 acres a good distance south of Sudbury in 1914, the prison was expanded at the close of World War II and housed up to 670 inmates. The now urban-looking ghost town was built to accommodate the prison’s employees. The town was self-contained with churches, stores, and schools. The isolation factor began to disappear with new communities being built during the 1950s, and 60s. The prison was closed in 1974 to the relief of the local population. Submitted by: Henry Chenoweth |
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