MICHIPICOTEN HARBOUR
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MICHIPICOTEN HARBOUR |
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NAME: Michipicoten Harbour COUNTY: Algoma District ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Snow in winter, warm in summer BEST TIME TO VISIT: Yaer round, may-october |
COMMENTS:
3 Km south of Wawa of Hwy 17 is Michipicoten Harbour Road, (right hand side) drive 10 km to town site. REMAINS: Ore docks, coal docks, a few original dwelings (6-7) |
| It began in 1898 with the Helen Iron Mine 13 miles east. A rail was strung in (ACR) from Lake Superior to the Iron mines of Wawa (Helen, Magpie, Josephine). And ore was shipped south to Sault Sainte Marie (ONT)where blast furnaces would work and refine the ores. The community conted 20 homes, a station, store, and post office (1898-1952). When the mines were silenced in 1918-20, the site slowed down to almost nothing. The Rail link was finally strung in from Sault Sainte Marie to Hawk Junction in 1913. The harbour was refitted for coal in the 30's and life returned to the harbour, and when the mines of Wawa roared back to life in 1937, ore docks were once again rebuilt and irons ores shipped out. The final death blow came in two strikes, the first was that all shipements of iron were now shipped entirely by rails (1946), and the ACR, fully dieselized by 1952, did not need the coal anymore. The docks wer closed for good. In the 30's a population of 170 was found in the area. Submitted by: Yvan P.Charbonneau |
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