Fort Frances in Rainy River District, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The Sorting Gap
Shevlin Clarke Company
| | La Verendrye Parkway | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 16, 2024
1. The Sorting Gap Marker
In 1912, the Shevlin Clarke Company located their large twin milling facilities at the site of the Reid Sawmill. A major employer in the community, the company took advantage of the vast timber resources and waterway provided by the upper Rainy River. The vast lumber piles of the Shevlin Clarke Company occupied much of the area to the north between Shevlin Avenue and Frenette. After the company's demise in 1942, the site became the wood yard for the paper mill and today the sorting gap is the location of the Marina.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 48° 36.437′ N, 93° 22.89′ W. Marker is in Fort Frances, Ontario, in Rainy River District. It is at the intersection of Front Street and Butler Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Front Street. The marker is located along the La Verendrye Parkway, near the Butler Avenue dock. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Frances ON P9A 1E4, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Ontario and specifically in Northwest Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Great North Woods, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: La Verendrye Parkway (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Recreation and Fun (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); The North West Mounted Police on the Dawson Route
this page online
Also see . . .
1. A Brief History of Logging in the Rainy River District.
Excerpt: This expanding industry drew on immigrant workers for manpower. A 1921 report suggested that the Shevlin-Clarke Logging Company that operated in the Rainy River region, categorized the labour force as being 10% Swedish, 20% English and French Canadian, and 70% Russian, Australian, Polish and Central European. Americans were also drawn into the Ontario lumbering industry. Many men chose to work in the lumber camps in the winter, and on farms or in the construction field in the summer. A smaller percentage of men worked in the lumber industry year-round. These men worked in sawmills in the summer and in the bush camps(Submitted on December 5, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)in the winter.circa 19252. Marker detail: Shevlin Clarke Company, ca. 1925
2. Shevlin-Clarke Co. Ltd. Ends 32 Years of Lumbering Operations in Fort Frances.
Excerpt: The erection of the first unit of the Shevlin-Clarke Co. Ltd. in Fort Frances in 1911 did away with the necessity of driving the Rainy River. The erection of Mill No. 2 in Fort Frances coincided with the of Shevlins operations in Rainy River and Spooner. During the 32 years Shevlin-Clarke Co. Ltd. operated in Fort Frances, the annual production averaged better than 50 million feet of lumber and its payroll averaged $645,000 per year. The sawmills were able to turn out 500,000 feet of lumber daily, while the immense yards usually carried a stock of from 50 to 55 million feet.(Submitted on December 5, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 16, 2024
3. The Sorting Gap Marker
Looking south across the Rainy River toward International Falls, Minnesota, USA.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 16, 2024
4. Sorting Gap Marina (west end)
Looking east along the Rainy River from the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 3, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 119 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 5, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
