Marmora in Hastings County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Pioneer Irontown 1821-1875

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 31, 2024

1. Pioneer Irontown 1821-1875 Marker

Inscription.
In the early 1800s, Marmora was a hive of activity. On the banks of the Crowe River, Ironmaster Charles Hayes operated Marmora's first Ironworks. Driven by great waterwheels along the Crowe River, the large blast furnace was completely powered by water. The wheels pumped the billows, which forced the blast, firing the furnace and melting the iron ore.

Six miles away, in Blairton, Hayes located a mountain of ore. His workers brought the ore to the ironworks by barge and worked long shifts melting the ore in the blast furnace and later cooling it to form hardened bars known as “pig iron.” At the height of its success — which was short-lived — the ironworks produced two and a half tons of iron a day. It was the biggest and best in upper Canada, and Mamora was our first pioneer irontown.

Founding of Deloro in 1866
East of the village of Marmora lies Deloro. In 1866, the town was booming with a number of factories and smelters being built, and Deloro was declared the “Valley of Gold”. Over the next 37 years, 25 shafts were sunk in the ground in the pursuit of gold, and more than $200,000 was spent building a refinery, which,

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unfortunately, proved to be a complete failure at reducing gold. In the early 1900s, the factory was repurposed to refine ore shipped from the O'Brien silver mines of Cobalt. Deloro was booming. The refinery employed 400 men by 1917 who refined ore and stellite and sold the left over arsenic for use in pesticides, fertilizer and even cosmetics. By 1920, Deloro had substantial managers' houses as well as a row of duplexes for the workers on each side of the main street. The general store was the only privately owned business.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1821.

Location. 44° 28.947′ N, 77° 41.046′ W. Marker is in Marmora, Ontario, in Hastings County. It can be reached from the intersection of Matthew Street (Trans-Canada Highway) (Provincial Highway 7) and Cameron Street, on the left when traveling east. The marker and interpretive kiosk are located in front of the Marmora Tourism Centre. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9 Matthew Street, Marmora ON K0K 2M0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

Marker detail: 1916 Deloro Mine Site image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: 1916 Deloro Mine Site

Taken from the east bank of the River. Note that the 1882 arsenic works centre is still in use. Arsenic bag house on right; Cobalt oxides plant on left.

this marker is in Eastern Ontario

and specifically in Southeastern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 23 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Pearce Company (here, next to this marker); The Miners of Marmora and Lake (a few steps from this marker); Grist & Feed Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Railway to Cordova (within shouting distance of this marker); In Honour of Harold Colman Rickaby (within shouting distance of this marker); Marmora Ironworks & Forges (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Centennial of Confederation (approx. 10.8 kilometers away); Founders of Campbellford (approx. 21.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marmora.

Also see . . .
1. Marmora, Ontario (Wikipedia).

Excerpt:

3. Marker detail: The Deloro Dinky
By 1917, over 400 men were employed in a series of plants destined to irretrievably pollute the stretch of the Moira River they sat along.
The rich history of Marmora Township is the story of mining in Eastern Ontario. Since 1820 this Township has played a leading role in the development of iron mining. Iron mining was an important industry in the area during the 19th century. The village was originally named Marmora Iron Works. Gold and silver were also mined at nearby Cordova Mines.

(Submitted on December 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Deloro, Ontario (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: In 1868 gold was discovered in Deloro. The Canadian Consolidated Gold Mining Company began mining in 1873. This eventually failed since the recover of the gold was so poor. In 1896 Canadian Gold Fields Company bought Deloro and built the first mill where they used a new cyanide process to extract the gold. Roasting furnaces were used to remove the arsenic from the gold, but the quality of the gold was poor, forcing the closure of the mill in 1903. After the completion of the railroad in 1904 it opened up the possibility to ship silver to the Deloro mine for treatment. In 1906 the Deloro Mining and Reduction Company was formed. In 1915 the company changed
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 31, 2024

4. Pioneer Irontown 1821-1875 Marker & Kiosk
The marker is mounted in this interpretive kiosk located in front of the Marmora Tourism Centre.
its name to Deloro Smelting and Refining Company Limited after Dr. Haynes developed the first commercially produced stellite in the world, which was manufactured at the Deloro plant.

(Submitted on December 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Marmora at Two Hundred. How it all began.

Excerpt: The work was dirty, hard, and dangerous, right from mining of ore at Blairton, its transport by barge across Crowe Lake to Marmora, and through to the blast. To start with the ore was hand drilled with one man swinging a sled hammer while another held the iron bar and twisted it with each blow. The former was said to require strong arms and a strong back, the later was said to require long arms and a weak mind. Sometimes two such men were recruited to be holders. Once the hole was clear, it was charged with black powder, fused and set off. At that point everyone ran. The unpredictable discharges of gunpowder sent boulders flying and shudders through the rock. Dynamite had not yet been invented. Those who set off the detonation basically lit it and scurried for their lives. The safety fuse was still 10 years in
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the future and you could never be sure how long a fuse would last. Don’t leave slowly and just as important don’t come back too soon or you may fall victim to a ‘lazy charge’.

(Submitted on December 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 293 times since then and 98 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.