Cobalt in Timiskaming District, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

The Mine Hoist

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 1, 2022

1. The Mine Hoist Marker

Inscription.
The mine hoist was the connection between surface and underground and provided the power to raise and lower the conveyances in the shafts. In the very early days in Cobalt the hoist consisted of a hand powered windlass similar to the type of windlass on the water well. Very quickly horsepower took over when the hoist was known as a HORSE WHIM. This enabled bigger buckets to be used and more material to be hoisted, but not from any great depth or with any speed.

The original mine hoists were powered by compressed air and in some cases by steam supplied by on site boilers. Compressed air hoists were common in Cobalt due to the readily available supply of compressed air from the Ragged Chutes site, which was dry and at a constant pressure. As electricity became more available mines switched over to electric hoists and were able to hoist larger loads more efficiently.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.

Location. 47° 23.728′ N, 79° 41.114′ W. Marker is in Cobalt, Ontario, in Timiskaming District. It can be reached from Silver Street

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just north of Bunker Lane, on the right when traveling north. The marker is in the interpretive park on the east side of the Pan Silver Headframe. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21 Silver Street, Cobalt ON P0J 1C0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northeastern Ontario

and specifically in Northern 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 Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sinking Bucket (here, next to this marker); The T & NO Railway / Le service ferroviaire T & NO (a few steps from this marker); Battery Tramming Motor (a few steps from this marker); Cages (a few steps from this marker); Side Dump Cars (a few steps from this marker); Centennial Time Capsule (a few steps from this marker); Slusher and Scraper (a few steps from this marker);

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 1, 2022

2. The Mine Hoist Marker

Mucking Machine or Overshot Loader (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cobalt.

Also see . . . Compressed Air Mine Hoist Running Again After 70 Years (YouTube).

Excerpt: A 400 horsepower Nordberg compressed air cable hoist, utilized at the underground mines of Butte, Montana, to haul men and equipment into the tunnels. Probably built around the late 1890's or early 1900's as a test platform before the other steam powered hoists used on the hill were converted to a similar pneumatic system. This hoist was stored at a local mine in a shed for well over 80 years before being rescued and restored by volunteers from the World Museum of Mining.

(Submitted on July 9, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 1, 2022

3. The Mine Hoist Marker

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 1, 2022

4. Mine Hoist

Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 8, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on July 8, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 9, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.