Ontario Abandoned Places

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BALACLAVA



Balaclava began as a mill town built on Constant Creek in 1855. By 1860 a blacksmith shop, hotel and homes were added. The mill was acquired by the Richards family in 1868 who operated the mill for the next 91 years. The mill was rebuilt in 1936 after a good deal of the original mill was destroyed by fire.

A sawdust burner was added around 1903 to comply with anti-pollution legislation. Up until this time, the owners of the mill simply dumped their sawdust into the river.

In 1957, David Dick took over the mill however the supply of timber was very much depleted and the mill was only producing a few thousand board feet a year (compare this with one million board feet a week at the mill's peak). In 1959, the mill was shut down and the store closed(?).

Balaclava isn't totally isolated however, the mill is just off of a highway. The owner of the mill is threatening to demolish the mill if people continue to trespass upon the property! This is a warning to you all.

Location: Turn North from Dacre (highway 132) onto highway 513. A sign announces your arrival.

Map

Val:1
Number of photos: 14
Approx. Latitude: 45 23 26 Approx. Longitude: 76 56 56
SHOW ME A GOOGLE MAP HERE [90% accurate]

The Balaclava Mill
A side view of the mill.
Old Balaclava store
The store

Sawdust burner
Inside theBalaclava Mill
Inside the mill

Notice the rushing water.

The rock fence (time consuming to build)

An old rock fence

An old structure beyond the main road
Seasonal Cabin
Old cabin, now used seasonally

Old water pump
Note old water pump.

The other side of the mill.