When the gold rush hit the Wawa area in 1897, small villages popped up everywhere. Prospectors came to the area with hopes of striking it rich. In 1899 the Wawa area was plotted into a townsite and registered as "Wawa City" in which Ojibway for "wild goose". The name was a result of the wild geese that were a popular sight on Wawa Lake.

One mine in the Wawa area was the Darwin Mine (formerly the Grace Mine). In March of 1903, the Grace Mine was able to deposit eight gold bricks worth $8630 each.

The mine continued operations until the gold rush subsided in 1906. Wawa's population soon declined until the 1920's when more gold was discovered at Michipicoten. This brought new life to the gold mines of the Wawa area.

The Darwin mine, sometimes referred to as the Darwin-Grace mine was reopened in 1926. By 1932 the Jubilee, Minto, and Parkhill mines had opened as well. These four mines produced most of the gold in the area.

From 1930 to 1939, the gold mines produced gold and silver in the amount of $3,229,369.

The Darwin site contained a small village not as large as Parkhill but they did have 100 employees and five families. A store, operated from a residents home provided goods to the town. As there were not enough children to warrant a school, they had to travel to Parkhill for education.

River Gold Mines continues to operate two properties 96 km from Wawa. Approximately a dozen Michipicoten residents work there.

The Darwin-Grace mine no longer exists as it now sits submerged under a dam built for the Citadel Mine in the 1980's.

Location: Approximately 3 km East of Wawa on Hwy 101 you will turn right onto Surluga Road. Drive past the Citadel Mine and the townsite will be on the left hand side at the dam.