Burwash, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Burwash was the name of a community in Ontario
, Canada
, located approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of Sudbury. The community was built to house the staff working at the Burwash Industrial Farm (also referred to as the Burwash Correctional Centre), a provincial jail that housed anywhere from 180 to 820 inmates during its history. The prison opened in 1914 and closed in 1973. Part of the land was transferred to the Department of National Defence
in the mid 1980s for use as a training area.
Prior to the construction of Highway 69
, Burwash was an isolated location, accessible only from a nearby station on the Canadian Northern Railway
(today's Canadian National Railway
). At its peak, the correctional facility owned 35000 acres (14,164 ha) and leased an additional 100000 acres (40,469 ha) of land. A townsite was required for the guards and support staff that worked at the prison farm and the community, built by inmate labour, housed anywhere up to about 1000 residents. It boasted a public school, which went from Kindergarten through grade 10 at one point, a church, a post office, a barber shop, a tailor shop and a shoe repair shop. There was also a grocery store that sold bread (made by the inmates), meat (from the farm) and vegetables (produced by the inmates). There were also other grocery items which were brought in from Sudbury. Milk was delivered to the door by horse and wagon and the garbage was picked up by a different horse and wagon. There was a complete working saw mill, which milled the trees cut down by inmates. The village was built from the lumber and all of the provincial parks were provided with picnic tables made there as well. Burwash was considered to be almost self-sufficient, with the inmates working at various trades and receiving an education.
An Ontario Heritage Trust
plaque was unveiled at the site on August 6, 2006.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of Sudbury. The community was built to house the staff working at the Burwash Industrial Farm (also referred to as the Burwash Correctional Centre), a provincial jail that housed anywhere from 180 to 820 inmates during its history. The prison opened in 1914 and closed in 1973. Part of the land was transferred to the Department of National Defence
Department of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
in the mid 1980s for use as a training area.
Prior to the construction of Highway 69
Ontario Highway 69
King's Highway 69, commonly referred to as Highway 69, is a major north–south highway in the central area of the Canadian province of Ontario, linking Highway 400 north of Parry Sound with Sudbury...
, Burwash was an isolated location, accessible only from a nearby station on the Canadian Northern Railway
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
(today's Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
). At its peak, the correctional facility owned 35000 acres (14,164 ha) and leased an additional 100000 acres (40,469 ha) of land. A townsite was required for the guards and support staff that worked at the prison farm and the community, built by inmate labour, housed anywhere up to about 1000 residents. It boasted a public school, which went from Kindergarten through grade 10 at one point, a church, a post office, a barber shop, a tailor shop and a shoe repair shop. There was also a grocery store that sold bread (made by the inmates), meat (from the farm) and vegetables (produced by the inmates). There were also other grocery items which were brought in from Sudbury. Milk was delivered to the door by horse and wagon and the garbage was picked up by a different horse and wagon. There was a complete working saw mill, which milled the trees cut down by inmates. The village was built from the lumber and all of the provincial parks were provided with picnic tables made there as well. Burwash was considered to be almost self-sufficient, with the inmates working at various trades and receiving an education.
An Ontario Heritage Trust
Ontario Heritage Trust
The Ontario Heritage Trust is a non-profit agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, responsible for protecting, preserving and promoting the built, natural and cultural heritage of Canada's most populous province. It was initially known as the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board...
plaque was unveiled at the site on August 6, 2006.