Byng Inlet, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Byng Inlet is a ghost town
in Parry Sound District
, Ontario
. For a period in the nineteenth century it was home to one of largest sawmill
operations in Canada
. The name of the town came from that of the English
Admiral
John Byng
. It is also the name of the body of water, on which the village is situated, on the south shore of the Byng Inlet
a widening of the Magnetawan River
, near its mouth on Georgian Bay
.
First established as a mill town in 1869, there have been a number mills at Byng Inlet. At first, growth of the village was sporadic, operations of the mills fluctuating with the changes in the tariff
s on lumber exported to the United States
, (the market for the output of Georgian Bay mills). Even the panic of 1873
with widespread affects, threatened the lumber industry at Byng Inlet. It would not be until the 1890s that mill workers established their roots, and Byng Inlet became their permanent home.
In 1897 the Holland and Emery Lumber Company of East Tawas, Michigan
, relocated their mill from Saginaw Bay
, to Byng Inlet. Having acquired the Magnetawan timber berths from Merrill and Ring, (another Michigan lumber firm). Nelson Holland and Temple Emery also acquired the Page mill, from Merrill and Ring in 1899, however, owing to financial difficulty of Mr. Emery, this was subsequently sold and removed.
A new partnership was started with Nelson Holland and L P Graves, along with James Thissel Emery and others. Luther Pomeroy Graves, had been a long time accociated with Nelson Holland, being the head of the firm Graves, Manbert and George, at Black Rock, NY, which marketed Holland and Emery's lumber, forwarding it through the Erie Canal
. Temple Emery's nephew, James Thissel Emery, a millwright
also a long time associate of Mr. Holland, had apprenticed at Henry W. Sage
's mill in Bay City and at Holland's mill, previously located in East Saginaw.
In the early 1900s Holland and Graves expanded their operations, the connection of the Canadian Pacific Railway
through the village, offered new markets for their lumber, which prior to 1908, was only shipped by water. Under the name of Graves, Bigwood and Company, since 1907, William Bigwood of this partnership was the son-in-law of Temple Emery.
As the mill grew, so did the town's population. To accommodate the growing town, a bakery, theatre, hotel and post office were constructed. The mill would continue to operate until it burned in 1912. It was quickly rebuilt and returned to operation in 1913. Approximately 450 people lived in the shanty
houses and the 50 or so solid houses in the area. The mill employed some 1250 people, while the town's overall population was 4,200.
In 1927, after the resources dried up and the mill closed, without any other form of industry
to keep the population employed, most of the people left. The town currently retains a small permanent population, which is primarily due to the services of nearby Highway 69
.
A forestry fire tower was built in the village in the 1950s but was later dismantled. The footings can still be seen.
The Byng Inlet area continues to be administered as part of Britt
's local services board.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Parry Sound District
Parry Sound District, Ontario
Parry Sound District is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its seat is Parry Sound. Its boundaries are Muskoka to the south, the Sudbury District, the French River and Lake Nipissing in the north, Nipissing District, Ontario and North Bay in the north and east and parts of...
, Ontario
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....
. For a period in the nineteenth century it was home to one of largest sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
operations in 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...
. The name of the town came from that of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
John Byng
John Byng
Admiral John Byng was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to Vice-Admiral in 1747...
. It is also the name of the body of water, on which the village is situated, on the south shore of the Byng Inlet
Byng Inlet (Ontario)
Byng Inlet is a body of water on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, between Parry Sound and the mouth of the French River. It is a widening of the Magnetawan River, near its mouth...
a widening of the Magnetawan River
Magnetawan River
The Magnetawan River is a river in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, which flows 175 km from Magnetawan Lake inside Algonquin Provincial Park to empty into Georgian Bay at the community of Britt on Byng Inlet....
, near its mouth on Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
.
First established as a mill town in 1869, there have been a number mills at Byng Inlet. At first, growth of the village was sporadic, operations of the mills fluctuating with the changes in the tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s on lumber exported to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, (the market for the output of Georgian Bay mills). Even the panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
with widespread affects, threatened the lumber industry at Byng Inlet. It would not be until the 1890s that mill workers established their roots, and Byng Inlet became their permanent home.
In 1897 the Holland and Emery Lumber Company of East Tawas, Michigan
East Tawas, Michigan
East Tawas is a city in Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,951 at the 2000 census.-Geography:*According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, relocated their mill from Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay is a bay within Lake Huron located on the eastern side of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms the space between Michigan's Thumb region and the rest of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Saginaw Bay is in area...
, to Byng Inlet. Having acquired the Magnetawan timber berths from Merrill and Ring, (another Michigan lumber firm). Nelson Holland and Temple Emery also acquired the Page mill, from Merrill and Ring in 1899, however, owing to financial difficulty of Mr. Emery, this was subsequently sold and removed.
A new partnership was started with Nelson Holland and L P Graves, along with James Thissel Emery and others. Luther Pomeroy Graves, had been a long time accociated with Nelson Holland, being the head of the firm Graves, Manbert and George, at Black Rock, NY, which marketed Holland and Emery's lumber, forwarding it through the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
. Temple Emery's nephew, James Thissel Emery, a millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
also a long time associate of Mr. Holland, had apprenticed at Henry W. Sage
Henry W. Sage
Henry W. Sage was a wealthy New York State businessman, philanthropist, and early benefactor and trustee of Cornell University....
's mill in Bay City and at Holland's mill, previously located in East Saginaw.
In the early 1900s Holland and Graves expanded their operations, the connection of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
through the village, offered new markets for their lumber, which prior to 1908, was only shipped by water. Under the name of Graves, Bigwood and Company, since 1907, William Bigwood of this partnership was the son-in-law of Temple Emery.
As the mill grew, so did the town's population. To accommodate the growing town, a bakery, theatre, hotel and post office were constructed. The mill would continue to operate until it burned in 1912. It was quickly rebuilt and returned to operation in 1913. Approximately 450 people lived in the shanty
Shanty
Shanty may refer to:* Ice shanty, a portable shed placed on a frozen lake* Sea shanty, shipboard working songs* Shanty Hogan , Major League Baseball catcher* Shanty town, unit of irregular, low-cost dwellings...
houses and the 50 or so solid houses in the area. The mill employed some 1250 people, while the town's overall population was 4,200.
In 1927, after the resources dried up and the mill closed, without any other form of industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
to keep the population employed, most of the people left. The town currently retains a small permanent population, which is primarily due to the services of nearby 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...
.
A forestry fire tower was built in the village in the 1950s but was later dismantled. The footings can still be seen.
The Byng Inlet area continues to be administered as part of Britt
Britt, Ontario
Britt is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the unincorporated township of Wallbridge in the Parry Sound District.The community is located on the north shore of the Magnetawan River at Byng Inlet, approximately 5 kilometres west of Highway 69, at the end of Highway 526.Like...
's local services board.