The Marmora Brickyard - 1880

Marmora's first commercial brickyard (now known as Nayler's Common) was made prosperous by brick-maker John W. Nayler in the early 1880's and 90's.

The clay in the pond area was baked in kilns on this property.The kilns were built by hand and fired by wood continually for at least a week using 40 to 60 cords of soft wood at a firing.About 75,000 bricks would be baked in the kilns at least three times a year.

Many of the red brick homes and business establishments were built with bricks from Nayler's brickyard.Charles Bleecker's residence on Madoc Street (1887),Dr. Parkin's house on Forsyth Street (1888),A.W. Carscallen's thirty room residence on Forsyth (1901),Gladney and McDonnell's Store (1909) and Pringle's Corner Building (1914).

      Bleecker House, Madoc & Victoria

The Carscallen House,  55 Forsyth St., Marmora

By 1911,the clay in the pond area ran out and the brickyard remained abandoned for years.The Village of Marmora purchased 22 acres of the property surrounding the brickyard with the intention that it would be developed for public use.On August 16, 1994,  Nayler's Common,Wetland and Trails were officially opened to the public.

Nayler's Common Grand opening, Bridget Stevens, Guy Follen, Joe Hulsmans, Clarence Logan (sign maker)

The Marmora Town Hall 1913

The Marmora Village Town Hall, built in 1913, has served as Law Courts, Badminton courts, Movie Theatre, and Operating theatre for tonsillectomies. It has swung to the sounds of minstrel music, reverberated with the laughter of vaudeville, and rung to the rally cries of union leaders, recruiting officers and politicians, including Prime Minister Arthur Meighen, and Provincial Premiers, Howard Ferguson and Bob Rae.
Let us know if you know of any other uses of the past.

To read more good stuff on the Town Hall,  click here.

Blairton, A Going Concern - 1868

Been to Blairton lately? By 1868, when Blairton was in full swing, the mining company built 40 cottages for its employees. The business section was laid out in an "H", with 3 general stores, two bakeshops, three hotels (Purdy House was one) and two boarding houses. There was a post office, operated by Roger Bates, a school, railway station, numerous liveries and blacksmith shops. By 1882, it was all done, and all assets, including 30,000 acres of land were sold to T.P. Pearce for $30,200.00. Even the old Methodist church was packed up and shipped to a farm in Moose Jaw!

Read more about Blairton.....click here

                                                      Blairton Mine - Manager's House

The Naming of Blairton - 1860's

Blairton was named after Mr. Blair, who was the largest shareholder in the Cobourg, Peterborough & Marmora Railway and Mining Co., that planned to take iron ore from the Blairton Mine to Cobourg. From there, it was shipped to Rochester and finally delivered to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (1860's)

To read more on Blairton,  click here

Poor Humpty Dumpty - 1648

Humpty Dumpty was the name given to a Royalist cannon mounted on St. Mary's Church, Colchester, England, at the time of the 1648 siege of the town during the Civil War?
General Fairfax, commander of the Parliamentary forces brought two "culverins" which brought down the belltower with the cannon. Apparently all the kings horses and all the kings men could not put Humpty together again.

Canadian Swimming Champions - 1938

In 1938 Crowe Lake was host to three Canadian swimming champions who gave a brief exhibition of their talents. They were Miss Thelma Bougnner of the Toronto Dalphinets and Canadian and Michigan Diving champion; Miss Halena Tomska of the Detroit Athletic Club, holder of 6 American records and Canadian champion of 100 yards free style and back stroke; and Gordon Kerr, champion back stroker and holder 10 Canadian records. Mrs. Kerr was the niece of Mrs. Cora Bleecker.

Halena Tomska