Blairton

The Blairton Iron Mines in 1873Canadian Illustrated News, Vol.VII, No.7, Page 100
Reproduced from the National Library of Canada's website Images Canada http://www.imagescanada.ca/

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The seeds of Blairton's beginning were first laid in 1822 following the discovery of a rich bed of iron ore along the shores of Crowe Lake. In those early days it was simply not feasible to set up a full scale mining operation as there was no reliable means for transporting the ore out to the market. Everything changed following the arrival of the railways in the late 1860s and shortly thereafter, Blairton was established as a mining town.