Bancroft, Ontario
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Bancroft is a town on the York River in Hastings County in the Canadian province of Ontario. As of 2001, the population was 4,089. In 1996, the population was 4,080 (-0.2% population change). The area of the town was 227.85 square kilometres.[1]
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[edit] History
In 1853 the first family settled in the area, and in the next 15 years the settlement grew quickly when another 88 families followed. The original settlement was called York Mills but on 15 October 1879, it was renamed Bancroft by Senator Billa Flint after the maiden name of his wife Phoebe.[2]
The town was once a centre for uranium mining, and the closing of the Madawaska mine caused some economic hardship.
[edit] Attractions
Located in Ontario's Haliburton Hills, part of the Canadian Shield, Bancroft is well known in Canada as an excellent location for rockhounding. Bancroft styles itself as the "mineral capital of Canada" and holds an annual event in August called the Rockhound Gemboree.
There is also a Mineral Museum in Bancroft dedicated to the area's storied mining history. There is little active mining going on today.
A popular local location is a craggy lookout called Eagle's Nest a short distance north of the city; however, the road is steep and generally impassable in the winter. "Egan's Chute" lies north-east of the town on Highway 62. The Chute is a small gorge which the York River churns through, creating white water falls.
The lakes surrounding Bancroft are dotted with cottages, mostly seasonally occupied.
Bancroft lies in a region criss-crossed with snowmobile trails, making it a hub for snowmobilers in the winter months. In the summer these trails are used by hikers and ATV enthusiasts. The local curling club has existed for over 30 years, and has hosted increasingly notable bonspiels - including a recent (winter 2005) Ontario Regional Men's Championship. The area now sports one 9 hole golf course, and one 18 hole golf course.
[edit] Arts
In 2004, Bancroft won TVOntario's "Most Talented Town in Ontario" contest. A large number of artists and artisans live in the surrounding area, and when exhibiting together in events like the "Fall Studio Tour" the local talent is quite remarkable.
The town has the Bancroft Village Playhouse - a theatre which has been hosting sold out plays and musicals since the early 1990's.
[edit] Transportation
Bancroft lies at the intersection of 2 regional roads, namely Highway 28 and Highway 62.
Bancroft is served by a small airport, Jack Brown Airport (CNW3), with a 2,200 foot (670 meter) crushed gravel runway, located immediately adjoining the town. The airport is operated by the Bancroft Flying Club and is freely available to the general public. Due to high terrain near both ends of the runway, pilots typically use a non-standard circuit, following the York River valley through the town for departing from runway 12 or landing on runway 30.
The railroad used to go through the town. The first train from the Central Ontario Railway arrived in November 1900. The line was closed in 1975 and subsequently removed.[3]
[edit] Camping
Nearby Silent Lake Provincial Park provides local camping opportunities. American sportsmen fished and hunted on this private lake for 40 years before it became a park. Silent Lake has a rocky and undeveloped shoreline, a mixed forest and marshes full of birds and wildlife best seen by canoe. A rugged trail circles the lake, and sections of groomed ski trails have been graded for mountain biking.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Bancroft, Ontario. 2001 Community Profile. Statistics Canada. Retrieved on 2006-07-12.
- ^ Bancroft & District Chamber of Commerce, Bancroft District 2006 Destination Guide
- ^ Bancroft & District Chamber of Commerce, Bancroft District 2006 Destination Guide
