Burwash, Ontario

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For other uses of Burwash, see Burwash (disambiguation).

Burwash was the name of a community in Ontario, Canada, located approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of Sudbury.[1][2]

History

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.[3]

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 35,000 acres (14,164 ha) and leased an additional 100,000 acres (40,469 ha) of land.[3] 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.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Map sheet 12" (PDF). Official Road Map of Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Transportation. 2006-07-06. Retrieved 2008-05-12. 
  2. ↑ "Topographic Map sheet 41I2". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. 2006-02-06. Retrieved 2008-05-12. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Ontario Heritage Trust unveils provincial plaque to commemorate correctional reform institution in Burwash". Ontario Heritage Trust. 2006-08-06. Retrieved 2008-05-17. 

External links

Coordinates: 46°14′22″N 80°51′03″W / 46.23944°N 80.85083°W / 46.23944; -80.85083


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