Happy 25th to Cobalt Historical Society

A Sterling Milestone

This year marks the Silver anniversary of our incorporation as a non-profit agency. Twenty-five years, since April 30, 1999.

To say that a lot has changed since we were first appointed guardians of the Heritage Silver Trail is an understaement. For better or worse, as fortunes and circumstances changed, our organization has remained dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the mining heritage in the Town of Cobalt and Coleman Township.

The beginning

In 1998, a joint session of Cobalt and Coleman Councils led by Mayor Hank Lafleur and Reeve Colleen Belanger appointed a five-member interim volunteer board to form the nucleus of the Cobalt Historical Society.

From Coleman, Reg Holdsworth and Betty-Arure Lacroix. From Cobalt, Jackie St.Laurent and Pat Anderson, and Merv Lavigne from Haileybury. 

The Cobalt Historical Society was created to fulfill the Town of Cobalt’s initiative to build the Heritage Silver Trail, a self-guided tour that includes former mining sites in Cobalt and Coleman.

On the Town’s behalf, we built the trail. Since then, we continue to develop and maintain the sites with aid from the two municipalities, our members, and volunteers. 

Today

Many of the peripheral sites marked on the map above are no longer part of the trail. These include the Kerr Lake silver mines, the Nipissing 96 and 73 shafts, and the Mileage 104 mill site. 

Thanks to Agnico Eagle, we’ve officially added the Hellens Mill site at the south end of Cobalt Lake. Also thanks to the mining company’s suggestion, we are building a new trail that will originate at the Little Silver Vein and run in behind the McKinley Darragh Mine property – The John Calder Memorial Trail. 

When you consider the yellow marking on the map above, essentially the same tour is available today. 

Happy Trails!

Spring came early this year, and with it the bears and blackflies! But also the fans of Cobalt’s heritage. 

We are printing new trail guides and when they are delivered, we will announce where you can get one. However, in the meantime, you can download a copy. 

The Cobalt Historical Society is grateful for the ongoing generous support of Agnico Eagle. They understand the importance of mining heritage and grant us permission to enter their property. It is important that you refrain from stepping off the paths or breaching the fence barriers. Please take out what you bring in with you, or use the trash bins where available.