Tom the backroads traveller hosts this weekly meme. September 2018 - Goderich ON Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Nelson Mandela
When we were in Goderich last weekend I was astounded to learn that we had such a salt mine in Lake Huron!
It started with us watching this tanker coming into shore.
By the time we finished lunch and went for it walk, it had docked.
The salt mining industry in Goderich is one of the oldest in Ontario. In 1866, petroleum exploration crews found a massive ancient salt deposit about 300 metres (980 feet) under the surface.
To date, 150 million tons of salt has been produced from the mine and by 2012, after recent investments, it will be able to produce 9 million tons a year.
This all started in 1866 when prospector Sam Platt was searching for oil and instead discovered rock salt 300 metres beneath Goderich Harbour. Just over 50 years ago harvesting of the salt began, and continues today by Sifto Canada, with its primary products being table salt, fine evaporated salt, water conditioning salt, agricultural salt, and highway deicing salt. Sifto Canada is wholly owned by Compass Minerals.
The mine itself is 530 metres (1,750 feet) below surface, extending 7 km2 (2.7 sq mi) under Lake Huron - roughly the size of the town itself. The mine extends under Lake Huron and is the largest underground salt mine in the world.
The salt deposits at Goderich are from an ancient sea bed of Silurian age, part of the Salina Formation. The halite rock salt is also found in Windsor, Ontario, both located on the eastern periphery of the Michigan Basin, on the southeastern shores of Lake Huron.
This unique Great Lakes self-unloading bulk carrier was built by Port Weller Dry Docks, St. Catharines, Ont., as Hull #41. She was christened Canadian Century for Upper Lakes Group, Inc., Toronto, Ont., on April 15, 1967 by Mrs. G. E. Gathercole, wife of the Chairman of the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario. The name paid tribute to the 100th anniversary of Canada’s confederation.
At the time of her launch, the vessel was the largest capacity self-unloading vessel on the Great Lakes. Her squared hull design reduced wasted space thus increasing her tonnage, however her very tall wheelhouse and forward accommodation block gave her the distinction of being known as the "little bank building that floats."
In 2002, the vessel was renamed John D. Leitch, honoring the chairman of the Upper Lakes Group. On February 25, 2011, a formal statement was issued announcing the sale of the privately owned Upper Lakes fleet and their associated interest in Seaway Marine Transport to the Algoma Central Corporation. On April 15, 2011, Algoma announced that the John D. Leitch would retain her name.
Six Word Saturday not my video but a great look at Toronto's art venues
Wouldn't you know it is the first cold Saturday and we are heading to my cousin's cottage three hours away in Goderich, on Lake Ontario. No worries we dress for success and warmth.
We were meeting my cousin and her wife in Goderich so we wandered while we waited.
The town was founded by John Galt and William "Tiger" Dunlop of the Canada Company in 1827. First laid out in 1828, the town is named after Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich, who was British prime minister at the time.
John Galt (2 May 1779 – 11 April 1839) was a Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and political and social commentator. Because he was the first novelist to deal with issues of the Industrial Revolution, he has been called the first political novelist in the English language.
William Dunlop (19 November 1792 – 29 June 1848) also known as Tiger Dunlop was an army officer, surgeon, Canada Company official, author, justice of the peace, militia officer, politician, and office holder.
Goderich's downtown has an octagonal traffic circle known as 'The Square'. The county courthouse stands in the middle of The Square. This is where, in 1959, Steven Truscott was convicted of murdering Lynne Harper. The conviction was overturned in 2007.
The Square was designed and developed between 1840 and the mid 1890s and in its early days, contained the main office of the Canada Company which helped to develop much of the county. The design of the square - a "radial composition" - is attributed to John Galt of the Company, inspired by ancient Roman city plans. Over the years it was called "Market Square", “The Square” or “Courthouse Square” by locals. The original courthouse was located here but was destroyed in a fire and replaced by a modern structure in the 1950s, seen above.
We then went for a delicious lunch in the old train station. John even had a grilled cheese served on gluten free Red Cat Farm bread.
The one-and-half-storey red brick former railway station was constructed in 1907. In 1988, the final CPR train departed the Goderich station and stopped on the bridge to blow its whistle for a final time.
Food was delicious with huge portions.
We then took a walk along the Goderich Waterfront Boardwalk which extends 1.5 km from the main beach at the mouth of the harbour to the Rotary Cove.
It offers a glimpse at the history of the harbour through the Marine Heritage Walking Tour.
The Goderich lighthouse, the first on the Canadian side of Lake Huron, opened in 1847 with a tower and the keeper's house. After the 1913 storm it was remodeled. A severe storm on Lake Huron in November 1913 caused the loss of 19 ships and 244 lives. A great deal of wreckage floated to the Goderich area shore, The bodies of the sailors were identified and collected by a Lake Carriers' Association committee based at Goderich.
This incredible waterfront boardwalk stretches along three of the finest beaches in Huron County.
I/we were totally intrigued by the history of salt mining in Goderich. Who knew that the salt mining industry in Goderich is one of the oldest in Ontario. In 1866, petroleum exploration crews found a massive ancient salt deposit about 300 metres (980 feet) under the surface.
I'll do a separate post on the salt mining.
To the cottage for a relaxing and fun dinner with family and friends.
It also involved a showing of the Bee Gees 1997 Las Vegas concert.
John was off to his Spanish class and I went to meet my BFF.
Curious about a sign in Union Station...
We stepped on to Front St. rather than going underground to the subway and came across this.
A very interesting history lesson that gave me a much greater appreciation of the name Vuitton! Here I was thinking when I saw his bags, oh yeah, just another designer bag...
Legendary fashion house Louis Vuitton is hosting a free exhibit in Union Station this month.
The Time Capsule Exhibition is a journey that revisits landmark innovations in technology and design through the history of the luxury house.
This free, pop up museum was so fascinating that I recommend it to everyone.
From there we headed to St. George subway station, grabbed lunch and took advantage of a 2 for 1 coupon I had for the Bata Shoe Museum.
I've been to the Bata Shoe Museum a couple of times a year over the last few years but the permanent displays never get tired, they change them up.
The BSM is excited to be the final and only North American venue to showcase this travelling exhibition MANOLO BLAHNIK: THE ART OF SHOES, a stunning retrospective by one of the world’s most influential figures within the fashion industry.
The shoes were stunning, lots of oohs and aahs from everyone.
We then walked back to Union Station for our respective rides home.
The ROM, Royal Ontario Museum, as we strolled passed.
I tried a new recipe for dinner sweet and sour pork, Tired of the boneless pork chops we had frozen, I thought this was a good choice. It worked really well but took a lot of time to batter each piece and John suggested not bothering next time.
Served with rice, it was a keeper.
