Lynn Lake, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Lynn Lake is a small town in the northwest region of Manitoba
, Canada
, 1,071 km from Winnipeg
. The town was named after Lynn Smith, chief engineer of Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. There are numerous outfitters in the Lynn Lake area. They offer services for most wilderness experiences, including sport fishing
and bear
and moose
hunting
.
ore was discovered. The nickel mine was developed, and soon after, gold
was also discovered. Most of Lynn Lake's 208 houses and commercial buildings were moved from Sherridon, Manitoba
, over cat train trails. The houses and commercial buildings were moved by digging out the foundation, loading them on the tricycle winter freighting sleigh pulled by Linn tractors and caterpillar crawlers. The buildings once loaded were the last sleigh on the cat trains which were usually 4-5 sleighs long.
The Linn Tractors
were used to move the town of Sherridon, Manitoba to Lynn Lake, Manitoba in the 1950s.
After a rich vein of copper
ore had been nearly depleted in Sherridon, the company sent out prospectors to find another strike. Around 1945, the expeditions were successful when one of the world's largest nickel strikes was found near the soon to be established Lynn Lake. Most of the people of Sherridon moved to Lynn Lake when housing was completed.
Gold mining was once the major industry of the town. The mine was shut down in the late 20th century, but if the price of gold and other metals rises enough, mining operations could be resumed.
recorded Lynn Lake's population at 1,038. By 2001, the population of Lynn Lake had dropped 32.7% to 699. As of December, 2004, the population of Lynn Lake has stabilized somewhat at an estimated 800 residents, 208 of which are students at West Lynn Heights School.
was born in Lynn Lake and lived there until he was 4. Lynn Johnston
, the creator of the comic strip
For Better or For Worse
, also lived for a number of years in Lynn Lake, where she began her career.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, 1,071 km from Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. The town was named after Lynn Smith, chief engineer of Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. There are numerous outfitters in the Lynn Lake area. They offer services for most wilderness experiences, including sport fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
and moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
.
History
Lynn Lake was founded in 1950, when a deposit of nickelNickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
ore was discovered. The nickel mine was developed, and soon after, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was also discovered. Most of Lynn Lake's 208 houses and commercial buildings were moved from Sherridon, Manitoba
Sherridon, Manitoba
Sherridon, Manitoba is a community in Manitoba, Canada.Sherridon originated as the service centre for the nearby Sherritt Gordon nickel mines. The mine closed in 1952, resulting in the equipment and many of the workers and families relocating to Lynn Lake. In 1949 the first house from Sherridon was...
, over cat train trails. The houses and commercial buildings were moved by digging out the foundation, loading them on the tricycle winter freighting sleigh pulled by Linn tractors and caterpillar crawlers. The buildings once loaded were the last sleigh on the cat trains which were usually 4-5 sleighs long.
The Linn Tractors
Linn tractor
The Linn tractor is a heavy duty civilian half-track or crawler tractor invented by Holman Harry Linn. Approximately 2500 units were built in Morris, New York, USA from 1916 to 1952....
were used to move the town of Sherridon, Manitoba to Lynn Lake, Manitoba in the 1950s.
After a rich vein of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
ore had been nearly depleted in Sherridon, the company sent out prospectors to find another strike. Around 1945, the expeditions were successful when one of the world's largest nickel strikes was found near the soon to be established Lynn Lake. Most of the people of Sherridon moved to Lynn Lake when housing was completed.
Gold mining was once the major industry of the town. The mine was shut down in the late 20th century, but if the price of gold and other metals rises enough, mining operations could be resumed.
Demographics
The 1996 censusCensus in Canada
The Census in Canada is a census that takes place every five years. The census is conducted by Statistics Canada. The census provides demographic and statistical data that is used to plan public services including health care, education, and transportation, determine federal transfer payments, and...
recorded Lynn Lake's population at 1,038. By 2001, the population of Lynn Lake had dropped 32.7% to 699. As of December, 2004, the population of Lynn Lake has stabilized somewhat at an estimated 800 residents, 208 of which are students at West Lynn Heights School.
Notable people
Canadian rock musician Tom CochraneTom Cochrane
Tom Cochrane, OC Canadian musician and humanitarian, best known for his hit songs "Life Is a Highway", "Lunatic Fringe", "Human Race" and "I Wish You Well". Cochrane fronted the Canadian rock band Red Rider and has won seven Juno Awards...
was born in Lynn Lake and lived there until he was 4. Lynn Johnston
Lynn Johnston
Lynn Johnston, CM, OM is a Canadian cartoonist, well known for her comic strip For Better or For Worse, and was the first woman and first Canadian to win the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award.-Early life:...
, the creator of the comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
For Better or For Worse
For Better or For Worse
For Better or For Worse is a comic strip by Lynn Johnston that ran for 30 years, chronicling the lives of a Canadian family, The Pattersons, and their friends. The story is set in the fictitious Toronto-area suburban town of Milborough, Ontario. Johnston's strip began in September 1979, and ended...
, also lived for a number of years in Lynn Lake, where she began her career.
Climate
Local media
Television
CBWRT began as Frontier Coverage Package station CBTA in September, 1967. In early 1969 the province-wide microwave system replaced the kine recordings and Lynn Lake has enjoyed live television since then.- CBWRTCBWTCBWT is the CBC's television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is the only CBC station in Manitoba, since Brandon's CKX-TV closed on October 2, 2009....
Channel 8 (CBCCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
)
Internet
Northwest Communities Cooperative Inc, an independent broadband provider, was formed in July 2010. NCC is the first high-speed internet service of its kind to become available to the community, and has been working hard to accommodate the large demand. The company's list of subscribers has been growing steadily since its formation. MTS Allstream has stated that there are no current plans for this community of several hundred to be provided with its DSL Internet service in the foreseeable future, though their dial-up service is available. Internet is also available through external satellite providers..MTS Allstream Inc. DSL AvailabilityExternal links
- Town of Lynn Lake web site Maintained by the Town of Lynn Lake
- King of Obsolete is a site created by one of the local residents, which also explains a great deal of the history of Lynn Lake, including numerous archival photos.
- View of town at Terraserver
- Map of Lynn Lake at Statcan