Saltford, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Saltford is a small unincorporated community in Ontario
, Canada
located at the intersection of Highway 21
and Saltford Road, on the north bank of the Maitland River
in the township
of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh just north of Goderich
. In early 1866, local entrepreneur Samuel Platt discovered the presence of brine
while drilling for oil
in the community. He subsequently developed a salt extraction business, using an evaporation process. This discovery inspired the development of several salt extraction operations in the immediate area, eventually culminating in the opening of the Sifto Salt
mine in nearby Goderich, currently (2007) the third largest salt producer in the world.
Saltford's name has been changed several times throughout its history. In 1834, Doctor William "Tiger" Dunlop and his brother Captain Robert Dunlop
, named their settlement on the north shore of the Maitland river Gairbraid, after their mother's home in Dunbartonshire, Scotland
. The name changed to Bridgend Place, Maitlandville, and finally in 1879, Saltford.
The discovery of the salt deposits developed the local economy with at least 10 salt extraction and evaporator plants producing salt in 1872.
MacEwan Salt Works
Savage's brick yard
The Crown and Anchor was the first tavern in Colbone Township established in ????.
The Lasham Hotel est.? torn down 1915.
Martin's Hotel
Well's Brewery
A cigar manufacturing plant
Symonds Bros. cooperage
(1909)
McIntye's blacksmith shop
Gallagher's harness shop
J.T. Goldthorpe fruit evaporator plant (1909)
Bisset's Creamery that supplied milk to urban communities throughout Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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...
located at the intersection of Highway 21
Highway 21 (Ontario)
King's Highway 21, commonly referred to as Highway 21, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that begins at Highway 402 mid-way between Sarnia and London and ends at Highway 6, Highway 10 and Highway 26 in Owen Sound...
and Saltford Road, on the north bank of the Maitland River
Maitland River
The Maitland River is a river in southwestern Ontario, Canada, which empties into Lake Huron in the town of Goderich, Ontario. The river is 150 km in length....
in the township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh just north of Goderich
Goderich, Ontario
Goderich is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario and is the county seat of Huron County. The town was founded by William "Tiger" Dunlop 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. The town...
. In early 1866, local entrepreneur Samuel Platt discovered the presence of brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
while drilling for oil
Oil well
An oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
in the community. He subsequently developed a salt extraction business, using an evaporation process. This discovery inspired the development of several salt extraction operations in the immediate area, eventually culminating in the opening of the Sifto Salt
Sifto Canada
Sifto Canada is a salt mining and marketing company based in Canada, with its primary products being table salt, fine evaporated salt, water conditioning salt, agricultural salt, coarse salt, rock salt, and bulk salt...
mine in nearby Goderich, currently (2007) the third largest salt producer in the world.
Saltford's name has been changed several times throughout its history. In 1834, Doctor William "Tiger" Dunlop and his brother Captain Robert Dunlop
Robert Graham Dunlop
Robert Graham Dunlop was a ship's captain and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Keppoch, Scotland in 1790 and joined the Royal Navy at the age of 13. He became a lieutenant while serving during the Napoleonic Wars; he later reached the rank of captain...
, named their settlement on the north shore of the Maitland river Gairbraid, after their mother's home in Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
. The name changed to Bridgend Place, Maitlandville, and finally in 1879, Saltford.
History Pre 1900
In 1866 Samuel Platt was drilling the northern bank of the Maitland river in search of oil. At a depth of 960 feet he struck one of the most expansive deposits of salt in the world. A sample of the extracted salt brine was tested by an authority of the time, Professor Goessman, who said it was "the most concentrated possible and the purest known."The discovery of the salt deposits developed the local economy with at least 10 salt extraction and evaporator plants producing salt in 1872.
The Boom times 1900-1920
Salford was a community of about 250 people in the late 1800s. There were several thriving businesses including:MacEwan Salt Works
Savage's brick yard
The Crown and Anchor was the first tavern in Colbone Township established in ????.
The Lasham Hotel est.? torn down 1915.
Martin's Hotel
Well's Brewery
A cigar manufacturing plant
Symonds Bros. cooperage
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
(1909)
McIntye's blacksmith shop
Gallagher's harness shop
J.T. Goldthorpe fruit evaporator plant (1909)
Bisset's Creamery that supplied milk to urban communities throughout Ontario
