Bancroft, Ontario

History

In 1853 the first pioneer family settled in the area, and over the next 15 years the settlement grew quickly, as another 88 families followed. The first families were United Empire Loyalists, and followed later by Irish settlers, who were attracted to the area by the offer of free 100-acre (0.40 km²) parcels. Originally called York Mills, it was later renamed to York Branch, The Branch, York River in 1861 (when it got its own post office named York River on May 1 ), and finally to Bancroft on 15 October 1879 by Senator Billa Flint, after the maiden name of his wife.

The place was first incorporated as a village in December 1904. In 1999, the Village of Bancroft merged with Dungannon Township to form the Town of Bancroft.

The town was once a centre for logging, trapping, and mining. Uranium mining created a boom in the 1950s and 60s, but the closing of the Madawaska Mine in 1982 caused some economic hardship.

Demographics

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Attractions

Located in Central Ontario, part of the Canadian Shield, Bancroft is well known in Canada as an excellent location for rockhounding. Bancroft styles itself as the "mineral capital of Canada" and holds an annual event in August called the "Rockhound Gemboree".

There is also a Mineral Museum in Bancroft dedicated to the area's storied mining history. There is little active mining going on today, although the talk of the Brock Project in early 2014 has spurred recent industrial activity in the area.

A popular location is a craggy lookout called Eagle's Nest, a short distance north of the town. This scenic cliff, with a height of over 60 m (200 ft), overlooks the York River valley, the town of Bancroft, and other densely forest-covered ridges that surround it. It was the location of one of Ontario's first ever heavy steel fire towers in the 1930s built by the former Dept. of Lands and Forests. 12 m (39 ft) icicles dangle from its largest and most massive cliff in the winter and conceals parts of it entirely. It is a popular spot for mountain climbers to practice ice climbing in the winter. However, the road to the top is steep and generally impassable in the winter. Another popular location is a series of abandoned Mineral caves/mines at Egan's Chute on Highway 28 north-east of Bancroft.

Egan's Chute lies east of the town on Highway 28. The chute is a small gorge which the York River churns through, creating white water falls.

The lakes surrounding Bancroft are dotted with cottages, mostly seasonally occupied.

Bancroft lies in a region criss-crossed with snowmobile trails, making it a hub for snowmobilers in the winter months. In the summer these trails are used by hikers and ATV enthusiasts.

The local curling club opened in 1957, and has hosted increasingly notable bonspiels - including the 2005 Ontario Regional Men's Championship and in March 2008, the Tim Hortons Colts Provincial Championship. The town now sports one 9 hole golf course, and one 18 hole golf course.

A skate park was established in 2008. Located on the Hastings Heritage Trail. The skate park was designed by Spectrum Skate Park Creations and was fund raised for by the North Hastings Freedom Skate Park Committee. Through the many oppositions that the committee had, they succeeded. The Skate parks grand opening was on May 30, 2009.

An Oktoberfest is held annually by the Bancroft District Fish & Game Protective Association.

Camping and hiking

Silent Lake Provincial Park nearby south on Highway 28 provides local camping opportunities. American sportsmen fished and hunted on this private lake for 40 years before it became a park. Silent Lake has a rocky and undeveloped shoreline, a mixed forest and marshes full of birds and wildlife best seen by canoe. A rugged trail circles the lake, and sections of groomed ski trails have been graded for mountain biking.

Algonquin Provincial Park about an hour away on Highway 62 N - Highway 127 N - Highway 60 W provides camping and hiking opportunities, beautiful forest and outdoor scenery. Portaging is quite common in this park. Algonquin offers many visitor attractions. Like Silent Lake, Algonquin has a rocky, treed and extensive undeveloped shoreline, a mixed forest and marshes full of birds and wildlife best seen by canoe. The OFSC trails through the park provide easy winter access by snowmobile.

One of the most common sights is the Canadian Moose.

Arts

In 2004, Bancroft won TVOntario's "Most Talented Town in Ontario" contest. A large number of artists and artisans live in the surrounding area, and exhibit together in events like the "Fall Studio Tour".

The Art Gallery of Bancroft (AGB) is located in the town of Bancroft, Ontario, Canada and is the area's only public not-for profit art gallery. Completely run by dedicated volunteers, the AGB mounts 11-12 exhibitions per year celebrating the work of local and regional artists and artisans. These exhibitions include the popular annual "Juried Show" and the annual student show displaying the work of four regional high schools. The gallery gift shop displays the paintings and fine crafts of area artists and the AGB boasts a permanent collection including some of Ontario's finest artists.

The town is home to the "Village Playhouse", a theatre which has been hosting sold out plays, musicals and concerts since the early 1990s. Formerly the Bancroft Community Hall, this historical building was once the local jail, court house and library.

Transportation

Bancroft lies at the intersection of two provincial highways, Highway 28 and Highway 62, with several other inroads allowing access to the city.

Bancroft is served by the Jack Brown Airport, a Transport Canada Registered Aerodrome (CNW3), with a 2,200 foot (670 m) crushed gravel runway, located immediately adjoining the town. A small airport, it was named after the man who was reeve at the time and instrumental in its construction. Currently operated by the Bancroft Flying Club, the Jack Brown Airport is freely available to the general public and frequently referred to as The Bancroft Airport. Due to high terrain near both ends of the runway, pilots typically use a non-standard circuit, following the York River valley through the town for departing from runway 12 or landing on runway 30.

The Central Ontario Railway arrived in November 1900 connecting Bancroft with Trenton. The railway went through the Musclow-Greenview road and extended behind Birds Creek through a back trail (which is now used for cyclists and fourwheeling) and continued through the town eventually going further away from the town at the 'Y' road division. The line was closed in 1975 and subsequently removed. The Bancroft, Irondale and Ottawa Railway connected Bancroft with Kinmount, Ontario. The line was purchased by the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway which became part of the Canadian National Railways in 1918. The line was abandoned in 1960.

The old train station in Bancroft served as the Chamber of Commerce and Mineral Museum until it was condemned in 2008. The Chamber, Mineral Museum, and Art Gallery relocated to other sites in the town. In 2011, the old station was moved onto a new foundation; it is now restored with an addition at the southern end of the building to house the Bancroft Gem and Mineral Club’s museum and a caboose, which is not currently in use.

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