Mural depicting sawmill on a main street building, Midland, Ontario
For sure, logging played a big part in the early settlement of central and northern Ontario. And the residents there are fully aware of this as evidenced by the murals painted on the outside of buildings in many of the major towns.
Saw mill north of Bracebridge, Ontario
Today, lumber mills still dot the landscape. The big contraption over the sawdust at the rear of the photo is a dust collector. (I didn't just know that, I had to ask.)
The above mill specializes in timber and lumber from white pine, red pine, hemlock, and spruce, and also hard wood from hard maple, soft maple, red oak, cherry, ash, beech, white and yellow birch, basswood, and poplar.
FYI: Timber is lumber with a measurement of no fewer than 12.5 cm (5 inches).
Thick and long beam (timber): 8 1/2" x 12 1/2" x 16'
Some of the boards in the yard the day I took the above two photos were HUGE! Beams come from the center of logs after boards are cut off the sides. This beam must have come from a fairly large tree. Apparently, timber is available here in any size with lengths up to 32 feet.
Mural near centre of town, Gravenhurst, Ontario
Central and northern Ontario boasts many river and lakes, perfect in olden days for moving logs to sawmills.
Mural at entrance to Parry Sound, Ontario's business section
Another old-fashioned way to move logs was on horse-drawn sleighs in winter. Today trucks and trains haul logs to mills.
Modern day lumber ready for milling, north of Bracebridge, Ontario
This view of the mill's yard has an almost timeless quality, but the photo was taken only a week ago.
