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Most of the photographs on this
site were taken at the site of an old prison - Burwash. The
Burwash area is about 35,000 acres in size and is located about 40 km
south of Sudbury, to the west of highway 69. The prison was
established in 1914. The prison was closed in 1974.
The advantage of this area is the
range of habitat offered - meadow, forest, lake and river, and
exposed rock. The meadows were once fields of hay maintained by
the prisoners. These fields are still harvested today, but the
marginal areas are returning to a natural state.
In 1998, 1999, and 2000, a number
of elk were relocated from Elk Island National Park, near Edmonton
Alberta, to the Burwash area. Under the right conditions, you may see
some of these new residents to the area.
Please follow the links provided
below to acquire more information about the former community and prison.
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Burwash jail, Camp Bison sign.
Date: July 17, 2001 |
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Burwash jail. Photographed
spring 1999. |
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The front of the Burwash jail
contains several symbols representing industry, agriculture, justice,
and education.
Date: July 17, 2001 |
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Inside of Burwash Camp Bison -
hall of cells.
Date: July 17, 2001 |
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Inside of Burwash Camp Bison -
what appears to be a maximum security cell.
Date: July 17, 2001 |
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The shower room.
Date: July 17, 2001 |
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An old garage is one of the few
wooden out-houses that remain on the Burwash jail site.
Date: July 17, 2001 |
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Burwash cemetery, looking towards
Cemetery Lake. The wooden picket fence is mostly fallen
down. The large conifer tree stands on the edge of the lake. Photographed
spring 2000. |
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Burwash cemetery
looking from the Cemetery Lake towards the north. Note the old wooden
picket fence in the background. Photographed
April 14, 2001. |
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Burwash cemetery
looking from the Cemetery Lake towards the north. New crosses are now
in place. Photographed September 18, 2004. |
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This old cross occurs in a remote
part of the Burwash property, well away from the known cemetery.
There are no markings on the cross.
Photographed:
Spring 2000. |
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Fence in the general location of
the pig barn, Burwash. Photographed spring 2000. |
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Old milk can and shovel in the
Burwash bush. (Date: May 13, 2007) |
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Old foundation, photographed
summer 2000. Fragrant bedstraw
thrives in this dry and hot setting. |
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In one of the fields, there is an
old wooden bridge that crosses a small creek.
Photographed fall 2000. |
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Steps to a former terraced flower
garden area, in the old townsite.
Photographed
summer 2000. |
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Fire hydrant located in the
former Burwash town site.
Photographed:
April 14, 2001 |
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Sidewalks and domestic flowers
mark the locations of former homes. Spurge and pink phlox have
escaped from a domestic garden.
Date: May 13, 2001 |
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An old dry rock fence also marks
the location of a former home.
Date: |
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In fall 2000, the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources conducted a prescribed burn of a meadow
area to enhance the habitat for the introduced elk. |
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Close-up of the margin of the
prescribed burn, photographed fall 2000. |
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