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Swastika
Photo by contributor Lianne Johnson Lowens - Posted June, 2006
Photo from Google Street View ©2010 Google - Posted October, 2010
Plaque Location
The District of Timiskaming
The Town of Kirkland Lake
In Swastika, in Fireman's Park on Riverside Drive
first left after crossing the Blanche River
northbound on Government Road
Coordinates: N 48 06.579 W 80 06.252 |
 |
Plaque Text
When the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway was completed to Cochrane in 1908, a station named Swastika was opened here at the Blanche River where gold had been discovered by James and William Dusty. In that year, the Swastika Mining Company was formed but low initial yields dampened interest in the region. In 1911, after the discovery of gold at Porcupine, the Swastika mine was expanded, the Lucky Cross mine was opened and prospectors returned to the region. A community of about 450 quickly developed around the station and a post-office was opened. The mines at Swastika soon failed, but with the discovery and development of the Kirkland Lake gold field 8 km to the east, the community emerged as an entrepôt for this area
Related Ontario plaques
Porcupine Mining Area
Kirkland Lake Gold Camp
More
Information
More
Settlements
Here are the visitors' comments for this page.
> Posted August 20, 2014
I understand the wish of the residents to keep the name being so old and before the nazis BUT the residents should also respect the suffering that this hated symbol brought to many millions who may see this in maps or pass by. I see this stubborn will to retain the name instead of Winston as a lack of sensitivity and common sense.
> Posted October 10, 2013
One has to wonder why town residents would be determined to cling to a word that signifies Naziism to anyone even faintly acquainted with 20th Century history. If it's a nice place with nice people, why wouldn't they want to change the town's name to something not associated with the murder of millions of people?
> Posted May 18, 2012
This is the most wonderful town in Ontario. Great people. Great scenery!
> Posted July 29, 2010
I would love to visit this strong willed community some day soon.
> Posted November 24, 2009
An quote from Google Earth and Wikipedia regarding the town's name....
"During World War II, the provincial government sought to change the town's name to Winston, in honour of Winston Churchill, but the town refused, insisting that the town had held the name long before the Nazis co-opted the swastika symbol. Residents of Swastika used to tell the story of how the Ontario Department of Highways would erect new signs on the roads at the edge of the town. At night the residents would tear these signs down and put up their own signs proclaiming the town to be "Swastika".
"Periodically, Swastika has been subject to derision for retaining the name. However, local residents have resisted a change."
Denis Gionet.
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