The ED & BC Railway, as it made its way north, decided to put the tracks on the west side of the Lesser Slave River. The town fathers of Mirror Landing promptly surveyed the opposite shore and applied for village status and to change the name to Port Cornwall, assumedly after James Cornwall, one of the most avid promoters of the Peace Country.
A petition was signed by 44 businessmen from Mirror Landing. They included a barber, a butcher, 2 blacksmiths, an engineer, a veterinarian, a pilot, a ferryman,, 2 restaurants, 2 contractors, 2 carpenters, 4 merchants, a bakery, a real estate agent, a pool hall operator, a livery stable, a farmer, a government agent, 2 druggists, as well as James Cornwall and Captain Barber, and interestingly enough, an agent from the E.D. & B.C. Railway.
The Railway decided to put its divisional point on the south side of the Athabasca and created the railway town called Smith, named after the Chief Engineer. The businesses soon moved across the river for better access to the new mode of transportation.
By 1917 Port Cornwall/Mirror Landing was deserted. On Sept. 11, 1917 the Village of Port Cornwall was dissolved.
It is interesting though that even though the mail came to the town of Smith up until the mid 1950’s the post office carried the name of Mirror Landing.