This series of caches showcases the ghost towns of Renfrew County.
Although there are inhabitants nearby, Balaclava is considered an abandoned ghost town of Ontario. The highlights of the area are the historical dam, and the old Richards sawmill, built sometime between 1855 and 1861 by Duncan Ferguson and Donald Cameron. The sawmill was instrumental in Balaclava becoming a busy and bustling pioneer settlement in a timber-rich area of Ontario.
Starting in 1911, the sawmill's owners were plagued with legal battles stemming from pollution impacting the local grist mill downstream. As a result, the first sawdust burner in Ontario was installed at the sawmill.
The sawmill was shut down in the mid 1900s due to depleted timber supply in the surrounding areas, and now lies in disrepair. Bypassed by railways and with its only industry gone, Balaclava, once home to approximately 200 residents, was abandoned.
You will need to bring a writing implement to sign the log.
The land here is privately owned. Please do not trespass; admire the ghost town remnants from the road allowance.