Balaclava, Ontario

September 16, 2001

Featured prominently in the "Ghost Towns of Ontario" book is the hamlet of Balaclava. The book makes it out to be deserted, whereas in real life, it contains at least two inhabited houses versus two or three uninhabited (but not abandoned) ones and an equal number of utility buildings.

Still, it beats most other so-called ghost towns, that are either nothing but a couple of foundations in the woods, or still inhabited.

The sawmill looks interesting and would be very nice to explore, but for the "No Trespassing" signs everywhere.

I drove up the road, to see where it would go. It turned into a rugged dirt road, winding its way for many kilometres through bush land that was once farmed (there were remains of pioneer log fences everywhere). Here is a homestead that was still in evidence, although no longer lived in.

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