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Bradlo

In 1930 a handful of Slovak immigrants settled eleven kilometres south of Hearst near present-day Highway 583. They helped each other build log houses, clear land and sell wood to pulp and paper...

In 1930 a handful of Slovak immigrants settled eleven kilometres south of Hearst near present-day Highway 583. They helped each other build log houses, clear land and sell wood to pulp and paper mills. Soon other Slovaks were attracted to the community. By the middle of the depression, Bradlo boasted 150 people, a public school, Catholic church, store, post-office and meeting hall. After their pulpwood was harvested, residents realized that their land would not support commercial farming. By 1950, most had left for better opportunities elsewhere. Although few traces of Bradlo survive today, its brief history illustrates the hard work, resourcefulness and communal aid that have distinguished the immigrant experience in northern Ontario.


Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Ontario Plaques. Full page here.

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