Swastika

Swastika, Ontario highway11.ca

(Photo: P199 at Wiki Commons.)

Unlike Chaput Hughes, which is on the map but is essentially a part of Kirkland Lake (hence why I don’t profile it on this website), to my eyes Swastika was a bit more separate – it seemed to have the makings of being its own little hamlet (at one point in history.)

Once again, I had to be set straight. Swastika is technically a part of Kirkland Lake. On the other side of KL, King Kirkland (which I had erroneously identified as part of the town), however, is not. I stand corrected.

Swastika is a former railroad town on Highway 66 (not Highway 11) founded in 1906.  It is here that the main ONTC line branches off to Rouyn in Quebec.  Swastika was also home to the Swastika Mining Company, which found gold in 1908 but soon went under soon after.

During the Second World War the Province asked Swastika to change its name to Winston, in honour of Churchill.  The town refused.  Someone even put up a sign stating “To hell with Hitler.  We had Swastika first.

Swastika, OntarioWhen driving through a few years back, I counted three churches and estimated about 60 houses in Swastika. Evidently, as per the posting below, there are more than 60 hourses in Swastika.  The Swastika Fireman’s Park has a nice little waterfront along the Blanche River, featuring an historical plaque, a bunch of ducks, and a peaceful spot to stop.

I’m not sure how many services or shops in there are in Swastika.  Corner Link Variety is one – it serves ice cream as well as normal variety store stuff.  It’s off the main road, a bit north at the base of the church pictured here. I didn’t spend a lot of time in the town, I was eating ice cream at the Fireman’s Park.Swastika, Ontario church

Swastika also has a train station – I was surprised to learn that the ONTC passenger service doesn’t go into Kirkland Lake, but lets you off in Swastika where you then take a bus to KL.

22 thoughts on “Swastika

  1. I find it totally unapbectacle on how they spend our money without approval from the citizens of Kirkland. Instead of gouging us more and more they should find ways to help Kirkland residents in financial difficulty with their property and school taxes. Maybe even pay for some services that are much needed, especially the elderly who still want to live in their homes but find it harder and harder with every passing year.Why spend money on a library, with custom made furniture, where attendance is on the low side rather than the high. Who are they trying to impress?Yes, we need a library for our students and citizens but at what cost? In part, it is our fault because we should try to take more interest in the way city hall spends our money. We lead busy and stressful lives but they do not make it any easier on us.Do they have to pay such high wages to Kirkland workers. I know some Kirkland citizens who lost their jobs and tried to find work with Kirkland city and were never given a chance for an interview. They hire only by connections. It is who you know, not what you know.City Hall shows their face only when they need our vote. I have been living in Kirkland for over 25 years and I can tell you that corruption does not only take place in Ottawa. I used to be proud on how they used to manage our tax dollars, now I am disgusted and upset. If City Hall would have a survey going around they would find out just how upset their citizens are with their politics. Certainly, the mayor can afford to pay for part of his own golf tournament!

  2. I was born in either Swastika or Kirkland Lake [actually in Peggy’s Nursing Home but I don’t know where that was] on March 28, 1934 at 50 below zero F!. We lived in a white house fairly close to the railway tracks. My father [Humphrey Gillies] worked at the Lakeshore Mine. My most vivid memory is of a black bear crossing the railway tracks with her 2 cubs. We moved to 83 Tower Street in Kirkland Lake when I was 8 or 9. I LOVE the north!

  3. I am trying to locate Pauline & Dave Bradt who recently moved to Swastika. Do you know them? Interested in obtaining an email address. thanks

  4. I am trying to locate Pauline & Dave Bradt who recently moved to Swastika. Do you know them? Interested in obtaining an email address. thanks

    • Wow! This is unbelievable! Picture #3 + coemnmt say it all. It is pretty obvious the city inspector missed the whole thing. I hope our elected officials will learn about it and reconsider their position towards this problem. I understand they believed their inspector did a good job at the time, but now with fresh evidence we can see clearly that the pipes are running straight from the street to the house, no x-connection at all And the owner got the certificate of connections?! The city inspector should have noticed that the pipes coming from the street were swapped. Most certainly, this is what happened elsewhere.

    • i would really appreciate any info you could share with me..my husband edgar is her son and was with her at the age of 3 when she died. we have tried for years to get any info of her but to no avail. even her birthdate that was published is not correct as i tried to get her birth certificate and they told me they do not have any for her date..thanks so much vivian daigneault

      • over the years we often wondered if she had any brothers and sisters..and who her parents were..we have been married 38 years and have 2 wonderful sons (her grandsons) and so far 3 and in july 4 grandkids(her great grand children)..we have learned where she is buried and have visited the cemetery.she is a real mystery to us. thanks so much for offering to help me with some info. vivian daigneault

    • Water Advisory LiftedSunday, October 16, 7 p.m. WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORK:THE SITUATION IS NOW BACK TO NORMAL The results of the lasett tests carried out on water samples collected over the week-end revealed that the situation is now back to normal.The preventive water boil advisory issued on October 15 is lifted and it is now safe to drink the tap water from Kirkland’s water distribution network. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

  5. would anyone have info or photos of shirley finch. she went to school in swastika in 1940’s. my husband is her son. shirley died in 1957 at kirkland lake,ont. we have no info of her. thanks.

  6. I am working on my fathers family tree, Kenneth Telfer Thompson – born in Swastika in 1914. I would like info on his Mother, Jenny Thompson (nee Telfer). His fathers name Samuel Albert Thompson – a younger brother George might have been born there as well…
    Thank You

  7. I have just started researching my Grand Fathers family tree and I am finding it very difficult. He was born in Swastika and perhaps his brother too. His father was a Miner. Last name Taylor. I am looking for a possible census from 1910 – 1920. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

  8. Swastika, a pretty place. Raised in K.L., loved to take the train to and from Swastika station. Many happy times at Culver Park. A place the residents can be proud of. Wonderful people living there.

    • just curious-what lake is Culver Park on…and what falls are at the other end? In the early seventies..my cousin & I almost went down them in a paddle boat….again…just curious!

  9. Had to look you up as am currently reading the Sisters and was surprised to find out that their father David Mitford spent several years gold mining hoping to strike it rich. Hope to visit you someday

  10. I was born in Swastika in 1936 – but my parents moved (for work) to Sudbury shortly after. Is there a book that would tell more details on what, essentially, is “my home town?” Thanks. Bruce Anderson.

    • Administrator, are you saying the city could have (and still can) help its ciezitns (some of whom cannot afford or can’t gather this amount of $ in a so short time) by allowing a piece of the pie (our taxes) to go to fix the problem of cross-connection pipes ($49000 total so far) instead of spending our money to revamp an existing building which was fine to me in the first place?

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