Stone Wall
Along the way to my destination I came across this lengthy stone wall. Stone walls are not uncommon sights in the greenbelt, but none of the stone walls I have come across so far are as long or as well preserved as this one was. All the other stone walls I have found so far are broken up into smaller segments and overgrown with vegetation. Although not visible in this photo, this stone wall continued on as far as I could see and was in remarkably good condition for its age.
Discarded Bucket
I walked along the entire length of the stone wall shown in the previous photo, and near its end, I found, at what would have been the corner of a field, this bucket lying among decaying split-fail fencing. Near the bucket were a number of very old Firestone tires and inner tubes and a metal rod.
Log Outbuilding Ruins I
I couldn't believe my eyes when this structure came into view. I couldn't believe that a ruin this substantial existed in the greenbelt. I would have thought that someone would have come along and vandalized the site at some point in the past decades. Not so. Perhaps the site has been spared from vandals because of its secluded location away from the official trails. To access the site one must follow a informal footpath off the main trail, cross a rural road, and then continue for a distance along an overgrown laneway.
This structure appears to be an outbuilding of sorts, a shed perhaps. There was a similar but large structure in the woods behind this structure. Scattered through out the woods were all sorts of relics.
Looking Out
I took this photo while I was standing inside the structure shown in the previous photo. I am facing a small clearing that is separated from a much larger clearing, an abandoned field, by a stone wall and a row of trees. Behind me is a mature deciduous forest with another log structure, the one shown in the following photos.
Log Outbuilding Ruins II
This is the structure in the woods. Like the other structure, this one appears to be an outbuilding of sorts. The object on the ground inside the structure is an oven. Also inside the structure was a motorcycle chassis and a discarded Tim Horton's cup, the latter a sign that this site has been visited by others in the recent past. The graphics on Tim Horton's cup were faded, suggesting that the cup had been there for a while, but the cup itself showed no signs of decay. I thought these things were supposed to be biodegradable? Guess not. Another reason for me to scoff at Tim Horton's. Tim Horton's should be ashamed of all the litter out there bearing its name.
Log Outbuilding Ruins II
A closer look at the structure in the woods. I noticed nails and giant spikes holding the logs together.
Log Outbuilding Ruins II
Behind the structure in the forest was a large patch of plants with leaves that appear to belong to a member of the lily family. These may have been planted here by the original occupant.
Inside View
This photo was taken inside the structure, "Log Structure II", shown in the previous three photos. This structure was larger than the other structure.
House Foundation
The two structures shown in the previous photos were outbuildings. In the clearing near "Log Structure I" was this cement slab with what appears to be a corner stone of a structure. I think this was the foundation of a residence. The reason why I believe this is shown in the following photo.
Decorative Stone
The cement slab in the previous photo continued beyond the left edge of the frame. At the corner of the cement slab was this decorative surface, an entry way to a structure? It seems unlikely that an outbuilding would have a decorative surface like this, and that is why I think this may be the foundation of a residence.
A Quarry Operation?
It appears that some of the rock here was quarried. I don't think this perfectly flat and square rock wall cut into the side of this small hill is the result of natural forces. This was found in the young maple forest behind what I think would have been the residence.
Forest Scene
A scene in the deciduous forest surrounding the ruins. Many of the trees here were young maple trees, but among them were some giants.
Forest Scene
A scene in the deciduous forest surrounding the ruins. This photo shows the rocky terrain in the forest. The terrain is very similar to that found in the woods behind Nortel; the soil is thin and the ground dotted with outcrops of moss-covered rocks with large fissures.
I kept an eye out for wildflowers and found lots of Herb Robert (Geranium sp.) and a few Trout Lily leaves but no Trilliums or other wildflower species.
Car Parts
I was expecting to find an abandoned car or truck in the woods but I didn't. There were, however, many car parts including these two doors, a number of tires, and some fenders from a 1940s era car.
Peanut Butter Jar
The woods surrounding the structures were littered with relics including many pieces of glassware. This is a peanut butter jar with peanut graphics moulded in the glass. Unfortunately this jar, like most of the glassware, was damaged. I turned the jar over for this photo to hide the broken side.
Can of Ham
My father said he remembers seeing cans of "Swift's Premium Ham", as the label on this can reads, back in the day. This can has been lying here since at least the 1970s as evidenced by the exclusive use of English on the packaging. Beginning in the mid-1970s federal law required all product packaging in Canada to be in French and English.
Pure Spring Bottle
I think this is how bottled water was packaged back in the day, in a glass bottle. EDIT: my father tells me that this was a ginger ale bottle. What also struck me about this bottle and many of the others in the area was the exclusive use of non-metric measurements on them. Nowadays our bottles come in milliliters and liters and those in the debris field were all measured in fluid ounces.
Gilbey's Gin Bottle
A number of things in this photo. First, the green bottle in the leaf litter was a bottle of gin with the word "Gilbey's" moulded into the glass. My father was with me while I was exploring the ruins and told me this bottle was "very old". There were numerous short-necked or "stubby" beer bottles lying around. "Oh yeah, these would have been from back in my day," my father said as he investigated them. The green plants to the right of the gin bottle were a curiosity. They were the only clump of their type in the area that I could see. Finally, on the rock at the far left are a few pieces of metal. Bits and pieces of metal were common sights among the debris.
The Well & Glassware
The pit in this photo appears to either have been a wellI or outhouse pit. I suspect well because near the pit the ground sloped gently downwards into a swampy area. To the left of the pit is a cooking pot and in the upper left corner of the photo is a collection of glassware in a tin pan.
Pepsi Cans
These very old Pepsi cans still retain some of their coloring. I think the design of these cans predates me.
Windmill Parts
These strips of metal appear to be the blades of a windmill. They were connected to a round wheel that had gears on one side.
