Geraldton
Geraldton is a community of a couple of thousand people on Highway 11 in northern Ontario.
Understand
It is part of the amalgamated Municipality of Greenstone, which covers about 3200 km², stretching along Highway 11 185 km from end to end. Greenstone, which was formed in 2001 by the amalgamation of a group of remote mining and forestry communities on the Canadian Shield. Greenstone (population about 4600 in 2016) includes the communities of Beardmore, Caramat, Geraldton, Jellicoe, Longlac, Macdiarmid, Nakina and Orient Bay.
History
The discovery of gold on the shores of Kenogamisis Lake in the early 1930s led to the founding of Geraldton. There is a historical marker on the west side of Main Street in the downtown area.
The name Geraldton is a compound of the surname of financiers of a nearby gold mine near Kenogamisis Lake in 1931 (Fitzgerald and Errington).
The discovery of the Little Long Lac mine in 1932 meant that the Canadian National Railway line (formerly the Canadian Northern Railway) was soon delivering carloads of supplies and equipment to Kenogamisiss Main Street developed between the mine and the tracks, crossing Barton Bay. A townsite sprang up on both sides of the road and railway because it rose so quickly from the swamp.
The Geraldton-Beardmore Gold Camp was home to eight gold mines from 1936 to 1976.
Geraldton was incorporated as a town in 1937. In 1939, a highway link was established with points west and south, including Thunder Bay.
By 1947, Geraldton had benefited from ten gold producers within a 10-mile radius.
As the mines closed down, Geraldton came to depend on the forest products industry as the main resource industry. Today, there are no operating mines, but mineral exploration activity continues.
Climate
Greenstone experiences a humid continental climate, with long, brutally cold winters and warm summers.
Get in
By car
Geraldton has Highway 11 (Trans-Canada Highway) passing through it.
- From Thunder Bay, it's 280 km. Go east on the combined Highways 11 and 17 to Nipigon, and north on Highway 11.
- From North Bay, it's 835 km north and west on Highway 11.
By bus
- Kasper Bus, ☏ +1-807-699-7200, toll-free: +1-855-566-2378. Operates bus service in Northern Ontario and Manitoba. Operates a bus route between Thunder Bay and Longlac including stops in Nipigon and Geraldton. Travel time to Geraldton from Thunder Bay is 3.5 hours, from Nipigon is 2.25 hours, and from Longlac is 40 minutes.
By train
- The nearest train station is in Longlac.
By plane
- 1 Geraldton (Greenstone Regional) Airport (YGQ IATA), 102 MacOdrum Drive, Highway 584 (9 km north of Geraldton), ☏ +1 807 854-1694. It serves private aircraft only.
The nearest airport with scheduled service is Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT IATA).
Get around
- G-Town Taxi, 109 Third Ave NE, ☏ +1 807 853-2746.
See
- 1 Geraldton Interpretive Centre, 1800 Main Street (at the junction of Highways 11 & 584), ☏ +1 807 854-0099. Mid-May to late Aug: daily 9AM-5PM. A visitor centre and small museum on the Trans-Canada Highway. The museum describes the history of the region's fur trade and mining activities. A small gift shop offers items handcrafted by local artisans.
Do
- At the entry point to the town stands the Greenstone municipal administration building, which has a pleasant lakeside park with picnic tables and a playground for children.
- 1 Kenogamisis Golf Club, 432 Michael Power Blvd (Hwy 584), ☏ +1 807 854-1029, fax: +1 807 854-2343. 18-hole course with driving range, practice green and bunker, pro shop, clubhouse with restaurant (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner), fully equipped bar.
- 2 MacLeod Provincial Park, Highway 11, ☏ +1 807 854-0370. Mid-May to mid-Sep. 74-ha park. Campground and beach on Little Long Lake with good fishing.
Annual events include a popular trade show, a fish derby, a music festival for local talent, and the Bergstrom golf tournament, played on an 18-hole course.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Popeye Restaurant, 209 Geraldton Main St, ☏ +1 807 854-0053. Tu-F 8AM-2PM, Sa 7:30AM-2PM. A diner with friendly atmosphere, good food, generous portions, and delicious home cooking.
Drink
- 1 The Country Club Venue, 107 Third St N, ☏ +1 807 620-6876. Bar with disc jockey or live music.
Sleep
- 1 Kenogamisis Lake Resort, toll-free: +1-877-801-3101. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Hunting and fishing on Kenogamisis Lake. Eight cabins with broadband Internet, satellite TV, gas furnace or fireplace, electric range and refrigerator. $100-150/day.
- The Victoria Bed & Breakfast, 205 2nd Ave SE, ☏ +1 807 854-2048. Six rooms on two floors. Each floor has its own living room with flat screen TV and cable TV. Free wi-fi throughout.
- Between Bridges Inn, 8358 Highway 11, ☏ +1 807 854-0188. Restaurant on site.
- Crown & Anchor Motel, 1801 Main Street, ☏ +1 807 854-1985. Kitchen suites available. Restaurant on site.
- White Wolf Resort (7 km N on Highway 584), ☏ +1 807 854-1519, awakeat1216@gmail.com. The cottages are fully furnished, and overlook Hutchison Lake. Every cottage is fully winterized, and electrically heated. Fully serviced RV sites, and tenting areas in the summer months. 12 acres of waterfront property, a sandy beach which is great for swimming, a playground for children, a boat docking area, a laundry area, a fish cleaning station. Satellite TV and Wireless High Speed Internet are available.
Connect
Go next
| Routes through Geraldton |
| Thunder Bay ← Nipigon ← | W   E |
→ Longlac → Cochrane |