Gelert (ghost town)

It began as a sawmill village and at times had been called Little Ireland, Snowdonville and Minden Station. It was first settled in 1860 and thrived throughout the late 1800s. In 1878 the arrival of the Victoria Railway gaved the town an extra boost. By the 1890(a)s it had a post office, 2 general stores (both still stand), a shingle mill, a sawmill, a carpet mill, a blacksmith, a hotel, a carpenter, a shoemaker, a wagonmaker, churches and a school.

With the depletion of the farming soils (a common-hood on the Canadian Shield), and with the loss of timber stands due to forest fires, the village went into decline. The post office closed in 1969 and CN removed the rail lines in 1980.

The village today is a mere reflection of what it once was. It has become run-down as many of its buildings are in dis-repair.

The cemetery at the east side of town does retain its charm though; as it is well-kept. Its Finnish past has been preserved there too (some of the Finnish settlers were a family by the name of Kaasalainen- I wonder if they played hockey).