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The Beginnings of Copper Cliff
1885-1913

The Beginnings of Copper Cliff

This storyline traces the development of the town of Copper Cliff from the discovery of the Copper Cliff Mine site in 1885, to 1913, before the outset of the First World War.

It uses historic images from the Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums Collections and the joint Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums/Greater Sudbury Public Libraries Heritage Image Collection; of particular interest is a series of postcards from a Canadian Copper Company mechanist written to family back in Cornwall, England, describing early Copper Cliff.

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Bird's Eye View of Copper Cliff, Ontario, in the Late 1800s
Late 1800s
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Copper Cliff Museum Collection

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Thomas Frood
Late 1800s, early 1900s
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Image Collection

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The First Dwelling in Copper Cliff
ca. 1885-1886
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Inco Triangle Collection
Donated by Vale Limited

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S. J. Ritchie
Late 1800s, early 1900s
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Image Collection
Donated by Inco Ltd.

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Management at the Opening of Copper Cliff Mine, 1886
1886
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Image Collection
Donated by Inco Ltd.

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Roast Yards, Copper Cliff
1889 or 1890
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Image Collection
Donated by the Geological Survey of Canada - Early Canada Collection

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Evans Mine
1890
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Copper Cliff Museum Collection

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Copper Cliff Bakery
1902
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums Collection
Donated by the Sudbury District Historical Society

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West Smelter, From North Side
1890
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums Collection
Donated by Inco Ltd.

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The No. 2 smelter: trestles with locomotive and ore cars
Early 1900s
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums Collection
Donated by Inco Ltd.

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Orford and Canadian Copper Companies Combine
1902-1916

In 1902, the Orford Copper Company and the Canadian Copper Company joined to create the International Nickel Company (whose management was based in the United States). The Copper Cliff operations where ore was extracted and smelted were still referred to as the Canadian Copper Company. The matte (ore with a relatively higher nickel or copper content that resulted from the smelting process) was shipped to the United States to be refined.

This state of affairs would continue unchanged until 1916.

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The No. 2 smelter: trestles with boxcars.
Early 1900s
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums Collection
Donated by Inco Ltd.

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Postcard: Granite Street, Copper Cliff
December, 1912
Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Greater Sudbury Heritage Image Collection
Donated by Doreen Smith