As today’s town of Cochrane grew out of the wilderness more than 110 years ago, surveyors traced streets, lanes and lots on each side of Lake Commando.
Cochrane Public Library archivist Ardis Proulx-Chedore’s research shows that the site of the town had been the overland packet trail to Moosonee.
“All of the lots between Railway and Fifth Streets – the streets that had been cleared – were sold a a giant auction which had been advertised widely,” she also learned. “There were about 600 people there. They had walked from the end of the (rail) line three kilometres south of town. There was plenty of mud.”
“One-hunndred-and-46 lots were sold by midafternoon at an average of about $350. Frank Cochrane, the provincial minister was there to baptize the town, which would carry his name.”
On the high end, one lot sold for $1,500. Today, that would be about $41,000.”
The archive department at the library is open every Friday from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.
