The End of the Line: Railways in Haliburton

This paper presents an historical overview of the two railway lines operating in the Haliburton area in the late 1880s, the Victoria Railway running from Lindsay to Haliburton, and the Irondale, Bancroft & Ottawa line running from Howland Junction to Bancroft.  Beginning with a look at the history and impact of railways in Canada, the history of Haliburton County, and railway construction in general, the author moves to an in-depth account of each line.

Construction information is documented along with details of financing, problems faced, and portraits of each stop along the way.  Finally, the impact of each railway on the social and economic lives of the communities and later history is presented. The report concludes with recommendations for future use of the abandoned lines in ways which would continue to impact positively on both social and economic prosperity.