Golden Rose Mine
History

©Yvan Charbonneau
Gold was first discovered on the shores of Emerald Lake in Afton Township in 1897. Soon hordes of prospectors arrived to madly stake both Afton and nearby Shoals Townships. In 1909 the Golden Rose Mining Company arrived with $500,000 of capital stock at hand. Trenching commenced and by 1915 they sank test pits near the initial discovery site.
By 1927 the much larger Afton Mines Limited, with capitalization of $2 million, moved in and replaced the smaller company. They kept around 30 men busy sinking a shaft down to the explorations 100 feet deep. Once again the mine fell short, due to lack of profitable ore and outside investment. The Golden Rose had yet to bloom.
In 1934 the New Golden Rose Mine Limited legally optioned some properties owned by the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company of Canada Limited. The following year, they deepened the shaft to 450 feet and made 1,500 feet of drifts and cross cuts. Over the next two years, the new rejuvenated Golden Rose continued with the same process of shaft deepening and drifting, eventually finding proof of ample grade ore. The mine officially began producing ore in 1936, and spilled its first ounces of gold and silver. From 1936 until the mines shut down in 1941 the mine prospered and raised 145,587 tons of ore which equalled 43,339 ounces of gold valued at $1.6 million dollars. In addition the mine also produced 8,296 ounces of silver for a net worth of $3,377.
From 1934 to 1941, the company established a small village for miners and their families. The community grew to contain a store that included a post office (Glen Afton P.O 1938-41), a school, bunkhouses, tennis court, baseball diamond and a few homes. In 1941 the entire population of Afton Township was 141 residents, but its population peaked at 200 residents during its short brief life.
In 1985 the search for gold once again offered new possibilities with much higher stakes. After spending $13 million dollars the Emerald Lake Resources reopened the mine again in 1987. It was never a money-maker and closed shortly afterwards.