Beardmore is a small town (200 residents) in the Thunder Bay District of Ontario, located along the Northern Route of the Trans-Canada Highway #11, where the westbound highway bends south to avoid Lake Nipigon. Beardmore is 80km N of Nipigon and lies 85 km west of Geraldton.
The area around Beardmore is known for its excellent fishing opportunities. Popular species include walleye, pike, and trout.
Beardmore History
The town was founded in 1912 when the Canadian Northern Railway was extended through the area, and it quickly became a hub for the forestry and mining industries. The town was named for William James Beardmore, a Scottish industrialist who was one of the investors in the Canadian Northern Railway.
By the 1920s, Beardmore was a thriving community of 5,000 people and home to several sawmills and a large gold mine, It was an important transportation hub for the region. However when the Great Depression hit, many of the mining and forestry operations shut down. By the 1950s, the population of Beardmore had declined to less than 1,000 people.
Beardmore is still home to a sawmill and a small gold mine, but tourism has become an important industry in the area.