About Carlow Mayo Township

The Little Mississippi and York rivers, once major routes in the days of the log drives, provide canoeists with a variety of challenges. Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the abundance of deer and moose in the area. Mayo Ward was chosen as the release site for the Elk Restoration Program. There is now a growing elk herd in Southeastern Ontario and local elk sightings are reported daily.

Rockhounds will enjoy exploring four former mine sites. Burgess mine, located in Carlow ward was an open pit operation that blasted rock loaded with corundum crystals and shipped the rock to Craigmont mine located to the east in Renfrew County for processing. Bessemer, Rankin and Childs mines are located in Mayo ward. These were iron ore mines. Again, all processing of ore was accomplished at Bessemer mine. These sites are now located on private property and more information is available at the Bancroft Chamber of Commerce.

A recreational trail branches off the Hastings Heritage trail and follows the old Bessemer and Barry’s Bay rail bed into the former mine site at Bessemer. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs extended the trail from Bessemer with connections that run the length of the Township of Carlow Mayo to connect with the Eastern Ontario trail system.

About 50% of the municipality is crown land, providing ample opportunity for eco-tourism.

Supplies, fuel and postal services and information are available at Griff’s General Store in McArthur’s Mills and Peck’s General Store in Boulter.

CARLOW MAYO TOWNSHIP, COME FOR A VISIT, STAY FOR A LIFETIME