Flin Flon Mining History

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The town's name is taken from the lead character in a 1905 paperback novel, The Sunless City by J. E. Preston Muddock. Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin piloted a submarine into a bottomless lake where he sailed through a hole lined with gold to enter a strange underground world. A copy of the book was allegedly found and read by prospector Tom Creighton.

When local Cree prospector David Collins showed Tom Creighton a high-grade exposure of copper, he thought of the book and called it Flin Flon's mine, and the town that developed around the mine adopted the name. Flin Flon shares the distinction of being named after a character in an adventure novel with Tarzana, California and Le Plessis-Robinson, France.

Flin Flon was founded in 1927 by Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting (Hudbay) to exploit the large local copper and zinc ore resources. In the late 1920s, HBM&S invested in a railway, mine, smelter, and a hydroelectric power plant at Island Falls, Saskatchewan. By 1928, the rail line reached the mine.

The town grew considerably during the 1930s as those impoverished by the Great Depression came to work at the mines. A significant number of farmers abandoned their farms and were among those looking for work. The municipality was incorporated on January 1, 1933, and reached city status in 1970. The city has continued to be a mining centre with the development of several mines adding to its industrial base, although its population has been in decline since the 1960s. With a scenic setting and a number of nearby lakes, Flin Flon has also become a popular tourist destination

Geologist Dave Price will share that and so much more about our extraordinary rock!

Links

• Flin Flon Arts Council flinflonartscouncil.ca

Organizer

Flin Flon Arts Council

Our Mission

The Flin Flon Arts Council aims to increase and to diversify the opportunities for citizens of Flin Flon and surrounding district to enjoy, create and to participate in cultural activities.

Our 5 Year Plan 2018 - 2023

The Flin Flon Arts Council intends to do the following from 2018 -2023:

To develop and support a Theater School

To seek and acquire new funding for Office and Staff Expansion (Expand local presence)

To support and expand on current marketing strategies

To continue developing community partnerships and liaison with organizations such as Johnnys Social Club and other Arts organizations including Indigenous partnerships.

To support Tourism initiatives in Flin Flon and Creighton

To continue dialogue and project development for the North Central Canada Centre of Arts and Environment eg. Knowledge and Development Course

To continue networking and strive to liaison between Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Long Term

Set up the Flin Flon Arts Council Office on Main Street to make presence known/steady hours/ which would also include artisan and craft sales and promotion.

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