Founding and Early Days: Riverview Forge was established in 1888 by visionary industrialist, Benjamin Thornton along with a group of investors including Andrew Carnegie. They were drawn to the waterfalls near the base of Ampersand Mountain and the opportunities presented by the nearby river by way of power for industrial operations.
Industrial Boom and Prosperity: During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Riverview Forge thrived as an industrial center. In 1895, the Thornton Ironworks, an iron smelting plant, was established in the heart of the town. The plant processed iron ore transported from Valleybrook via the Scajaquada Valley Northern Railway into high-quality iron, which was then shipped to various regions, via the interchange at Vandorf. This pivotal industry attracted skilled labor and spurred the development of the town. The smelting process was made possible by coal reserves mined in nearby Thornhill which enabled the production of coke and provided fuel for the furnaces.
In 1897, a hydraulic raceway was completed which diverted some water flow and distributed it along Harvey Street. Three prominent industries sprung up to take advantage of this power source. In 1897 a Flour Mill was established, Floyd's Milling. Harrison Radiator Corporation was another such industry, opening it's doors in 1898. Ward & Cobb Printing opened it's doors in 1898 also, taking advantage of the natural power source to run a new streamlined high volume printing press.
In 1910 the Thornton Ironworks installed it's first electric Arc furnace, powered by the nearby newly constructed Tonawanda Hydroelectric Dam. The Arc Furnace allowed for a more efficient smelting of Iron. The slag from this operation began to fill an rock quarry nearby, and was used by the railroad as ballast.
By 1925 all of the industries that were utilizing the hydraulic raceway had transitioned to electric power. The hydraulic raceway was no longer needed, and was sealed up that same year. The population had reached 2,878 by the 1926 Census.
Cultural and Educational Development: Riverview Forge's founder, Benjamin Thornton, believed in the importance of education and culture. In 1910, he established the Thornton Memorial Library, which quickly became a center of learning and community engagement. The town also saw the construction of schools, parks, and a learning center based on the production of metal and iron, all funded by the Ironworks. The towns makeup was mostly families of English, Irish and Scottish descent.
Challenges of 1933: The failure of the Scajaquada Valley Northern Railway in 1933 brought challenges to the region and Riverview Forge was no different. Luckily the road network had reached Riverview Forge by 1925, so the town wasn't completely isolated. Canadian National Railways had taken over operations of the rail line in 1933, and was able to provide local service to Harrington Springs. Connections to the national rail network were restored in 1934 when CN had repaired parts of SVNO's former mainline between Vandorf and Valleybrook.
WWII and the Early Diesel Era: During World War II. Harrison Radiator Corporation was also contracted by the government to produce systems for cooling tanks and other wartime equipment. In 1965 the Harrison Radiation Corporation was purchased by General Motors, and moved to a mode modern complex on the edge of town. Ward & Cobb Printing was still running strong, being the regions largest print house, it was responsible for printing all of the regions periodicals. The population had risen slightly by 1965, but remained below it's peak, at 1,875.
Rebound: Riverview Forge began growing again in 1988 as a tourist destination, as a large National Park opened up a campground just down the valley. The General Motors Radiator plant, and Ward & Cobb were still running strong. Floyd Flour Mill had also survived, having upgraded it's operations a few times through the years. In 1991 the Scajaquada Valley Northern Railway had reclaimed it's former trackage under new ownership, and the town no longer had to rely on Canadian National's service.
In 1998, the Thornton Ironworks underwent a huge modernization process which involved the construction of a modern plant, and dismantling of it's former, dated plant. The process was completed by 2001.
In 2016 when Cleveland-Cliffs decided to use the old brownfield site of the old Thornton Ironworks, to create a new state of the art Iron Pelletization plant, made possible through a industry revitalization grant from the federal government. The new plant relied on the rail connection and processed Valleybrook's Iron Ore, along with the Iron Ore from the nearby Englehart Mine which Canadian National Railway served on it's main line. While the town never rebounded fully, it did find renewed life and survives today as a vital Iron processing site. The population today stands at 2,422.