Natural History

Located 50 miles West, North West from Harrington Springs, Stonebridge is located in a very remote area. The location gets it's name from a natural outcropping of rock towering along side the escarpment, which has been formed over the years into a natural rock bridge. The North facing escarpment stretches for tens of miles either direction. A canyon carrying the waters of the Chesna River, spills out from between the walls of rock, carving a scar into the landscape near the natural 'stone bridge'.

Mineral Discovery

Alongside the escarpment, in 1984, a prospector named Jonathan Larkspur discovered a rich vein of copper. He was quick to register the mineral rights to the area, but was unable to achieve funding for the installment of a mine at this location, without the help of a large mining company, who offered him a share for the use of his claim. This is when a push to reach this area and mine these resources began. A gravel road was constructed and by 1988 a small settlement was operating a modest copper mine at the foot of the escarpment.

Cultural Impacts

The first nations used the area as a sacred land, but otherwise this area was not heavily explored due to it's remote and rugged landscape. The site of the 'stone bridge' it's self was incorporated into the larger Bluebird National Park, and a park office was constructed in 1993 at the Stonebridge entrance to the park. A parking area exists for visitors to the 'stone bridge', but visitors to the interior of the park, must hike up the canyon trail along side the Chesna River, to reach the campsites and larger network of remote trails.

The town is very modern, with a fast food alley, a modern hotel, a drug store and grocery store. The mine ever prominent in the skyline. Production was enhanced in 2002 when the Scajaquada Valley Northern railway built a modern branch line to serve the mine. Population had risen to 1,367 by the 2006 census, almost 13 years into the life of the town. The town is very popular with environmentalists, and naturalists, which sometimes clashes with the industrial core, and blue collar workers, of this modern mining town.

Stonebridge Today

Today, Stonebridge remains the most modern town in the area. Population has grown to 1,662 in the 2021 Census, and the copper mine operated by D'Anconia Copper has seen increased output. The mine has a copper concentrator on site, which helps to cut down on transportation costs. Copper from Stonebridge is shipped by rail to smelting plants in Sudbury.