In March of 1909-A marble block weighing several tons was lost in the Clyde River a few days ago. It was being hauled to Clyde Forks from the quarries of the North Lanark Marble Quarries Co., and while crossing the ice at the “Stretch” the sleigh broke through, the large block slid off tha sleigh and was deposited in about 4 feet of water. Mr. Stewart Houston of Drummond was the teamster, but he and his team luckily escaped.
Mr. W. H. Wylie of Almonte, (now of St. Catherines) and a few associates, secured the property and formed a company to place the output on the market which is now being done. The several shades will be known to the trade as Lanark Green, Lanark Ivy, Lanark -Heather and Lanark Buff
Opened in the early 1900s (1909-10) by the North Lanark Granite and Marble Quarries Ltd. on a 500 ft wide marble unit. The original cut in green, serpentinized marble measured 30 x 80 ft and 12-15 ft deep but was destroyed by road construction in 1984-5. 5,000 cu ft of dimension stone blocks (3 x 3 x 6 ft) were hauled to the Clyde Forks railway station and some blocks are said to remain there (1956). 1962 : Angelstone purchased the property and in 1962-3 quarried a few blocks of serpentine marble for sampling and testing. It was given the name ‘ Lanark Green ‘. 1976 : the OGS sampled the marble : # PM 127, 128 and L5
So where was Craig’s Camp? It was described as being west of Calabogie by way of Gordon Rapids to Lammermoor in Dalhousie–In layman’s terms it was on the Lanark Calabogie Road. Was it at Craig’s Creek.?
Mrs. Ernie Elliott spent Sunday last at F. A. Craig’s. Mr. John Smith called on friends at Calabogie on Tuesday.
Mr. Jas. Sweeney visited his home at Marble Bluff this week-end.
Mr. Boyd Ellrott made a business trip to Calabogie Monday last.
Mr. Stanley James spent Sunday with his sister, Mrs. A. Camelon.
Mr. Alex. Herron and Albert Warren spent Sunday at Craig’s Camp.
Mr. Chas. Virgin purchased a fine horse from Mr. John Craig last week.
Miss Alma Craig is on the sick list bat we hope to hear of her recovery soon.
Messrs. George “Chalmers and Alii e Ferguson aft-e on the sick list at present.
Mr. Ross Camelon lias returned to the camp after two weeks absence in Ottawa.
Mr. Tim -Sweeney and Mr. Maek Barr spent ‘Sunday at their homes in Brightside.
Messrs. John A. Craig and William G. Craig made a business trip to Tatlock on Monday last.
Mr. *Wm. Camelon had the misfortune to upset his load of logs last week and bruised his leg but he is recovering rapidly.
Two young men from this vicinity tried to imitate Johnson and-Willard the other night, but decided it was a bad practice and stopped for fear they would get hurt.
Mr. William Elliott had a narrow escape the other day, the team getting a. fright and running some distance, but Wm. got them under control before much damage was done.
Mr, Stanley James made-a mistake the other night, stepping into a dish of boiling water. His moccasin was badly crimped, but Stanley was lucky enough not to scald his foot.
Our cook, Mr. Adam Craig, spent Saturday and Sunday at his home at Calabogie. Mr. John P. Craig took bis place while he was away and made a good success of the job for a greenhorn.
Donna Sweeney LowryRegarding Marble Bluff, my great grandparents Timothy Sweeney and Margaret O’Connor came to Canada about 1847 and settled in the backwoods of Darling Twp on Lot 5 Con 4.
In John Sweeney and Lizzie Wark’s time (my fathers parents) at the end of their lane in Darling Twp L5C4 on the #511 Calabogie Rd., large blocks of marble were quarried out and moved across country in the winter to the K&P. My understanding is the area took on the nic name Marble Bluff.
As a child when we visited the old homestead where Dad grew up, there was a small building still standing by the laneway that was part of the work area. Of course in later years the hill to the south of the Sweeney homestead was opened up as a marble mine and now is the huge Tatlock Guarry owned by Omya, Perth. The old homestead is also part of Omya now.
My Grandfather John Sweeney was the mail delivery person. For how many years, I sadly don’t know; information I did not pay attention to. Perhaps it was the quarry on his land that gave it’s name to the mail route.
I hope other people bring forward stories of the early marble quarry work in Darling. As a child you just don’t always pay attention when your parents try to tell you about the earlier years.
A close-up view of the serpentine, Lanark marble- Marble Bluffs
Clyde Forks United Church Hall— A large marble monument was cut from the Marble Bluff quarry on the 511- teams of horse would haul blocks like this from M arble Bluff during the winter using the clyde river as a ice road. Once stockpiled they could be hauled away by train.
Perth Courier, July 19, 1918
Review Cases Before the Tribunal
Category B–John Burns, farmer, Marble Bluff, exempted till 1st November
SWEENEY, John b: ABT 1859 in Tatlock, Darling Township, Lanark, Bathurst District, Canada West d: 21 MAY 1943 in Marble Bluff, Darling Township, Lanark, Ontario, Canada 1918 Directory- Marble Bluff from Charles Dobie’s collection
SCHEDULE OF POST OFFICES
for
DARLING TOWNSHIP
1. Brightside
2. Clayton
3. Clayton R. R. #2
4. Tatlock
5. White
6. White Lake
7. Raycroft
8. Marble Bluff
9. Green Mountain
In 1995 my wife and I bought a log house at Marble Bluff that was built about 1908. In the house was a wooden box of pigeon holes said to have been left over from when the Post Office was there. It is now with our son in Seaforth, Ontario. We bought the house from a Harvey Horne and had an extension added and a metal roof put on. We stayed there only 5 years, selling the 100 acre property to OMYA. It was not quite 100 acres as near the far end of the driveway close to the 511 was a quarry owned by Angelstone. This was serpentine marble and I reckon the photo shown is that and not the pure white calcite marble mined by OMYA.
lindaseccaspina 
Marble Bluff Post Office
In 1995 my wife and I bought a log house at Marble Bluff that was built about 1908. In the house was a wooden box of pigeon holes said to have been left over from when the Post Office was there. It is now with our son in Seaforth, Ontario. We bought the house from a Harvey Horne and had an extension added and a metal roof put on. We stayed there only 5 years, selling the 100 acre property to OMYA. It was not quite 100 acres as near the far end of the driveway close to the 511 was a quarry owned by Angelstone. This was serpentine marble and I reckon the photo shown is that and not the pure white calcite marble mined by OMYA.
Geoff Hallett – Vancouver Island, BC