After the discovery of the rich ore body at Craigmont’s claims in the late 1950’s there was much prospecting and exploration in the area around Merritt. Trenching soil sampling , line cutting were all methods to find sign of mineralization. All through 1960s and into 1980s exploration activity thrived here. Many public-ally traded company’s sought capital to go about the risky business of exploration. Some gave good returns others wall papered dens with split stock certificates and NPL share certificates ( No personal Liability). The government gave 3 year taxation holidays for profits from mines going into production.And eventually flow through shares came along to give tax write offs guaranteed to investors in the risky business.

The scars and memories are all here. And the legacy of success as well livelihoods that were more than subsistence was the hallmark of  the happy times of production mining.

Today in History, March 8th,1817

The New York stock exchange is founded.