Canada's largest abandoned town: uninhabited for 90 years, yet breathtakingly beautiful

There is a former mining site called Anyox in British Columbia, Canada, which was built in 1912 for the extraction and production of copper, silver, and gold.

However, due to the sharp drop in copper prices, it ceased operations in 1935 and has been in operation for 89 years, becoming Canada's largest abandoned town - once home to 3000 people.

To reach here, one needs to drive four hours from the city of Terrace to an old village called Kitsault, and then take a boat from here to reach the final destination.

The town was originally built by a company called Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting and Power Company in 1912.

Tour guide Rob Bryce revealed, "Over the 25 years since its establishment, Anyox's mines and smelters have produced 4 tons of gold, 230 tons of silver, and 340000 tons of copper

During the production process, steam and electric locomotives are used to transport ore from mines to crushers, where it is crushed. The broken ore is transported to a beneficiation plant near the seaside, where it is converted into usable raw materials.

At its peak, Anyox processed 5400 tons of ore per day.

To provide power for operations, a concrete hydroelectric dam has been installed here, standing 156 feet tall and has been the tallest of its kind in Canada for many years. There are also coal-fired generators on the mining site.

There is also an abandoned power station here that used to provide electricity for Anyox's mines, smelters, and homes.

One of the weirdest places in Anyox is the cemetery. Someone found a tombstone from 1935 here, belonging to a man who passed away at the age of 70, and there are many unmarked graves.

The graves of soldiers from World War I were also discovered here. After completing their military service, they returned to Anyox and spent the rest of their lives here. Out of the 400 people who left, less than 60 returned. Their tombstones have specially designed cement frames and commemorative concrete helmets placed in front of them.

Now, Kevin Krogstad and Robbie Nutter are the only remaining residents here, hired to help transport the remaining slag.

During the operation of Anyox, there were 480 births, 160 marriages, and 320 deaths in the town. Many of Anyox's deaths are due to stillbirths and infant deaths, mainly caused by toxic emissions from smelters and large amounts of cyanide waste In addition, the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic also caused a large number of deaths.

According to an article on the website of the University of British Columbia (UBC), Anyox ceased operations in 1935 due to the sharp drop in copper prices after the Great Depression.

The author explained, "By early 1935, nearly 50 million kilograms of unsold copper had been piled up near the port, equivalent to three years of production. On July 31, 1935, mining operations were closed, workers were laid off, and the entire town's residents lost their source of income, leaving them almost homeless overnight

In 1946, a forest fire exacerbated the destruction of Anyox. This fire swept away the ruins of Anyox, leaving only the main concrete and steel structures that are still visible today.

As for buildings and mining sites, all recyclable materials are dismantled and transported to other towns

Although Anyox has now become an abandoned city, it has also developed its unique beauty. A netizen commented, 'The waterfall and scenery are breathtakingly beautiful. It's amazing!'

Some people commented, 'My father lived in Anyox when he was in his teens, my grandfather was a grocery store manager here, and my aunt was a bookkeeper!' Although the building has long been deserted, the history of this place still exists in people's memories.

Source: Vancouver Headlines