Heritage in the Rocks: Keeping Cobalt’s Mining History Alive

In this episode of Backroads Bill, we speak with Maggie Wilson, president of the Cobalt Historical Society, about the incredible past and uncertain future of one of Canada’s most historic mining towns.

From the silver boom of 1905 to the modern-day fight to preserve headframes, mills, and trails, this is a story of resilience, rust, and remembrance.

Whether it’s mining students from around the world or tourists walking the Heritage Silver Trail, the legacy of Cobalt lives on — but only if we choose to protect it.


00:00 - Intro
02:15 - Who Is Maggie Wilson? 
06:00 - “Ugly on the Eye”: First Impressions of a Mining Town  
09:05 - 1905 Silver Boom: The Discovery That Changed Canada  
13:45 - Separating the Museum from the Historical Society  
17:20 - Building the Heritage Silver Trail (and What’s Left of It)  
22:10 - The Problem With Preservation: Aging Boards & Fewer Volunteers  
26:30 - National Historic Site Status… With No Support  
31:00 - The Empire State Building… Funded by Cobalt’s Silver?!  
34:50 - Historic Photos, Fires, and the Rise of Heritage Tourism  
38:15 - Favorite Stops on the Silver Trail: McKinley Mill & Nipissing Mine  
41:40 - Will Mining Return to Cobalt? A Cyclical Legacy  
45:05 - Ghosts, Poets, and Preserving the Spirit of the Town  
49:00 - Why Younger Generations Need to Pick Up the Torch