RISE AND FALL OF SILVER ISLET - A film by Peter G. Elliott
This is my second professional documentary film which I sold to CBC. It tells the story of a tiny island off Lake Superior's North Shore that was a 19th century engineering milestone. A 1300 foot deep silver mine once operated on storm-battered Silver Islet. The film opens with a song composed and sung by renown folk singer Bill Houston who composed and sang the theme song for the world's first Imax film "North of Superior" (1971).
Rise and Fall of Silver Islet was shot in 1985 in an old mine in Cobalt, Ontario and at the Steam Pump house museum when it used to operate in Kingston Ontario. The film was shot with a tiny budget on my old 16mm Bolex Camera. It is 25 minutes long.
Produced and Directed by Peter G. Elliott. Written by Robert Sandler. Instrumental music score by Cathy Elliott and Roger Cormier. Many of my friends are playing miners in this. This presentation is dedicated to my friend Scott Hoey who narrated it in his Rod Serling style. Scott passed away in 2009. The film is also dedicated to Cathy Elliott who passed in 2017.
My great great grandfather was an investor in this mine. He made a fortune and lost a fortune in his lifetime.
I really enjoy history shows like this. You could almost feel it....
Well done!
Thanks! I just found out my great great great grandfather from Norway, was here in 1873, and died there. So this tells me a bit how he lived there! He is buried at the old cemetery.
Lost history for sure, I only found out about this because of a short on here very interesting that this happened!
I actually snorkeled to Silver Islet back in the early 1990s (wearing a full scuba wetsuit). I could still see the shaft starting about 3 feet under water and some of the old cribbing. On land, there is nothing left to see of the buildings except a "private property/no trespassing sign i.e. someone still owns the islet. Hard to believe all those buildings were on this tiny islet even though they expanded it.
Nice story.😊
Wonderful documentary. My great-grandparents lived, worked and died at Silver Islet in the mid to late 1800s.
We visited Silver Islet this past summer aboard the Viking Octantis… it was the trip highlight for us. It’s history is a fascinating testimony of our ancestors.
Thank You, So many stories kust like this are getting buried in time !
I’d watch this over and over again when I would visit “Sibley” (Sleeping Giant Provincial Park) as a kid. I still get the song stuck in my head every so often, decades later. That’s what brought me here, actually. It was in my head and I was curious whether the video was on KZhead. Thanks for creating this!
Thank you so much I saw this at sleeping giant park
Thank you for sharing this wonderful look into a fascinating part of Canadian history Peter! And thanks to all those who participated.
I watch this regularly...Been to the Keweenaw this is a wonderful story of the mining back in the day.... Love history like this
This is so well done. An absolute masterpiece of a story. I still remember watching a shorter version of this on the tv in the fake caves at sleeping giant park
That fake cave brings back lots of good childhood memories. It’s nice to know someone else finds some interest in that special spot. Sleeping giant and silver islet are some amazing places to visit. I’m lucky to live in Thunder Bay.
Great production of a period in our past! Thankyou.
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks
Very good !
Enjoyed this one as well, thank you!!
With modern tech could it not be reestablished ?
neat... thanks for posting
been looking for this forever. any possible way to get that music track sung by bill houston?
I have seen this island
Wouldn't they have been digging vertically, not horizontally. Since the island was so small.
Great video Peter. I was at sleeping giant park years ago as a kid. Am I right in thinking there is a decent size waterfall there?
A wonderful little movie, Mr. Elliott! Were the scenes of the miners working underground shot in Bruce Mines, or Cobalt?
Interesting. Could should be a land n sea episode. Where was this broadcast?John Taylor-Johnston
originally aired on CBC in the 80's
were can i get that song in this??
it was produced by Bill Houston of Thunder Bay Ontario for my film. I don't have a cd of it. I had a 1/4 inch master somewhere. Peter
i am from Ireland north west such a good song id love to have it to listen to
I want to try getting a magnet attached to a rope and a camera and sending it down
I know it's been 8 years lol but that's a good idea be kinda cool
what's the name of the song
On the North Shore of Superior. Its a song I had commissioned for the film by Bill Houston