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American_Panels Cobourg's American "Cobourg is situated on a broad level valley, having Lake Ontario on its front, with green hills and fruitful orchards in the background. The summer climate of this region is unexcelled for its evenness of temperature and cool, bracing air, and is famous for the ozone, the quantity of sunshine, and freedom from fog, dampness or winds." Souvenir of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, 1910 It was that sort of marketing which drew our neighbours from the south. Who could resist? Certainly, not the wealthy American visitors, who flocked to the Arlington Hotel upon its opening in 1874. They heralded the beginnings of... Initially, they were wealthy steel barons from places like Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, who had made their money during the American Civil War and continued to accumulate wealth during the post war industrial revolution. One of the principals, George K. Schoenberger, was originally attracted to the area because of the iron mines at Marmora and Blairton about 50 miles north of Cobourg. Others were Civil War veterans from both sides of the conflict. The confederates were attracted by the fact that it was an escape from the stifling heat of the south and they were not spending their money in the northern states. It has often been said that many a Civil War battle was re-fought in the watering holes of Cobourg. (Cobourg: Early Days and Modern Times, John R. Spilsbury (Ed.) 1981) Summer Colony Who were these Americans? The Pittsburgh families' commercial interests gave them insight into the area's many attractions. Their clever marketing plan, focusing on the area's fine attributes and the quality of the ozone, drew friends and acquaintances. Gradually, through word of mouth, visitors from Buffalo, New York, Maryland and other points in the United States were drawn to Cobourg. Hotel brochures also highlighted the benefit of Cobourg's excellent ozone as second only to that of the Alps of Switzerland. Although the beneficial effects of ozone were never proven, it certainly worked as a marketing tool in the late 19th century. Gradually Canadian families, from Montreal and Toronto also started to arrive for the summer season, with Canadian and Americans intermingling, eventually leading to marriages between locals and the visitors. Why Did They Come Here? The Blairton Mine in Marmora in 1873 Courtesy of www.cobourghistory.ca