The sedimentology of the Bloomington fan complex: an element of the Oak Ridges Moraine, Southern Ontario

The Oak Ridges Moraine is a major physiographic feature of south-central Ontario, extending from Rice Lake westward to the Niagara Escarpment. While much previous work has largely postulated a relatively simple the origin of the moraine, recent investigations have concentrated on delineating the discernible glacigenic deposits (or landform architectural elements) which comprise the complex mosaic of the Oak Ridges Moraine. This study investigates the sedimentology of the Bloomington fan complex, one of the oldest elements of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The main sediment body of the Bloomington fan complex was deposited during early stages of the formation of the Oak Ridges Moraine, when the ice subdivided, and formed a confined, interlobate lake basin between the northern and southern lobes. Deposition from several conduits produced a fan complex characterized by multiple, laterally overlapping, fan bodies. It appears that the fans were active sequentially in an eastward direction, until the formation of the Bloomington fan complex was dominated by the largest fan fed by a conduit near the northeastern margin of the deposit. Following deposition of the fan complex, the northern and southern ice margins continued to retreat, opening drainage outlets to the west and causing water levels to drop in the lake basin. Glaciofluvial sediment was deposited at this time, cutting into the underlying fan complex. Re-advancing northern ice then closed westerly outlets, and caused water levels to increase, initiating the re-advance of the southern ice. As the southern ice approached the Bloomington fan, it deposited an ice-marginal sediment complex consisting of glacigenic sediment gravity flows, and glaciolacustrine and glaciofluvial sediments exhibiting north and northwesterly paleocurrents. Continued advance of the southern ice, overriding the fan complex, ii produced large-scale glaciotectonic deformation structures, and deposited the Halton Till. The subaqueous fan depositional model that is postulated for the Bloomington fan complex differs from published models due to the complex facies associations produced by the multiple conduit sources of sediment feeding the fans. The fluctuating northern and southern ice margins, which moved across the study area in opposite directions, controlled the water level in the interlobate basin and caused major changes in depositional environments. The influence of these two lobes also caused deposition from two distinct source directions. Finally, erosion, deposition, and deformation of the deposit with the readvance of the southern ice contributed further to the complexity of the Bloomington fan complex.

Photograph - Lawn Bowling St. Catharines

Black and white photograph, 13 cm x 20 cm, which appears to have been cut from a scrapbook. This is a photo of lawn bowling in St. Catharines in about 1900. The man on the extreme left is Hamilton Killaly Woodruff. The picture is described on the back by R.W. Band of Toronto.

Key for the Oak Chest

The key is 4 1/2 cm long and is attached to a gold cord ending in a burnt orange tassel.

Oak Chest

Oak chest measuring 36 cm in height 45 cm in width and 32 cm in depth. The cabinet contains 5 graduating drawers and it closes with 2 hinged doors, each bearing an arch. There are recessed brass handles on the 2 sides of the cabinet and one of these handles on each of the drawers. On the top of the cabinet there is an escutcheon engraved with “S.D. Woodruff Esq., St. Catharines, 157 Ontario”. The cabinet has a lock which is still functional and opens with a skeleton key which is part of this collection. The top 2 drawers have been lined with a piece of cardboard carefully cut to size and covered with brocade. There is some scratching on the top of the cabinet and one of the front doors is missing some of the wooden trim.

Indenture between Victoria Lawn Cemetery of the Corporation of the City of St. Catharines and Samuel D. Woodruff

Indenture between Victoria Lawn Cemetery of the Corporation of the City of St. Catharines and Samuel D. Woodruff for 112 sq.ft. known as part of section P. This is deed no. 1905, Oct. 21, 1901.

Indenture between Victoria Lawn Cemetery of the Corporation of the City of St. Catharines and Hamilton K. Woodruff

Indenture between Victoria Lawn Cemetery of the Corporation of the City of St. Catharines and Hamilton K. Woodruff for 216 square feet, Lot no.2 in division 9, section G of the Victoria Lawn Cemetery. This is a handwritten copy. The deed no. is 1937, Jan. 6, 1903.

Indenture between Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines and H.K. Woodruff

Indenture between Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines and H.K. Woodruff for Lot no. 1 in the north part in section L which included 108 feet. This is cemetery deed no. 261, March 8, 1910.

Indenture Park Lawn Cemetery Co. Ltd.

Indenture between Park Lawn Cemetery Co. Ltd. of Toronto, deed no.2905 for Lot 91 in section H for 156 feet for burial ground paid by Percy C. Bands [Band], Feb. 24, 1926.

Indenture between St. Catharines Victoria Lawn Cemetery and Mrs. H.K. Woodruff

Indenture between St. Catharines Victoria Lawn Cemetery and Mrs. H.K. Woodruff for a perpetual care fund and $67.20 into a general care and improvement fund in respect to the southerly portion of Lot no.9 in section P of the St. Catharines Victoria Lawn Cemetery. The deed no. is 859. This is the S.D. Woodruff plot, Nov. 4, 1932.

Receipts from Park Lawn Cemetery Co. Ltd.

Receipts from the Park Lawn Cemetery Co. Ltd., Bloor St. West, Toronto. Receipt no. 851 for payment in full for a Lot no.91 in section H received from Percy C. Bands [Band]. Receipt no. 852 for payment for corner stones for Lot no.91 in section H received from Percy C. Bands [Band]. The unnumbered receipt is for opening an adult grave for Sarah Lawrence. Payment was received from Percy C. Bands [Band], Feb. 23, 1926.

Map of Park lawn Cemetery

Map of Park Lawn Cemetery (which is off Bloor St. in Toronto). (This is a photocopy): Notes which have been penciled in are: “Sarah 1926”; “Eliza Lawrence, 1929” and “Eliza’s stone touching one of the big trees”, n.d.

Map of Woodruff and Sanderson Lots - Victoria lawn Cemetery

Map showing the Woodruff and Sanderson plots in the St. Catharines Cemetery (This is a photocopy), section P, division 9, April 9, 1932.

Certificate for One Share of Capital Stock in St. Catharines Lawn Bowling Club

Certificate for 1 share of capital stock in St. Catharines Lawn Bowling Club to executors of the estate of Hamilton K. Woodruff, Dec. 23, 1933.

Receipt from A. Cutler and Son for oak chairs in leather

Receipt from A. Cutler and Son for oak chairs in leather, Aug. 29, 1887.

Receipt from A. Cutler and Son, Buffalo, New York for oak chairs in leather and bookcase, Sept. 19, 1887

Receipt from A. Cutler and Son, Buffalo, New York for oak chairs in leather and bookcase, Sept. 19, 1887.