Throughout the development of Northern Ontario, single industry towns have been common.  These towns grew out of a necessity for residences while mining, lumbering, or other raw-material extractions were done.  The settlements relied on the industry's success for survival and should financial hardships hit the market, these towns were the primary sufferers.  In the event of industry devastation, as was common during the Depression era, many of the one-industry communities were often abandoned in search of new employment opportunities, leaving ghost towns in their wake.

Milnet and Sellwood are two such settlements from the Capreol area.