Leonard’s Hall
It was the last week in February 1902. Horses and cutters and sleighs were bringing people into Creemore from the surrounding country. The Farmers’ Institute had been advertising a meeting of interest to farmers and also their wives. The event was to be held in Leonard’s Hall. That afternoon, Alice Hollingworth and Frank Webster set eyes upon each other for the first time. Ten […]
The Millie/Wilson/Eyles Legacy
During the early 1800s William Millie an employee of the Bank of England was murdered at the bank while working after hours. His orphaned children William II and Eleanor became wards of a Mr. and Mrs. Williams, whose daughter was married to Rev Osler at Bond Head, Ontario. Rev Osler was a saddlebag preacher for […]
Local history: Harnessing manpower essential for barn-raisings
When non-farm people travel in the area surrounding Creemore or any rural setting, they will notice large buildings perhaps with a hip roof, close to most farm dwellings. The farm family in the past, besides needing a house to live in, had to have a barn to house their livestock and store their produce. These […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 8
Before I end this series I want to describe to some degree, business, and living conditions in the 1940s in and around Creemore. Eighty years ago most people’s, lifestyle was very different from today. The automobile had been around for about 25 years, but was still very primitive, compared to today’s cars. As a result, […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 7
Moving south down Mill Street was a garage operated by a Leonard Hill, who had a Pontiac franchise and sold a lot of 1939 Pontiacs. The building was rather dilapidated, having been built originally by Jack Laurence when he sold model T Fords. It was replaced by Nelson Corby in the 1950s but is now […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 6
Creemore resident Gerry Blackburn continues his tour of Creemore in the 1940s. The next building on the tour of of Creemore in the 1940s is St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. It was the first brick building in Creemore, being built in 1876 of Hisey brick from Cashtown. My Grandfather, Samuel Blackburn hauled the first load of […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 5
South of the Town hall, the present 100 Mile Store, was the Creemore Post Office. Later it was the Village of Creemore Municipal office. The large frame two-storey building on the corner in the 1940s was operated as a Farmer’s Co-op, managed by an Albert Lennox. It had an apartment upstairs. At that time the […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 4
Next to the drug store, which was the Bank of Toronto, (the predecessor of TD Canada Trust), and is now the Bank Cafe. This building was built in 1904. The manager lived in a house supplied by the bank, while the accountant lived over the bank, to watch the safe peephole. Several local women worked […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 3
Long-time Creemore resident Gerry Blackburn takes readers back in time for a walk down Mill Street in the 1904s. Continuing a walk down Mill Street in the 1940s – Going north on the east side of Mill Street, there still is an empty lot south of Noel Vanwalleghem’s apartments. The south half of the building […]
Creemore in the 1940s: Part 2
This week I will back-up a bit and start at the south end of Mill Street at 113 Mill St, now Mad River Pottery. This building was owned and occupied by Sy Kolb and operated as the Creemore Creamery. Most farmers in the area had a few milking cows and would drop off their cream […]