Contains articles and clippings related to the buildings and architecture of Bradford West Gwillimbury, from F-L

The old Hollows schoolhouse on the Middletown Sideroad of West Gwillimbury. In 1863, this school was built by John Garbutt on his lot (Con. 12, lot 11) so his children would not need to walk as far. The school burned down in 1888 and a new, brick one was erected very soon after by William Bingham (pictured here), with William Tindall as the first teacher, later minister in the Methodist church. The new school opened September 29, 1888 with celebration and games. Like many around it, this school was closed and sold in 1960, though the building later became the Hollow Community Centre. The renovated school house is currently the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Skitteral. The mature maple trees on the property were planted by the students in the photo.

There was a vacant lot located at 11 Holland St. East after the big fire of 1871. Dennis Nolan built an addition to his Model T Ford dealership (located at 9 Holland St. E.) on this vacant lot. Len Saint used cement to build the new structure and Art Saint did the carpentry. The cars arrived at the railroad station in boxcars and then were brought to this new building. There was a display room at the front. At the rear was another service department with a door on the west side leading to the laneway at the rear. In time, Jim Armstrong and Fred Gregory opened a garage at this location. Charles Roberts also ran it and had a taxi business. Armstrong sold the building to Patchett, who turned the upstairs into a bowling alley (while also still running a taxi business) with a garage in the back. (1, 2)
There was also a vacant lot located at 13 Holland St. East after the fire of 1871. Russell “Curly” Curtis (from Newmarket) married Aileen Church and they built a butcher shop here after WWII. Years later it became the site of the Simpson order office (which was run by Mrs. Fallis). (1, 2)

The building located at 31 and 33 Holland St. East once housed an implement business run by Frank Allan and his son George. Leonard Saint and Sinclair MacDonald cemented the building and flattened the roof. There were four rental apartments upstairs. In the front there was a large plate glass window, a door, a smaller plate glass window, and another door for bringing in machinery. There was also a counter and parts department. The workshop in the rear had a small and a large rear door. (1, 2)

This home is located on the corner of Church and Queen St. It is an early Gothic style house with gingerbreading on the eves. It was made of a rare pink brick, possibly created in Newmarket.
The house was built in 1850 by Mark Scanlon, a lawyer, and one of the original town fathers. He was born on the farm of his father, Mark, on the north half of lot 16, on the ninth concession, West Gwillimbury. He graduated with a B.A from Victoria College, Cobourg, which is now affiliated with Toronto University.
He is the father of Mr. A.E. Scanlon, who was also a lawyer in Bradford.
Professor Day also lived here as did the Misses Lane. It is now the home of Robert Evans, a lawyer.

This building was built around 1862. It was close to John Edmanson's Hotel which was a very important (and sometimes only) public building in town. Town Hall became the towns first community center and the town grew around these two buildings.
Town Hall survived the Great Fire of 1871 but was damaged in the storm of 1875 and the bell tower was removed. The wooden front doors were replaced by glass. A World War I memorial used to be on the grounds (two crossed rifles). Up to the mid 1930's a weekly market day took place here.

John Edmanson's Tavern was built in 1831 and escaped the Great Fire of 1971 which destroyed about 130 businesses and houses in Bradford. Later this became the Bingham's Hotel and today it exists as two private attached residences.

This building was probably built around 1851. The Driffill family lived and operated a business in Bradford before 1867.