Holland Landing

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Holland Landing

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Holland Landing

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Holland Landing

55 Archival description results for Holland Landing

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Discharge Pumps

Photo was taken near the Bradford Pump House at the junction of the canal and the Holland River near Hwy. 11. The pumps were flown in from Western Canada by the Armed Forces, arranged by Mr. Stoddart. A tractor was used to run the pump. Water was pumped from the flooded land over the dyke and into the canal from where it flowed along the Holland River and into Cook's Bay.

Rob Watson

Early Days of the Marsh

Description : Early Days of the Marsh

Today, one of the richest and most widely known Garden Tracts in Ontario is the Bradford or the Holland Marsh. In the vegetable stores across Canada and in parts of the United States you will see potatoes, celery, lettuce, onions, and carrots, etc., bearing the label "Bradford Marsh" or simply "Marsh" as a sign of quality. But, the Bradford Marsh was not always a gardener's paradise. Unbelieveable as it may now seem, it was once nothing but an impassable marsh of Tamarack swamp, covering thousands of acres.

Beginning about Schomberg and flowing, or moving in a very sluggish manner in a northeasterly direction towards Lake Simcoe is the stream known as the Holland River, so named after a Major S. Holland, Surveyor General of Canada, who in 1971 visited the river in making a general survey of the Lake Simcoe region. This is the main river and it is joined by an eastern or Holland Landing tributary at a place called Soldier's Landing or Soldier's Bay about seven miles from the mouth. At one time, navigation to Lake Simcoe points from Soldier's Landing consisted of small craft. In 1850, when boats were larger and the western or main branch of the river was found to be much easier to navigate, having deeper water and broader streams and not so choked with marsh as the eastern branch, the steamer "Beaver" went on to the Bradford Holland River Bridge.

In 1819, the first settlers in South Simcoe, the Wallaces, the Armstrongs and the Algeos, crossed the river with great difficulty and landed at what is now known as the old wharf in the Scotch Settlement. Here for some years was the only river crossing and that was by a ferry pulled by ropes.

But by this time, the settlement at Bradford had become an accomplished fact and the question of some method of crossing the marsh and so as to give easier access to the Holland Landing had arisen. Petitions were sent to county councils and to the Government and finally under the constant urging of William Armson, Reeve of West Gwillimbury and Warden of the County, money grants were given and a road was made from Bradford to the river by laying logs across a width of marsh and filling in with earth. This was the corduroy road, the logs of which were still visible many years afterwards. Then to cross the river a floating bridge was laid down and a through direct road from Bradford to the Landing was completed and the Marsh was at least partly conquered. The ferry at the old wharf was discontinued.

In 1837 George Lount, Government Surveyor, surveyed as a townsite, the spot on the south side of the river just beyond the floating bridge, known as Amsterdam and the streets were laid out bearing such good Holland names as DeRuyder, DeWitt, VanDyke, Rubens, etc., but the townsite remained as only a townsite and no town arose, so in 1869 a lumberman named Thompson Smith acquired the patent of the unused site and built two sawmills, one on each side of the road just beyond the bridge. And the marsh was still largely unconquered. Rafts of logs were brought up the river by the tugs Victoria and Isabella, and this helped to keep the river fairly clear of weeds. The wreck of the Isabella lay near the railway bridge not so many years ago and it now probably lying on the bottom of the river.

The superintendent of the sawmills was James Durham and in 1870, Mr. Durham cut the floating bridge in two in order to get his logs through and this caused a lot of trouble but led to the erection of a bridge above the water. This bridge was 420 feet long and was complete in April 1871, the builder being Thomas McKonkey of Gilford.

To the many men working in the mills the great marsh became a familiar sight and the thought entered someone's head, why not cut that marsh grass or hay, twist it into ropes and sell it, and so was born the marsh hay industry and some use at last was made of the great wasts of land. The hay was twisted into long ropes. Later, hay-balers were brought into use and the hay was baled instead of twisted into ropes.This marsh hay was used for stuffing mattresses. Marsh hay twisting and baling went on for years and might still be the only marsh industry had not a bright idea entered the head of one D. W. (Dane) Watson, an intelligent, energetic young farmer of the Scotch Settlement who, however, had come into Bradford and acquired a grocery business where the Village Inn now stands.

This bright idea was, why not dredge a canal and drain the marsh and so turn waste land into productive soil? Mr. Watson got Professor Day of Guelph Agricultural College, interested in his idea and so was laid the germ that has sprouted into the now famous Bradford Marsh Gardens.

Bradford Witness

Landscape

Contains information on the land settlements of the Bradford area. Headings include: Early Land Settlement Forestry Holland Landing Soils & Surveying West Gwillimbury Maps 1 of 2 West Gwillimbury Maps 2 of 2
*Landscape - Other

Churches

Contains items based on the churches in the Bradford West Gwillimbury area. Headings include: Auld Kirk Bond Head Churches Bradford Presbyterian Church The Convent Church Photographs Dunkerron United Holy Martyrs of Japan Methodist Churches in BWG Springdale Christian Reform St. Luke's Anglican St. Paul's Anglican Trinity Anglican
*Churches - Other

WEGWHIST Collection

WEGWHIST Collection

  • CA BWGPL WEG
  • Collection
  • 1800 - ?

Contains information and resources compiled by the WEGWHIST (West Gwillimbury History) Group relating to the local history of Bradford and the West Gwillimbury area.

WEGWHIST Collection

Fallis, Robert James (Bob) obituary

Event Date : Friday, November 22, 2002
Event Type : Death

Description : (Sports Legend of Bradford) Peacefully at his home in Holland Landing on Friday, November 22, 2002 on his 67th birthday. Beloved husband of Nancy (Beadle). Dear father of Bruce (Sue), Greg (Karen), and Brent. Dear grandfather of Kylie, Alesha, Jacob, Dylan, J.R., Colby, Joshua, Makayla and Ryan. Dear brother of Donald (Shirley) Fallis, Shirley (Gerry) Slingerland. Dear brother-in-law of David (Elizabeth) Beadle, and John (June) Beadle. Special friend of John Brosens. Friends may call at the Lathangue & Skwarchuk Funeral Home, 30 Simcoe Road, Bradford for visitation on Saturday 7-9 p.m. and Sunday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. An Anglican service will be held at the Holy Martyrs of Japan Church, Essa St., Bradford on Monday November 25, 2002 at 2 p.m. Interment St. Paul's Cemetery, Coulson's Hill. Donations to Juvenile Diabetes or Trinity Anglican Church, Bradford would be appreciated.

Bradford West Gwillimbury Times

Bak, Walter obituary

Event Date : Thursday, January 31, 1974
Event Type : Death

"Walter Bak, well-known marsh farmer and produce stand operator, died at York County Hospital, Newmarket, on Thursday, January 31.A native of Chocznia, near Krakow in Poland, where he was involved in mixed farming, Mr. Bak emigrated to Canada in 1926. After working here for 10 years, he returned to his native land and the family he had left behind. Three years later, with his wife, Maria, and two of their five children, Theresa and John, he returned to Canada, to see if his family would adapt to life in Canada. Although he intended to bring over his three other children, Wladzia, Joseph and Stanley, the Second World War intervened and made emigration impossible. After share cropping in the Blenheim area during the war, Mr. Bak brought his family to Bradford in the spring of 1945. Three years after the war ended, sons Joseph and Stanley rejoined the family, although their sister Wladzia, did not come to Canada until 1959, when she arrived here with her husband and family. Two more children, Antoinette and Casmir, were born in Canada. In Bradford, Mr. Bak and his family began farming in the marsh and, after a few years, began selling produce to passers-by from a roadside stand. As the family business blossomed, the produce stand was expanded into a full building. Although he went into semi-retirement last year, Mr. Bak was still involved in the business and played an important part in the planning of the huge produce market now under construction on Bridge St. Mr. Bak is predeceased by his wife, Maria; and survived by three daughters - Mrs. Wladzia Balon of Bradford, Mrs. Theresa Sarabura, Toronto and Mrs. Antoinette Alexandrowicz, Kingston and four sons - Joseph, Peterborough, Father Stanley, Oblate of Mary Immaculate, John, Ottawa, and Casmir, Bradford. He is also survived by 26 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.Requiem High Mass was held at the Holy Martyrs of Japan Church in Bradford on Monday, February 4, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Thornhill."

Evans, John & Jaques, Nancy

Event Date : Saturday, August 14, 1965
Event Type : Marriage

Description : Nancy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jaques, R.R. 2, Newmarket, to John Evans of Bradford, son of D. Arthur Evans, M.P.P. and Mrs. Evans of Bradford. The wedding took place in Holland Landing United Church. Rev. Donald J. Lute officiated. Mrs. George Hunt, of Bradford, sister of the bride was matron of honour. The bridesmaids were Miss Winnie Miedema of Bradford and Miss Ann Romagnoli of R. R. 2 , Newmarket. The junior attendants were the groom's sister, Miss Cathy Evans, as flower girl and Brian Heyland, son of Dr. and Mrs. P. Heyland of Bradford, as ring bearer. Mr. Don Evans of Bradford was his brother's groomsman and the ushers were Messers. Robin Evans and Terry Jaques. Mr. and Mrs. Evans will reside in Bradford.

Bradford Witness

Hunt, George Edward & Jaques, Betty Ann

Event Date : Saturday, May 22, 1965
Event Type : Marriage

Description : Betty Ann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jaques, R.R. 2, Newmarket, to George Edward Hunt of Bradford, son of Mrs. Hunt of Bradford and the late Mr. Albert Hunt. The marriage took place in Holland Landing United Church. Rev. D. J. Lute officiated. Miss Nancy Jaques, R.R. 2, Newmarket, was maid of honour. Mrs. Judy Vandergroef of Newmarket and Miss Carol Ann Marx of R.R. 2, Newmarket were bridesmaids and Miss Mary Romagnoli, R.R. 2, Newmarket was flower girl. The ring bearer was Master Edward Jaques, R.R. 2, Newmarket. Mr. Harold Hunt of Streetsville was his brother's groomsman and the ushers were Messers. Terry Jaques of R.R. 2, Newmarket and Mr. Arthur Hunt of Bradford. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt will reside at 81 Frederick Street, Bradford.

Bradford Witness

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