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The Bradford Witness decided to release a series of articles from local townspeople on the history of certain events in Bradford and West Gwillimbury's time. This week, the Fire of May 25, 1871, and the businesses which rebuilt on Holland Street after the fire, is the topic.

"With the Hurricanes battering Florida and the Caribbean this season - Charley, Frances, Ivan and now Jean - residents may be thinking about Ontario's own brush with a hurricane, back in 1954.
Fifty years ago, Hurricane Hazel swept into Southern Ontario, confounding the meteorologists who were predicting little more than the usual "tail end" of the storm, and days of moderate rains. Instead, residents were buffeted by hurricane force winds and heavy rains that caused severe flooding - especially in the Holland Marsh. ..."

Postcard, possibly dated 1914.

This is now the Evans and Evans Law Offices.

Please contact the library (905-775-3328) if you have any more information on this photo.

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 in about 1950 as catholic school, and has since been used as a nursery school and seniors centre.

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.

Known as the George Morton House.
Built between 1860 and 1880.

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.