The Dr. Clement House is located at 41 Simcoe Road (on the southeast corner of Simcoe Road and Centre Street). It was built around 1830-1860 (1840’s?) in the Classic Revival style. Dr. Clement lived and died here after practising in the 1870-80’s. He was buried in Clement Cemetery on the 2nd Line in Innisfil (east of Highway 11). His wife Rachel lived here until her death. The house was then rented to Walton, a railroad man for the C.N.R. The barn and garden behind the building ran to William St. (as did all the properties on the east side). Sam Catania and his wife Sarah lived here in later years. They converted the house into two apartments and had a dry cleaning business in the garage that was eventually destroyed by fire. Sam sold the house to Bruce and Barbara Verney. They were still living here when this photo was taken in 1995. Bruce was a chiropractor. A building used as a dry cleaner was constructed later on the property. Jack Pong (a restaurant owner on Holland St.) built a house on the back of this property that extended to Centre Street. The street level has apparently been raised considerably around this house as the current 1½-storey, two-bay house was originally 2½ storeys. It has an asymmetrical façade and entrance, a simplified ‘temple’ form, and a medium-pitched, gable roof. The pediment roof shape has return eaves facing the front. A hip roof on the raised entrance portico is supported on wood beams with decorative, wood dentils. The corner columns have wooden ‘flutes’ and are mounted on brick pedestals. A wood-panelled door is flanked by narrow sidelights and is topped by a transom light. The house has small window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. Small, upper-floor windows are set into rectangular openings with plain, wood frames and sills. A ground-floor, bay window is an angled projection with a hip roof. The brick masonry foundation appears to be a replacement. A horizontal belt line at the top of the foundation is expressed with wood trim. The structure has wood frame construction with stucco cladding and a cut-stone foundation. Bricks found at the bay window foundation and at the entrance porch are probably not original. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is in good condition with many original details. (1, 2, 3, 4)
" Awards night was held by the Innisfil Men's Broomball League Saturday night. Seen here with their trophies are: (left to right) Jim Hayes (rookie of the year and most valuable player), John Wyers (best defenceman), Gord Gow (leading scorer), Andy Span for Jim Currie (sportsmanship) and Jim McLeod (best goalkeeper)."
A brief History of Nantyr school, the early settlers established a hamlet at the corner of sideroad twenty and concession seven in the Township of INNISFIL. It was called Wesley. This name was later changed to Nantyr by Colonel Tyrwhitt after his home town in Wales. He was the Member of Parliament for South Simcoe. In its most flourishing days the hamlet had a church, school, post office and saw mill. All except the school have long since ceased to exist. In the early days, education of the children was one of the many problems. This was solved by what was known as a home class. Mr. Spillett was its first master and ruled with an iron hand, making frequent use of the beech rod. His salary reached a maximum of four hundred and fifty dollars per annum during his tenure of twenty-three years. By 1954 due to increased population in the Alcoa Beach area, it was found necessary to build a school there. It is known as Alcoa School.
John Kneeshaw,left, looks at school bus he was driving when a sanitation truck collided with him last Friday night near the Honorable Earl Rowe School. At right is Edgar Sturgeon of Sturgeon Bus Lines.
Catherine Averill (nee Bowman) (1851-1939) wife of Thomas Averill Jr. (1853-1901).
Thomas Jr. was the son of Eliza "Elizabeth" Jane Averill (nee Lee) (1822-1905) and Thomas Averill Sr. (1814-1895). Eliza was the daughter of John Lee (1795-1851) and Jane Coulson (1791-1860).
The last three remaining members of the family of the pioneer settlers Matthew Cooper and Rebecca Molyneaux. Left to right: Mrs. James Boake (Rebecca Cooper), Thornton, 94 years; William Cooper, Cookstown, 86 years; Mrs. Bartholomew Boake (Mary Ann Cooper), Weston, 84 years.
"Cutting the cake was the highlight of the day at the grand opening of the South Innisfil Community Centre. Above, Stewart Donnelly cuts the cake aided by members of Innisfil council and the arena board. Events were held all day to entertain the many people who attended."
"The paper you are holding today marks a milestone in the history of The Bradford Witness. It is the first Witness and Scope to come off our brand new King press. Here King field rep. Bill Runnels and Witness pressman Gerard Perrell make a few adjustments during a run on Topic this week."
In the early days of white settlement in the Innisfil area, Lake Simcoe provide the easiest access - by boat in the summer and by foot or sled in the winter. Inclement weather in either season and the annual freeze-up and ice break up simply meant no travel. John Graves Simcoe, commissioned the building of Yonge St. to Holland Landing in 1790, and in 1793 initiated the Military Establishments at Penetanguishene. This gave a land route to Lake Simcoe and another land route was needed on to Penetanguishene. Early records use the name "Main Street", but is soon became known as the Penetang Road, the name of its northern counterpart. In the early days of Penetang Road - later Hwy #11 and now County Road #4 or Yonge St. - travel was slow and difficult. Many hotels were established to provide lodging, stabling and food for travellers plus acting as a meeting place for local men.
"Everyone knows Barrie has its Kempenfelt Kelly, reportedly seen from time to time in the bay. But did you know Innisfil Township has a monster, too? Grades 5 and 6 at Innisfil Central school built a 30-foot Innisfil Iggy as a snow sculpture exhibit for the Innisfil Winterama. Although Iggy was not a prize-winner, he inspired teacher Ray McDonnell to write a poem about it."
