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The Bradford Town Hall is located at 61 Holland St. East. It survived the fire of 1871 that destroyed much of Bradford’s downtown. The building was being used as a schoolhouse in 1875 when a severe wind storm blew off the roof and killed a member of the Woods’ family. Reports disagree about the number of school children injured. Bricks were salvaged from damaged sections of the building and reused in the construction of a duplex at 31/33 Bingham Street. The building was a market place for farmers until the mid 1930’s. There was a commons at the rear for pasturing. It later became a playground. There were stalls and display tables for farm animals, chickens etc. Jim Nesbitt was one of the managers. Upstairs was a hall with a raised stage and raised steps at the front. Readings, lectures, visiting theatre groups, dances, minstrel shows and meetings with dignitaries were all held here. Buster Matthews had a casket-manufacturing business in the basement for a while. Charlie Heath held movies here. Later there was a badminton court.
The structure was overhauled after WWII. The ceiling was lowered, beautiful light fixtures were converted to hydro and refurbished, and the stage was removed. All records and centennial books were destroyed and it was turned into a court house. The west stairs were closed off and the raised steps removed. The building was originally heated by a large wood-burning furnace in the basement before it was converted to oil. It was originally lighted with manufactured gas (?) and then hydro after 1916. The old chandeliers still remain. Bradford’s first police force was located in this building for several years. The town’s administrative business was also conducted from here. On the west side of the Town Hall there once was a three-bay fire hall. At the back there was a Recreation Hall with a kitchen and toilets for the volunteer firemen to use. It was rented by the Lions Club (who met here for a number of years). The firemen provided draws and suppers to raise money for new equipment (a lot of which they manufactured themselves). It was heated by natural gas and built by Irma (?) and the walls were thick enough for a second storey. There is a stone cairn with a plaque in memory of Professor W.H. Day on the east side of the sidewalk. The WWI veterans built a cairn where the fire hall was. A cannon and a plaque with the names of those who perished in Europe were also there.
The current, two-storey Town Hall was built in the 1830-1860’s in the Classic Revival style. It has a symmetrical façade with a simplified, temple form and a medium-pitched, ‘pediment’ gable roof with plain cornice and frieze supported on brackets. There is an enclosed, raised porch with a steeply-pitched, centre gable (reminiscent of Gothic Revival). It is set into a shed roof flanked by corbelled parapets at each side and a plain cornice and frieze supported on brackets. The entrance door, stairs, and railing are not original. The entrance opening had been modified, but the original dichromatic brick that highlighted the top of the original entrance opening is still visible on either side of the new opening. There are tall window openings with high floor to ceiling heights. The windows are set into segmented, arch openings ornamented with alternating voussoirs and ‘ears’ of dichromatic brick and stone (or concrete) lug sills. The centre window above the entrance is raised above the entrance gable and ties together the entrance projection and façade composition behind. Original windows were probably double-hung and multi-paned. The ground-floor windows have been blocked in, but their outline is still visible on the front façade. There is a horizontal, dichromatic brick string coursing. The structure has masonry construction with brick cladding (sandblasted) and a random, rubble-stone foundation. An original, open-frame cupola/bell tower with a steeply-pitched, bell-cast roof and chimneys were missing when the building was inventoried in 2000. At that time the building was considered to be in good condition. (1, 2, 3, 4)

"The story of Ansnorveld began in 1928, when Peter Rol and his family arrived in Bradford from Holland. An experienced farmer, Rol was soon working on the land here, also. He learned to speak English by attending services in the Presbyterian church, and he learned to read English by reading comic strips. The language problem being resolved, the industrious family had, by 1930, opened up its own market where the Rol produce was sold. ..."

"Editor's note: with the new Bradford Public Library scheduled to hold Official Opening Ceremonies November 6, 1988, following is an article submitted by D. Cilipka on the library's past history in Bradford." ...

Article about the preparation for Bradford's centennial celebrations in 1957, including a bit of history on Bradford and the Holland Marsh.

Attendance is Representative at Unveiling of Cairn

The unveiling of the Professor W.H. Day memorial cairn, with bronze plaque, which was erected by the combined efforts of the Tourist and Industrial Committee of Simcoe County Council and the municipalities of Bradford, West Gwillimbury Township and King Township, at Bradford town hall on Sunday afternoon in recognition of the valued service given to this district by the late professor in the reclamation of the Holland Marsh, attracted a very representative assemblage. The Province of Ontario was represented by the M.P.P. for Simcoe Centre, George G. Johnston, who was accompanied by his wife. The Ontario Agricultural College was represented by its president, Dr. J.D. MacLachlan, and several members of its staff. The Ontario Archaeological and Historical Sites Advisory Committee had representation in Wm. Cranston, editor of the Midland Free Press, who is also secretary of the County Tourist and Industrial Committee. The counties of Simcoe and York were represented by their wardens, and in Simcoe, by many members of the county council. The county Tourist and Industrial Committee had present practically its entire personnel. The townships of West Gwillimbury and King, and the town of Bradford were represented by their reeves and councils as well as by many residents from these municipalities.

The members of the late Professor Day's family were present with the exception of Stella (Mrs. Caughey) who resides in St. Andrews, N.B., but she was represented by her son, Michael, a student at the University of New Brunswick, presently employed in the civil service at Ottawa for the summer months. Attending were the two sons, William and Harry with their wives and families and the other daughter, Ida (Mrs. Ray Smith) with her husband and family.

Reeve D. Arthur Evans of Bradford was chairman for the program, welcoming the visitors and expressing appreciation to those who had given assistance to the project and to the arrangements for the unveiling day, naming particularly Mr. Louis A. Neilly who designed the cairn. Rev. F.G. MacTavish of Bradford United Church led in prayer and speakers on the program included Reeve Lawson Robinson of Elmvale, Chairman of the Tourist and Industrial Committee for Simcoe County; Reeve Percy Selby of West Gwillimbury and William Hodgson of King Township; Wardens John Small of Simcoe County and M. McMeachie of York County; Charles Davis of the Holland Marsh; Wm. Cranston of the Tourist and Industrial Committee and member of the Ontario Archaeological and Historical Sites Advisory Committee; George G. Johnson, M.P.P., Simcoe Centre; Dr. J.D. MacLachlan, President of the O.A.C. and Professor R.C. Moffat of the O.A.C. and former colleague of the late Professor Day. The latter two gentlemen were introduced by Glen Henderson, a graduate of the college. Immediately following the unveiling ceremony by William N. Day, elder son of the late Professor Day, C.T.S. Evans, Q.C., whose father, the late T.W.W. Evans, Q.C., as municipal solicitor, played a prominent role at the time of the reclamation of the marsh, spoke briefly and read a letter from Rev. Harold W. Vaughan, Th.D., D.D. now of Brantford, who was minister of the United Church here previous to and at the time of Professor Day's death. Quoting that letter:
"It is a splendid thing which the people of this County of Simcoe and the Townships of West Gwillimbury, King and the Village of Bradford, undertake to do this day. For over three years it was my privilege to know Professor Day and to see the determination with which he pursued a great vision - a vision which took him out of the Agricultural College, away from the cleanliness and order of classroom instruction into the muck and toil of labour on the Marsh. However, he knew it could be done. He was certain that the Marsh could be drained, irrigation ditches strategically placed, and eventually a battle of moisture control won and productive vegetable land created on a large scale.

Unfortunately, Professor Day was not spared to see the fulfillment of his vision, although even at that date, enough of its promise was there for him to know that he had been right.

The problem of marketing of the attendant economy, of the finalizing of chemical research in fertilizers, and above all, the detail of storing and packaging, still had to be conquered. I well remember the time that Professor Day died of a heart attack while working in the Marsh itself. It seemed, in a way, pathetic and yet there was also something of majestic triumph in the manner of his death, for he died working at the task to which he had given himself unstintingly across the years, and today the people of all this area know a new prosperity and opportunity because of the vision and perseverance of this fine man.

Thus, to honour his memory is not only to pay tribute to the past and to the vision of one who was more largely responsible than any other for the present result, but it is also to commit yourselves as citizens of these areas to a continued interest in this project and to its consistent growth for the welfare not only of the people here but of consumers throughout the whole land."

"Among the distinguished guests who visited here for the celebration last Thursday, and spoke at noon-hour, were Hon. Earl Rowe, M.P.; Geo. G. Johnston, M.P.P.; J. Smith, M.P.; Col. Mulock; Mr. T. Strothers, special agricultural representative, head office, Canadian Bank of Commerce; Mr. Hymas, C.N.R. property man; Controller Innis, Toronto; A.H. Wilford, and Reeves C.T.S. Evans and V. Turner of Bradford and West Gwillimbury. Mr. George Horlings, vice-president and general manager of Holland River Gardens Co. Ltd extended an invitation to visit that plant.
The work of the marsh pioneers was fittingly mentioned by several of the speakers and a minute's silence was observed in memory of the late Prof. W.H. Day."

A Keuffel & Esser level that was used for activities such as surveying. It was originally owned by Professor William H. Day, who was integral to the Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme's beginnings. The survey of the marsh determined the elevation of the muck soil and the bordering "highland" soils, providing the information the planners would need to determine the grades, estimate the materials to be moved and to determine the alignment of the canal.

The drainage scheme report came out in 1924 and work began in the mid-1920s. The work involved intercepting part of the Holland River and the diversion of water around the perimeter of the area using drainage canals. Canal excavation materials were used to create dykes on the to-be reclaimed (marshland) side of the canals. The re-claimed land was used for farming and roads were constructed on top of the dykes to allow for transportation.

Ae box for an instrument, a Keuffel & Esser level.

Part of a collection of Professor William H. Day's work equipment, donated by Joe Saint. Both the case and level were originally owned by Professor William H. Day, who was integral to the Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme's beginnings. The equipment was traded to Len Saint in the 1930s for a truck. The survey of the marsh determined the elevation of the muck soil and the bordering "highland" soils, providing the information the planners would need to determine the grades, estimate the materials to be moved and to determine the alignment of the canal.

Portrait of Professor W.H. Day from 1938.

To the leader of these men of vision, Professor W.H. Day, this memorial has been erected, with the Tourist and Industrial Committee of Simcoe County Council presenting the plaque and municipalities represented on the marsh area contributing the cairn, and today, May 27, 1956, is being unveiled.