Showing 3393 results

Newspaper article on the history of the home deliveryman, created by the Tecumseth & West Gwillimbury Historical Society

The annual Meeting of the Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association will be held in the Compton Room of the Bradford Public Library on Saturday, December 8th, 1:30 p.m. The BWG Local History Association was formed 17 years ago, in the spring of 1990, and has retrieved and documented many of the details of the history of this area, supported the Local History Room in the Library, and recently, published the 2-volume book, "Governor Simcoe Slept Here." The Association is now taking on new responsibility as the umbrella organization for other history-related groups in the community - The Gwillim Group, which has brought the statue of Elizabeth Gwillim Simcoe to Bradford; the Scotch Settlement Historical Association; and the WEGWHIST Group. The arrangement will provide an affiliation with the Ontario Historical Association that will open the door for sponsorship and fundraising in support of the Town's historical features. The Association has been involved in book writing, editing and sales for the past 4 years; now that Governor Simcoe Slept Here has been completed, the focus is returning to researching and recording local history, and there are opportunities for residents to get involved. Are you interested in history? Do you have time to research on line, index and file, or set up and explore your own special local history project? Come to the meeting to discuss the opportunities.

Part 2 of the Governor Simcoe Papers series by the Bradford Witness & South Simcoe Times. Find part 1 and 3 in the related descriptions below.

Part 3 of the Governor Simcoe Papers series by the Bradford Witness & South Simcoe Times. Find parts 1 and 2 in the related descriptions below.

Deerhurst - from 1830, mail was received for the early settlers at John Gill's beer shanty at Deerhurst on the Penetang Road, midway between line 12 and line 13. On April 1st, 1863 and official post office opened near this same location and served this community until December 1912. In 1830 James Tindall, who lived across the road from Gill's, donated land from his lot 16, con. 12 farm for the first Ebenezer Wesleyan Methodist Church and cemetery. New churches were built about 1850 and again in 1880. This church was closed in 1966. A small hamlet grew at this location which still remains today.

Circa 1830

Coulson's Hill

The hamlet of Coulson's Hill was named after the Coulson family who settled here in 1822. They donated the land for the two church properties and cemeteries. The Anglican church was built in 1854, the Presbyterian church in1857. The hamlet was the home for a hotel, stagecoach shop, a blacksmith shop and an Orange Hall.

circa 1822

St John's Presbyterian Church and cemetery of Coulson's Hill. This church was constructed in 1889.

St Paul's Anglican Church and cemetery of Coulson's Hill. The church was constructed in 1854, re-erected in 1889 and rebuilt in 1916.

Mount Pleasant, aka Botchtown;
Mount Pleasant was the name Gilbert Robinson chose for his stately home on the north half of lot 15 con. 8 in West Gwillimbury. The name spilled over to the adjacent hamlet that grew up at the corner of the 9th line and the Penetang Road (Yonge Street), comprised of a blacksmith shop, hotel, general store, gas station and a school. Nearby a Wesleyan Methodist church, a brickyard, and grist mill and saw mills owned by Mark Scanlon and John Thorpe. South of the hamlet, a hillside spring provided refreshment for weary travellers, man and beast.

circa 1840

(on the top side): "Father"
(on the front side): "Ira Belfry, died July 11, 1887; Aged 79 years, 7 Mo, 23 Days. May he rest in Peace"
Ira settled on lot 14, con. 8 in 1830 where a one acre site for the Primitive Methodist Church, a cemetery and an early school was later built.