This edition of the Bradford Witness is located in the Local History Room, and is in particular a very noteworthy edition. The printing of this edition included many photographs of local businessmen, houses, storefronts, churches, and of the main streets. It also included mini-biographical articles of the people included, acting as a local history gold-mine for Bradford's early 1900s. We have included some of these photographs and articles here, though a full copy of the text and photographs was reorganized thematically by the Bradford West Gwillimbury Historical Society in 1997.
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.
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.
