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An article about a highly destructive fire that swept through Holland Street, destroying multiple buildings, businesses and homes. The original article appeared in the May 22nd, 1871 edition of the Toronto Daily Telegraph and was reprinted in 1901 as part of the "Looking Backward" series.

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

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.

View of The Pines, a stately home built by Mark Scanlon in 1850 on the corner of Church and Queen Streets. Viewing from Queen Street

Full obituary for Mrs. Fred (Catherine Eunice Scanlon) Wood:
"With the passing away at Newmarket Hospital on Friday, February 10, of Catherine Eunice Moore Scanlon, beloved wife of Fred Wood, West Gwillimbury lost one of its most well-known citizens. Mrs. Wood was born and lived all her life on the farm owned by her father, the late Thos. Scanlon, Lot 2, Concession 10, whose father, Mark Scanlon, settled at Scanlon's Creek about the year 1824. Her mother was the late Maria Sloane, whose parents settled on the farm of James Sloane about the same time. The late Mrs. Wood attended school at Mount Pleasant and later attended the High School situated at the northern entrance to the Pine Grove, Bradford. She was an Anglican and during her whole life attended St. Paul's Anglican Church, the church attended by her parents. Having lived her whole life on the same farm, and having a keen mind with vivid recollections of the early settlers, she knew intimately the history of West Gwillimbury and Bradford. Mrs. Wood is survived by her husband; one brother, Allan Scanlon, who wife was a former Bradford girl, Myra Baker; their six sons and one daughter, who attended the funeral. Predeceasing her were Annie (Mrs. Donald McKay); George; Birdie (Mrs. Thos. Wood), and Mark. The funeral was from the family residence to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, part of which was given to the Methodist Church by her grandfather, Mark Scanlon. The pallbearers were six nephews, Lewis Scanlon, Sudbury; Fred Scanlon, Copper Cliff; Douglas Scanlon, Callander; Bert Scanlon, North Bay; Walter Wood, Painesville, Ohio, and gerald Wood, Wyandotte, Mich."