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History of Creemore
The Founding Of The Village
It began in 1842 when William Nulty came to Nottawasaga Township while
working for the Hon. John MacDonald who had received a grant from the government of 25 lots and 8 concessions to settle. Mr. Nulty opened
a colonization office and a small government store. He kept stock of
government supplies to meet the requirements of settlers.
Settlers soon asked that a mill be built and Mr. Nulty contacted his
brother-in-law, Edward Webster who agreed to build it. By March 1844
the mill was built. They began to cut lumber with an old sash saw driven
by a flutter water-wheel. In 1845, a run of stones was put into east end
of the mill and ground the grain as the farmers carried in on their backs or
on ox sled. There was no smutter in this mill and the flour was often dirty
and black. But even this was better than packing wheat long distances to
be made in to flour!
In 1850, a lean-to was built on the end of the mill where the first carding
machine was installed. Edward Webster's brother, George, operated this combination mill.
Since the Webster's mill was the first in the region it brought trade from a
wide area. As the region was slowly becoming more populated, other businesses followed, making Creemore the commercial center for the region. Originally,
all of tee homes in the settlement were on the south side of the river, likely to be close to the mill. Mr. Webster soon realized that the north side of the river
was a better site for the thriving community he envisioned. He built a bridge
over the river, surveyed a road running north and called it Mill Street.
Mr. Webster then bought land that had been previously bought and cleared
by Andrew Giffen. Mr. Webster then had a town site laid out. He named the
streets after his children: George, Edward, Elizabeth, Caroline, Francis and Wellington all running east and west.
And so the settlement grew as more people came and took their places in
the new community. Families of the new settlers grew also. In 1845, John
Giffen, son of Andrew, was the first male child born in Creemore and the
following year, Sarah Nulty was the first baby girl born in the settlement.
Postal
Service
The
first post office opened in Creemore in 1849 and the office
was initially named Creemore Mills. It was situated on the
southern side of the river close to the grist mill. The mail was transported
from Barrie by way of courier on horseback. The first postmaster was Edward
Webster. The next postmaster was G.I.
Bolster and he assumed the office in the same area. He later
moved it to a large frame building that he constructed on the
northeast corner of Edward and Mill Streets. In 1865, William Thornbury became
postmaster and served in that position until
1868. Alexander Gillespie then took over. He moved it to his building
on the northwest corner of Mill and Edward Streets. The post office remained
at that location until 1887 when Mr. Gillespie built a new building to the
north. In 1888, a devastating fire ruined all of Mr. Gillespie's property
which resulted in heavy losses as his
insurance had elapsed a few days before the fire. Plans to
reconstruct were quickly made resulting in the erection of a
great new building to accommodate the post office. In 1898,
after 30 years of uninterrupted service, Mr. Gillespie died and
his widow instantly was selected Postmistress. She sustained
this role for 38 years until she died in 1936. After her death,
her daughters operated the post office for another year.
Throughout the years since, the post office has made numerous
moves up and down Mill Street, but currently exists at
164 Mill Street.
The
Railroad
The Hamilton and Northwestern Railway
aided its communities
loyally during the critical period just after Canada came into
nationhood. It was taken over by Grand trunk Railway in 1888
and then joined the Canadian National Railways.
Traveling
by train was a vast improvement over the discomfort
of the horse-drawn carriage. A trip that would take a week by a
horse-drawn carriage, took only a day by train.
A
rail line was opened between Beeton and Collingwood in 1878. Although the
train that ran that line had many names (the Blue Mountain Flyer, the Beeton
Flyer and the Virginia Creeper),
it became known as the Hog Special because of all the hogs
that were transported to the packing plant in Collingwood in the prosperous
1890's by Sam and Jake Hisey.
A
station, waiting room and freight shed were built shortly after
1878 in Creemore on the south side of the tracks and remained
in use until 1912 when the Grand Trunk station was erected
near Mill Street on the north side of the tracks.
In
1931, The Canadian National Railway stated its purpose to cut services along
its lines. Agents were left at Alliston and
Creemore only. On April 19, 1955 the railway station at
Creemore was completely grief-stricken by fire. It is believed
to have been triggered by
lightening as a thunderstorm existed at the time.
Businesses
in Creemore
The
very first tavern in Creemore was a log building which
was located at the corner of Mill Street and George Street.
Mr. Christy Connor kept this tavern but later found that it was not a
paying proposition. He then left and went back to farming.
In 1859, this building was torn down and a new tavern was
constructed by George Webster for Mr. William Gowan.
Mr.
George Foster built a tannery in Dunedin. He then moved to Creemore and built
a tannery on the north side of the bridge which burned down in 1855.
George
Webster built a tavern for Mr. William Kelly in 1855.
Then in 1860, Mr. Webster erected a store for George Bolster.
In
1864, Reuben Smith opened a store in the building that
would alter become the Rinn House at the corner of Main
and Johnstone Avenue. The next year he built a woollen mill
on Edward Street which became a bigger mill driven by
water power. This put the first mill out of business and
with the opening of the store in Dunedin, Reuben Smith became insolvent.
The
first blacksmith in Creemore was George Evans. Later,
George Casey began a blacksmith and wagon-making shop
on Edward Street. Then Robert Steele started a blacksmith
shop at the south end of Mill Street as well. Henry Mathers
launched a wagon making shop close to Mr. Steele's shop. A
shoe making store was run by John Salter and his stepson,
Mr. Hogg. There was conflict between Mr. Hogg and John Salter
over a matter of reverence or a right of property. After an
argument between them, Mr. Salter went into his home and
came back with a loaded gun. He intentionally placed it at the
side of young Mr. Hogg and fired. The bullet passed through
the ribs of Mr. Hogg and stuck into his spine. Mr. Salter was
arrested and went to the Barrie jail. Mr. Hogg died and Mr. Salter received
capital punishment for his crime.
The
first resident doctor in Creemore was Dr. George McMannis
who resided on Edward Street. Then Dr. Dack arrived and for numerous
years he had his office on the corner of Elizabeth and Collingwood Street.
Other
businesses in Creemore exposed in the Creemore Star,
which first became available March 11, 1886, are:
·
Joseph Hood (marriage licenses, money lender, commissioner in the Court of
Justice)
·
John MacKay (marriage licenses)
·
R. Winning (tailor)
·
George Shepherd & J. G. Sutherlands (dental surgeon)
·
Matchett House (accommodation for travelers)
·
W. Cauthers (funeral director)
·
J.A. Broley's Hair Cutting and Shaving Parlor
·
H. Butcher (veterinarian)
·
E. Kerr (house and sign painter)
·
Gillespie Bros. (The Leading House...dry goods)
·
The Creemore Foundry (farm implements/machinery)
·
Miss Milne (millinery and fancy goods)
·
J.C. McKeggie and Comp. (banking business)
·
S. Hisey and son (tannery)
·
Blacksmiths, lawyers, voice lessons, food stores, shoe makers etc.
Creemore
was a flourishing place!
Sources:
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