I started reading “History of Perth County to 1967”, and it is fascinating reading. In 1827, the area west of Wilmot Township was unsettled and populated by trees. The Canada Company purchased 1,000,000 acres with the intent to settle. One of the first surveyed roads (at that time, just a path hacked through the bush) is still the present day Hwy 7/8 from New Hamburg to Goderich. The intent was to settle the entire area, but because of its location on Lake Huron and the importance of water in trade, Goderich and the surrounding are was settled first. In 1831, Samuel Strickland writes in “Twenty Years in Canada West” , that in travelling the 60 miles of trail back to the vicinity of New Hamburg, there were only 3 encounters with human habitation; Van Egmond’s tavern near Seaforth, Andrew Seebach’s tavern between Mitchell and Sebringville, and the inn kept by Sebastion Fryfogel between Shakespeare and New Hamburg. I was aware of these places, but did not realize their significance and importance in 19th century travel.
Millbank Town Hall
This building was built by John Rutherford. The second floor was the town hall where many public events took place. The main floor is currently occupied by Millbank Country Hardware. At the time of this postcard, the Farmers Bank was in one half of the building, and the other half was Hawthorne's Hardware as well as the post office. The Farmers Bank was taken over by the Bank of Nova Scotia in 1910. The vault from the former bank was still in place until approximately 2010.
Small Towns
Back in the day, small towns were vibrant places. One of the mainstays was the grocery store. What catches my attention with this image is Mr. Hamilton's wording of appreciation. We likely would think this is a bit over the top compared to 21th century parlance, but in bygone days, this was the graciousness which businesses extended to their clientele. This is an envelope; I'm not sure what it's exact use was. Any ideas?
Main Street
There's something about Main Street in a small town. It used to be the very heart beat, where most business was conducted and the place where things happened. Unfortunately, now Main Street struggles to survive. Looking at this photo evokes nostalgia in me. Many brand names, most still in existence yet, but not so much in small towns and villages. How many brand names can you see?
Photo Credit Wayne Schneider