Robert Norman “Bob” Forhan — best known as just Bob around town — seemingly excelled at every aspect of his life. Born in Newmarket in March 1936, Forhan was an athlete, politician, teacher, diplomat and community leader. My problem is just how you capture the history of a gentleman who was the modern equivalent of…
Author: HistoryHound
Bob Forhan Blazed A Path In Hockey, Politics Remembered To This Day
Robert Norman “Bob” Forhan — best known as just Bob around town — seemingly excelled at every aspect of his life. Born in Newmarket in March 1936, Forhan was an athlete, politician, teacher, diplomat and community leader. My problem is just how you capture the history of a gentleman who was the modern equivalent of…
Annexation Of East Gwillimbury Helped Fuel Newmarket’s 1970’s Boom
In an earlier article, I wrote about Newmarket annexing parts of East Gwillimbury the 1970s as part of my vanishing farmlands story. Let’s look at the whole story of the amalgamation of those areas to the north of Davis Drive that were previously part of East Gwillimbury. I am sure that you remember it was quite a…
It Wasn’t An Occasion Without The Newmarket Citizens’ Band
The Newmarket Citizens’ Band has a huge celebration coming up next year, so let’s take a look at its beginnings and the massive presence it has had in our history — the band has attended every major event that has occurred in Newmarket. Newmarket citizens had long desired a band of their own dating back…
‘We’re Glad Ye Cam To The Toon’: When The Royal Prince Visited Newmarket
Newmarket hosted a royal visitor in September 1860 when the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward, the son of Queen Victoria, came to town. The village was all abuzz that fall. It was a very big deal. Countless boys born locally that year would be named in honour of the visiting Prince. Our elected reeve, the…
Newmarket’s ‘Chicken Blood Election’ One For The Storybooks
One of the most peculiar stories from our history books is the chicken blood election. Local politics can often present us with some funny and even weird stories, and this is certainly one of them. Through the annals of municipal contests in Newmarket, occasional bits of humour flash across the pages and this is a…
‘We’re Glad Ye Cam To The Toon’: When The Royal Prince Visited Newmarket
Newmarket hosted a royal visitor in September 1860 when the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward, the son of Queen Victoria, came to town. The village was all abuzz that fall. It was a very big deal. Countless boys born locally that year would be named in honour of the visiting Prince. Our elected reeve, the…
Newmarket’s ‘Chicken Blood Election’ One For The Storybooks
One of the most peculiar stories from our history books is the chicken blood election. Local politics can often present us with some funny and even weird stories, and this is certainly one of them. Through the annals of municipal contests in Newmarket, occasional bits of humour flash across the pages and this is a…
History Reminds Us, And Gives Us Hope, Newmarket: We Will Get Through This
As mentioned in my article on the Spanish Flu, history contains so many examples of us having been taken to the breach and our ancestors fighting their way back, eventually becoming even stronger than ever. The Great Depression of the 1930s is such an event. The Great Depression was a shock worldwide, both socially and…
Area Indigenous Peoples Ceded Their Territory In Later Disputed Toronto Purchase
In this second of a two-part series, History Hound Richard MacLeod highlights the story of how lands were acquired by the Canadian government, paving the way for settlers. Let’s return to the story of the development of our area before the arrival of our earliest settlers and the story of the Indigenous peoples who lived in our…
