Robert Simpson, who became a household name right across Canada, got his start right here on Main Street in Newmarket. His story is one of the most requested during my heritage presentations. Let us take a trip back to 1855 and the arrival in Newmarket of a young Simpson. Robert Simpson was born Sept. 17,…
Author: HistoryHound
Remembering A Time When Newmarket’s Bus Drivers Knew Your Name
Let’s go back in time to learn the story of Newmarket’s first bus transit system and the two men who made it happen. Many of us have memories of riding the town bus as a youth before we had wheels. The story begins with two Larry Needler and Earlby Ruthven, who were the owners of…
In 1980, Festivities Marked Newmarket’s 100th Year As A Town
I have chosen another year in Newmarket’s rich history to highlight — I previously featured the year 1957, when we celebrated the 100th anniversary of our incorporation as a village, and I thought it may be fun to go through the records and examine some of the highlights of the year 1980, when we celebrated the…
Early Black Settlers Arrived in Newmarket Via Underground Railroad
As I often mention, my historic curiosity knows no bounds and my interests are eclectic, to say the least. This article focuses on what I have learned so far about the Black history of our area. I am sharing a few stories in the hope they will spark others to send me their stories of…
Booming ’50s Created Need For Second High School In Newmarket
This weekend, I will tie up a few odds and ends regarding my series on the history of Newmarket High School, which I first started writing for Newmarket Today back in 2018. You can go to the Remember This section to catch up on any of segments that you may have missed. Let us begin with a…
Itinerant Methodist Ministers The Root Of Newmarket’s First Meeting House For Public Worship
I’m continuing my series on Newmarket churches with a closer look at the Methodists, from which the current United Church was to spring. Shortly after the beginning of the 18th century, the Methodists made their appearance at the new settlement north of York. An early reference to Methodism in the Newmarket/Yonge Street district comes from Nathan Bangs,…
When Newmarket Was Known As A ‘Nice Little Village’ Near Holland Landing
This is the second part of my two-part series on the history of Holland Landing, beginning with the organization of the community against the ruling Family Compact in Toronto. You can read part one here. In 1837, the area around Newmarket and Holland Landing was to become rebel country. Samuel Lount, the central figure in the…
Histories Of Newmarket And Holland Landing Have Long Been Intertwined
In the first of a two-part series, History Hound Richard MacLeod examines the establishment and growth of Newmarket’s neighbor to the north. This weekend and next, we will examine the history of our neighbours to the north in Holland Landing, which has long held a strategic and historic place in the history of our area. …
‘Number Please’: In 1937, You No Longer Had To Crank The Phone To Reach The Operator
Newmarket had its first telephone subscriber just three years after Alexander Graham Bell first transmitted his first voice sound over wire in 1876. In 1879, S.A. Russell and Company rented a pair of telephones from Melville Bell, Alexander Graham Bell’s father, for use within their firm. They were linked to the Montreal Telegraph Company office on…
Newmarket Marks 1964 With Growth, Sporting Glory, And End Of Specialty Whistle
Let’s take a closer look at another year in Newmarket’s history. I received several requests to examine the town during the year 1964, so I have gone through the records and chosen some highlights. As 1964 begins, the world is still shook up following the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th president of the…
