The concept of the drum corps traces its roots to the American tradition of the Drum and Fife from the 1800s and bugle bands of the early 1900s. Today, those drum and bugle corps have evolved, spreading throughout North America and offering a disciplined display of musical pageantry. It is from this tradition that our…
Tag: History
Roots Of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church More Than 185 Years Deep
When the Presbyterian Church arrived in Newmarket is uncertain. Records indicate that Presbyterianism dates to at least 1813, when a Col. Graham of the Aurora area donated 40 acres, known as Lot 25 on the 2nd Concession of King Township, for a ‘glebe’, land meant for the building of a manse. While it was later…
Newmarket’s Club 14 Welcomed Soldiers, Lit The Fire For Romances
Let’s go back to 1942, when slow waltzes and lively swing tunes were the music of the day and Newmarket was at the height of its war-time activities. A small building on Millard Avenue, known as the old I.O.O.F (International Order of Odd Fellows) Hall was in the midst of its transformation into the Soldier-Citizen…
45 Newmarket Properties Officially Designated As Heritage
This week, I thought I would tackle a topic that seems to be misunderstood by many of the people I meet on my heritage walks or during my heritage talks: the Ontario Heritage Act and how it shapes Newmarket’s heritage preservation strategy. All municipalities in Ontario fall under this act. My thanks to Dave Ruggle…
Canada’s Unofficial Anthem First Sung At Main Street Church
On July 25, 1874, the cornerstone was laid for the Christian Church (now the Christian Baptist Church) at the top of Main Street. This event was surrounded by much pomp and ceremony. Six triumphal evergreen arches were erected over Main Street as the town welcomed the Earl of Dufferin, governor general, who arrived to lay the…
Most Of Newmarket’s Growth Came At The Expense Of Farmland
I have often stopped and thought of just how the tiny little town in which I was born back in the 1950s has become a major urban centre on the brink of becoming a city before my very eyes. Let’s take a look at the urbanization of Newmarket and, in particular, the development of the subdivisions that…
Stickwood Walker House A Heritage Tribute To The Founding Family
An historic property in the news this week is the Stickwood Walker farm, located on Mulock Drive, just east of Leslie Street on the south side. This one-and-a-half storey Gothic Revival house is constructed of grey/white brick and rests on a stone rubble foundation. Over the years, it has had a number of names; the…
Many Of Newmarket’s Prominent Families Called St. Paul’s Their Spiritual Home
Over the next few months, it is my goal to highlight the history of the many churches in our town, beginning with St. Paul’s Anglican Church currently located on Church Street at D’Arcy Street. While the current structure was erected in 1884, there are many predecessors as far back as the early 1830s. Rev. Adam…
History of Newmarket High School 3
THIRD HIGH SCHOOL (1894 – 1928) Immediately following the fire of March 16, 1893 plans were begun for a replacement. Mr. Oliver E. Tench* was engaged as architect and Wm. Cane and Sons were awarded the contract for construction. *Architect for King George and Stuart Scott Schools and associate architect for Pickering College. At 4…
History of Newmarket High School 2
INTRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN ONTARIO The early Grammar Schools in Upper Canada or Canada West (Ontario) provided haphazard education. A Grammar School had been established in Newmarket in 1843 but until 1853 there had been no official course, no school inspectors, and no local tax revenue to support education. The qualifications for admittance to…
