One of the casualties in the debate over the future of the Clock Tower building in downtown Newmarket on Main Street was the historic building to the south, known as the Charles Hargrave Simpson building. Boarded up and neglected, and with a demolition company’s sign now posted on it, this building was once home…
Tag: History
Ontario’s First Female Apothecary Had Main Street Store
One of the casualties in the debate over the future of the Clock Tower building in downtown Newmarket on Main Street was the historic building to the south, known as the Charles Hargrave Simpson building. Boarded up and neglected, and with a demolition company’s sign now posted on it, this building was once home…
Salvation Army’s Arrival Turned Staid Newmarket’s Head
As a young child growing up in Newmarket, I loved that the Salvation Army had its church just down the street from our home on Queen Street. Many a night our family would gather on our porch to listen to their band play at the corner of Queen and Niagara Street and I was intrigued…
King George Hotel Remains ‘Grand Old Lady’ Of Main Street
Given the excitement about the renovations being undertaken by Mike and Donna D’Angela, owners of the historic King George Hotel on the southwest corner of Main and Timothy streets, I’m sharing a little of the history of this incredible Main Street treasure. Said to be the oldest operating hotel in York Region, the iconic King George…
Newmarket Chosen As Site For The County Poorhouse in 1883
In this week’s article, I want to return to the subject of the history of our local health facilities. During the early 1800s, it fell upon friends and relatives to provide food and shelter for the unfortunate and destitute. But as it came to be a burden on local municipalities and townships, York County Council…
Newmarket, Be True To Your School
In this week’s article, I will give you an overview of how the school system in Newmarket got started and grew, and a little background on each of the major phases of this development from the early 1800s to 2000. Formal education in most of Ontario in the early part of the 18th century usually…
Names Of Founding Fathers, Prominent Citizens, Local Heroes Live On In Our Parks
his is the second article in my series chronicling the history of some of Newmarket’s parks and recreational facilities. Many of our parks are the result of gifts by prominent citizens. Mabel Davis Conservation Area is a 17-acre woodlot for walking, biking trail and is a bird sanctuary bordering the east side of the Holland River, north…
Ever Wonder Who Your Local Park Is Named After?
We enjoy Newmarket parks and recreational areas year-round, but I bet most of us seldom give any real thought to how these parks were created or how they serve to commemorate our heritage. In my next two articles, I will feature many of these areas and explain their significance in regards to how they honour…
The Old Town Hall Has More Lives Than A Cat
In a January 1979 edition of the Newmarket Era, this quote concerning the future of the Old Town Hall was included in an article about its history: “… let me share with you some of my memories of this 96-year-old building which is slated for demolition in the not too distant future”. Fortunately, this dire prediction…
Newmarket’s Great Canal Project Became ‘Mulock’s Folly’
When I am asked what the most contentious topic is in Newmarket’s history, I answer that, in my opinion, the whole matter of the “Ghost Canal” would have to be my choice. Few topics in our history have garnered more missed facts or generated more myths and misinterpretations than Newmarket’s Canal project. In this article,…
