You may know him as the Newmarket History Hound, a longtime Newmarket resident who shares his vast historical knowledge about the town, its people, its successes and challenges with energy and passion. Richard MacLeod, who is a go-to resource for anything about Newmarket since the town’s founding as a trading post and milling centre in…
Tag: Oral History
A Christmas Card From The History Hound
With the arrival of Christmas next week, let’s explore the history of the Christmas card. The modern custom of sending Christmas cards in Canada can be traced back to the United Kingdom and a man named Sir Henry Cole way back in 1843. He was a senior civil servant who had been instrumental in establishing…
When A Loaf Of Bread Was 6 Cents, And Other Interesting Facts
As I sort through various stories for my weekly heritage articles on NewmarketToday, I frequently come across interesting little stories. I’m sharing some of those facts and antidotes that I have collected. The theme for this article, if we need one, is ‘did you know’?’ Newmarket has altered its numbering system for streets at least…
Davis Family Was Pillar Of Newmarket Society
This article is the first of a two-part series on the Davis Tannery, part of my larger series on the big three industries of Newmarket: the Cane Factory and the Office Specialty. In this first instalment, I want to provide you with some background on the Davis family; father E.J. Davis Sr. and sons Andrew, E.J. Jr., and Aubrey….
Little Known Details About Newmarket’s Role In WWI
NewmarketToday.ca brings you this weekly feature about our town’s history in partnership with Richard MacLeod, the History Hound, a local historian for more than 40 years. He conducts heritage lectures and walking tours of local interest, as well as leads local oral history interviews. You can contact the History Hound on Facebook or by email at thehistoryhound@rogers.com. ************************* Armistice…
Little Known Details About Newmarket’s Role In WWI
Armistice Day, Nov. 11, has arrived, and I wanted to do something related to the occasion for this weekend’s article. The two world wars changed everything locally and it deserves to be embedded in our history, deep within our hearts long after the sounding of the last post. When war was declared by England on…
Most Of Newmarket’s Ghosts Are Friendly
Just a few days removed from our celebration of All Hallows’ Eve, I am sharing with you some of the ghost stories from my annual heritage walk for charity in downtown Newmarket. To my way of thinking, most ghost stories have a firm footing in history, whether it be an event, a historic structure or…
Theatre Productions Once Highlight Of Newmarket’s Entertainment Scene
This topic is one that I have wanted to cover for awhile now: the History of Theatre in Newmarket. Let me begin by apologizing if I have forgotten an organization or a builder while writing this history, though I am trying to cover nearly 110 years of entertainment within our town. In this part, I’ll review…
Who’s Who Of Newmarket Attended Trinity United Church
One of the big white churches on Main Street is the Methodist Church, which became Trinity United Church in 1925. While the United Church was the result of a merger of three churches in 1925, the Methodist Church was founded in 1824. The roots of the Methodist Church in Newmarket date back to 1824, when…
Retracing The Steps Of Yonge Street’s Original Settlers
I want to take you on a little walking tour of Yonge Street, albeit only in your mind, stretching from St. John’s Sideroad, north to Green Lane, to retrace the steps of Yonge Street’s original settlers. Reading through the names of the settlers who came from the United States, post American Revolution, along with Timothy…
