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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-04-17, Page 63Sea forth in 1879 "An lan erior tratt of becomes a town Centennial Weekend June 27-* July 1• See you then! I We are proud of our association with the Town of Seaforth and Welcome this opportunity to Extend Bcst Wishes on the occasion of their 100th Birthday (From the Huron Atlas of 1879) Referring to Seaforth; the Atlas says: This flourishing incorporated oT n may be justly described as one of the most prosperous and progressive of a section'of country where prosperity and progress have been the. order of the day. Not many years ago, and within the memory of even the "rising generation'„', the spot which now marks the existance of this centre of trade and industry — now one of the most important places, in a commercial point of view, in, Western Ontario — was a dense and almost impenetrable forest, . echoing back ,the scream of wild fowl and the croak of reptiles, the only inhabitatits of what hs since thee been transformed into the beautiful embryo Seaforth we now_ see it. 'Without any natural advantages of position. and with the actual disadvantages of what was in the early days considered an inferior tract of land — from being comparatively- ,low; and 14' therefore more difficult In bring uhder the subjection of. the husbandman — this spot was passed by unheeded by thousands who. to use a common expression, "went further to fare worse." Its lowness constituted a seriods impediment also to any approach to a "settlement" at this point; and other places grew apace. and prospered too, n all sides, and within such easy distances, that none ever dreamed of a great future i store for the "Guide Board Swamp", as the place was familiarly known, from • the fact that thqs, -then stood for many years at fITE "four corners" .a post and fingerboard, pointing towards, Egmondville. Ainleyville ?nOw BrussMs). and Goderich, showirT the direction and number of miles to each place. The first who ever had ,the courage to settle in 'the swamp' was Andrew $teene,' who located on Lot 26, Con. 1, McKillop, at an • early date in the hisfory of that township. He made a clearing and built a log house on the southeast corner of the lin, which was the first and for a great many years the only human habitation on what now comprises the Town of Seaforth. This house stood until quite recently as diginally built, but was destroyed by fire lately; a part of it, the oldest landmark of the place. yet remaining in .the conidition of a' ruin. At a very early day, Lot 11. Con. .1, i luckersmith, was purchased from the Canada Company by one McGregor, who, took his residence further weSt. ,on s.. on Road, beyond Harpur ey, clearing some 10 acres, however, on the corner where Carmichael's hike( now stands; and after thie amount of improvement was made upon the Place, he offered the whole hundred acres for $450, and without a purchaser for a long time, but finally disposed of, it, at f 7 about that figure to' Christopher Snarling. - Slit:wily after this, Andrew McKearnan, an ' Irishman, purchased thfee -.acres on the' northest corner of the lot, and erected a log tavern on the very spot • now occupied. • Carmichael's hotel.This was the second habitation and the first "public-house in the place. The above' two houses were the only ones here till the inauguration of the Buffalo, Brantford' and . "''GOderich Railway, afterwards the Buffalo and Lake Huron. About this time great a'etivity was evinced-in speculation in lands in the vicinity of the supposed line of the proposed' railway: Under the excitement, the balance of McGregor's `lot was purchased from Mr.Sparling .by, Messrs, Patton, Bernard and- LeFroy, professional men from the fist, who 'at once surveyed the whole lot into a town plot, and through whose enterprise Seaforth received its first impulse. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, , 7,:0;;;,(1.:%;>" Best Wishes A • to Sealorth " on your 100th Anniversary I We are happy to have had a part in our town's growth over the past 20 years and look-forward to the future ETUE INSURANCE AGENCY 32 MAIN ST. SEAFORTH • `-1.„ N.. ••• f • \ ERIE & HURON BEVERAGES LIMITED STRATFORD • Authorized Bottler of; Coca-Cola under contract with Coca-Colo Ltd. • , 0• Somebody Wants What Yoti Don't Need! a. WM:W. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, APRIL 17, 1975 —49