The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 94SECOND INDOOR RINK - Ice sports in Exeter received a boost when the town's second indoor rink was of-
ficially opened in January, 1912. "The Dome Rink", as it was called, was built by William Leavitt on the
Gould property across from the town hall, now the site of McKerlie Automotive. In addition to a large skating
surface, an area was petitioned off for curling.The building collapsed in 1927,was re-erected and collapsed
again in 1934, ending the era of The Dome Rink. The building to the right is Learitt's theatre.
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41
Section 1, Page 6 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
1826 - establishment of the
Canada Co, It owned a million
acres of land including the
Huron Tract.
1827 - the Huron Road was blazed
from Guelph to Goderich
1832 - James Willis built his log
shanty. William May settled
south of him a few months
later.
1833 - first written reference to
the Exeter area. Rev. William
Proudfoot, in his diaries said
the soil was excellent but it
was a "dreary region."
1833 - McConnell inn and sawmill
established
1838 - first school erected in
Francistown
1839 - Lake Rd opened
1842 - Hay Post Office opened
1847 - Isaac Carling arrived with
Ann Balkwill
1849 - Richard Delbridge came.
He was the great grandfather
of Mayor Jack Delbridge
1850 - Walper Hotel built in
Francistown
1852 - James Pickard arrived in
area
- Thomas Gidley arrived
from London, Eng.
1854 - first Exeter fair held
1855 - first village plan surveyed
by William Robinson and
registered in Goderich.
- Dr. John Hyndman first
doctor to take up residence
1856 - Charles Southcott came to
town and opened his tailor
shop
1857 - establishment of Fran-
cistown Foundry by W.H.
Verity and Mr. Brabson.
1860 - Commercial Hotel built
- William Grigg opened his
stationery store where
MacMillan's is now.
1866 - first person buried in
Exeter cemetery, Mrs.
Richard Gidley (Honor
Bissett)
1867 - Carling became South
Huron's first Member of the
Legislative Assembly after
confederation
- T. Fitton became the first
optician and jeweller
- Senior picture studio
started with tin type
photographs of the town
1873 - Exeter amalgamated with
Francistown to form village of
Exeter.
- Exeter Times established
by John White
1874 - cricket club organized
1875 - village council limited by
law the number of taverns to 5
- gold spike driven in to
complete the London, Huron
and Bruce Railway.
1876 - boardwalks constructed
- grand opening of the
railway line. It came to be
called the Butter & Egg
Express
- first recorded baseball
game in Exeter on May 24
1880 - land for Victoria. Park
presented to the village by
Joseph Acheson
1884 - Verity honie (situated
where motel is now) became
the first house to have a fur-
nace installed which would
heat the whole house
1885 - In January, the first un-
dercover skating carnival was
held at the Royal Skating
Rink.
1886 - big roller skating carnival
held on New Year's Eve.
1887 - First issue of the "Exeter
Advocate" published by
Thomas Passmore.
- Town Hall built.
1888 - First elephone service after
Bell Telephone Co. erected
long distance lines from
London to Clinton through
Lucan and Exeter.
1889 - Exeter's first telephone
directory came out. It had 11
subscribers
- the village baseball team
won the Huron County
Championship.
- On July 12 a reported 15,000
people gathered for the
Orange Lodge celebrations.
- Verity bought out Brabson
and moved the Foundry, now
Verity Ploughworks to the
corner of Main and Wellington
where the liquor store is. It
was one of Exeter's major
industries.
1892 - The village celebrated
Canada's 25th anniversary by
opening a new driving park.
- Bicycle club organized
with 12 members.
- Verity Ploughworks
bought out by Massey-Harris.
It was moved to Brantford and
it took 30 families with it.
1893 - Jane Willis (wife of James)
died at the age of 90, She was
known as "Granny Willis."
1894 - The flax pullers struck for
higher wages, They received a
small increase.
1896 - Football tournament. There
were five teams, Exeter,
Varna, Centralia, St. Mary's,
Kippen. Kippen won the
tournament.
1899 - Exeter's first basketball
game.
1901 - It cost $50.00 for a license to
sell cigarettes,
1903 - Exeter's first entry into the
Ontario Hockey Association
was the "Devons."
1904 - Exeter's first car. F.E.
Karn and W.W. Taman bought
a McLaughlin car made in
Oshawa.
- A free concert was held in
the Town Hall in July to listen
to Robert Sanders' new
gramophone play "Good Old
Summer Time," "Lead Kindly
Light" and "Vesper Service"
by the Hayden Quartette.
1906 - Exeter Canning and
Preserving Co. established by
Reeve A.Q. Bobier at the
urging of the Times and the
Advocate.
1908 - Dr, Hyndman organized the
Thames Road Telegraph Co.
1912 - Opening of the Dome Rink
which was built by W. Leavitt.
Films were shown there
regularly.
- Exeter's 100th telephone
installed
1913 - Riverview Park opened
1919 - first airplane to visit
Exeter. It did some stunts over
the village and landed near the
fairgrounds.
1920 - Highway 4 paved for the
first time,
1922 - First commencement
exercises at High School
1923 - Canadian Canners of
Hamilton bought the Canning
and Preserving Co.
1924 - The Times and the
Advocate amalgamated.
1926 - Baseball team won the
South Huron League pennant.
1927 - The Dome Rink collapsed.
1930 - New post office built on
present site.
1931 - "Leavitt's New Talking
Picture Theatre" opened.
1937 - The poolroom opened.
1944 - Village purchased a
motordriven fire engine.
1946 - Willard's Ontario
Panorama broadcast from the
Exeter arena by , Gordon
Sinclair and Allan Savage,
They interviewed Jack Green,
Mrs. J.G. Cochrane, Ed
Sweitzer, Preston Dearing.
1948 - Bowling alley opened
- Plans for a new high school
were discussed
1949 - Reg Beavers' store
displayed a TV set. This
became a major attraction.
1951 - Exeter became a town on
New Years Day with a
population of 1,609.