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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-12-29, Page 2PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN MILLENNIUM ISSUE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1999. Village of Blyth Settlers arrive in neighbouring townships in 1851 The settling of the Blyth area began in 1851 when Lucius McConnell and Kenneth Bain arrived on Lots I and 2 of Cone. 9 Morris Twp. Robert Drummond was the first settler on the Wawanosh side, on Lot 42. Cone. 1. The second on the Wawanosh side. John Templeton, set up the first store. He also had the first post office in 1851. Henry D. Blythe Esquire pur­ chased considerable acreage in both Wawanosh and Morris Twp. in 1856 as an investment. Though he was an absentee landlord, the post office was named Blythe in that year. The “e” was dropped in 1862. Patrick Kelly, whose family had founded Bushfield in Morris Twp., was key in Blyth politics, fighting to Building the tracks in 1875 retain the land registry office in the village in 1872 and bring the railroad through the community The London-Huron and Bruce railway would connect the area from London, north through Huron County and on to Wingham and Kincardine. Kelly’s dream of the line through Blyth almost failed in late 1874 when delays in construction caused East Wawanosh Twp. to withhold its grant. The problems were solved and construction continued the next spring. The farming community took advantage of the new line, shipping grain, grain products, livestock, lum­ ber and wood products more effi­ ciently. Coal, farm machinery and a variety of goods were brought in. With the numerous passengers traveling to London for market, the run soon became known as the Butter and Egg Special. Kelly was elected reeve in 1877 when the village was incorporated. The population was 850. The original station house which burnt in 1904 and was rebuilt later that year was relocated and is now being used as a bed and breakfast. It was in December, 1940, that the village was notified by Canadian National Railway that the northern 24 miles of the London-Huron and Bruce line would be abandoned. Ongoing World War II and losses would not justify the continued use of the line, residents were told. The last passenger train ran from Blyth’s main street, west side looking north Clinton to Wingham on April 26, 1941. Blyth also had the good fortune of being on the east-west line from Guelph to Goderich which was com­ pleted in 1907. Being at the junction of two lines proved advantageous for Blyth as a strike in 1910 by Grand Trunk work­ ers brought more goods to Blyth through the Canadian Pacific rails. Canadian Pacific freight trains ran until 1988. Freight traffic had been high during the 1960s when the new Sifto Salt mine opened in Goderich. However, truck transportation even­ tually took over. The line was aban­ doned due to insufficient usage, cit­ ing a loss of $1.2 million in 1985. The track was lifted in 1989. The station had closed in the 1970s and was moved from the site in 1979. It now sits south of the village at the Old Mill. In 1898, the Blyth post office was on Queen Street and the entrance was moved from the Dinsley Street side. When W. Sims took over in 1910, the post office was moved to the new McMillan Block on Dinsley Street. The office moved twice more before settling in its present home at the comer of Queen and Drummond, built as a centennial project in 1967. Blyth’s first school started in the Orange Lodge on Dinsley Street in 1867. A frame building then a brick structure (1877) were built at the north end of the village on the hill. Continued on pg. 3 VILLAGE OF BLYTH The Village of Blyth, formerly named Drummond, was first settled by Lucius McConnell and Kenneth McBain in May, 1851. William Drummond conceived the idea of laying out a village and on April 3, 1855, a total of200 lots were sold. In December, 1856 the land occupied by the village was sold to Henry D. Blyth, a wealthy English absentee landowner. The village was officially known as Blythe, however, the 'e' was dropped in 1862. The village was incorporated in 1877 was a population of 850. In 1900 the population was 1100. Today's population is 964. 1855 - 1864 - 1875 - 1877 - 1893 - 1906 - 1907 - 1920 - 1924- 1950 - 1961 - 1967 - 1975 - 1977- 1981 - 1994 - 1999 - Important Dates: The first grist mill was erected close to the present site of Howson & Howson Ltd. The Blyth Fall Fair first began on the site of the present day Blyth Public School. The Grand Trunk Railway (CNR) made its first run from London to Wingham. The last CNR train ran from Clinton to Wingham in 1941. The first council meeting of the Village of Blyth was held on January 15th. The first Reeve was Patrick Kelly. The village was illuminated for the first time. The first electric plant was built where J & H Campbell Transport is now located. In 1924, Ontario Hydro contracted for the village's electrical needs. The first water lines were installed and used for fire protection only. Households were supplied by wells. In 1947, voters turned down a proposal for a town water supply, but in 1953 it passed. The CPR line was built from Guelph to Goderich serving Blyth with passenger service. Passenger service was eliminated in 1960. The Blyth Memorial Hall was erected by residents of Blyth and surrounding townships as a memorial to the veterans who fought in World War 1. Cement pavement was placed on Queen and Dinsley Streets for the cost of $50,000. The first asphalt was laid in 1955. The first arena was built for $27,000., had artificial ice added in 1967 at a cost of $35,000. The Blyth & District Community Centre was built in 1976 for a total cost of $471,000, when the old arena was declared unsafe. The Steam Thresher's Reunion made its debut. The Blyth Post Office was constructed on its present site as a Centennial Project. The Blyth Summer Festival held its opening night on July 9th. Blyth celebrates 100 years of progress. The Blyth Sewage Treatment was completed at a cost of $3,320,875. of which the province contributed $3,166,155. Queen Street was reconstructed and the first phase of decorative lighting installed. Blyth received 4 blooms in the Communities In Bloom competition and is invited to represent the Province of Ontario in the National competition in 2000 in Edmonton.