HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-07-15, Page 20The way they were
The Bluevale Cheese. Factory, built by John Leech, eventually became a farmers' co-
operative after news of Leech's bankruptcy. (Photo submitted)
Meeting the needs
By the mid-1860s this was one of two blacksmith shops in the thriving community, which also
had a lathe and cabinet factory, three general stores, a wagon shop, shoe shop and a carriage
factory. (Photo submitted)
Bluevale is celebrating its
150th Anniversary
Come out and join in on the festivities.
• Parade 11:00 am
• Beer Tent
• Games and Events
for the kids 12:00 pm 5:00 pm
• Old Time Baseball Game 2:00 pm
• Horseshoe Tournament 3:30 pm
• Beef BBO 5.00 pm - 7:00 pm
• Dance under the stars to
Jeff Tanner Band 9 00 pm 1:00 am
Non-Denominational
Church Service 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Beer Tent 12:00 pm • 6:00 pm
• 'Jamboree In the Park... 1:00 pm - Open Ended
• Antique Car Show 1.00 pm - 5:00 pm
For more information on any of these events,
0' please call Tracey at 357-4066 or Jason at 357-4468.
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2004.
Bluevale set to celebrate 150-year history
July 24 and 25 Bluevale will
celebrate its 150th anniversary. _
The land that was to become
known as the friendly hamlet of
Bluevale was first settled by
Alexander Duncan and Jacob
Cantelon in 1854. The west side is
the Duncan Survey and the east side
is the Cantelon Survey. Most of the
hamlet is in the ward of Turnberry
with the township line dividing the
Morris area, just south of the river.
But Bluevale has developed out of
the rural community surrounding it
and it is impossible to separate the.
village into two sections.
The Leech family promptly
purchased land from Jacob Cantelon
and built a dam across the Maitland
River with the grist mill ready for
operation by the fall of 1856. Shortly
thereafter a saw mill and a flour mill
were in operation, also owned and
By Keith Roulston
Citizen publisher
Fearing they might look like they
didn't support clean drinking water
Huron County councillors Thursday
voted against supporting a resolution
calling on the province not to
implement Bill 170.
Despite the fact the bill has
imposed onerous regulations on
small water systems, "I think we
would look foolish not supporting
the safe drinking water act,"
suggested Deb Shewfelt, the
Goderich councillor who is also
president of the Ontario Municipal
Water Association. "We wouldn't
operated by Joseph Leech. The
grist, flour and saw mills were all
driven by water power from the
Maitland River. The businesses built
surrounding the Maitland River and
dam certainly stood the test of time
despite numerous floods over the
years.
The first stores were owned by
John Messer and Jacob Cantelon.
The old Messer store is now a
residential dwelling. The last owners
of the Cantelon store were John and
Margaret Thompson, who have since
retired and continue to live there. By
1861 the business section grew and
had a lathe and cabinet factory, three
general stores, a wagon shop, two
blacksmiths, shoe shop and a
carriage factory. Bluevale also had
three churches, one school with 63
pupils, an Orange Hall and a post
office.
want to be seen coming out opposed
to Bill 170, not after what Walkerton
went through. I don't think anyone
wants to be against safe drinking
water."
It was pointed out the province has
delayed implementation of the
section of the bill affecting small
water systems.
Council had supported the
resolution from the Twp. of Killaloe,
Hagarty and Richards at its June 15
committee of the whole meeting but
changed direction Thursday, voting
not to support the call on the
legislature "to abandon the
implementation of and immediately
repeal regulation 170/03."
made by . a group of area patrons,
who then were entitled to receive
dividends on their investments. In
1878, these patrons were seriously
alarmed by the announcement of
John Leech's bankruptcy, which
would mean no payment for the milk
producers of Jamestown and
Bluevale and the probable closure of
the factory. Almost immediately, the
farmers responded by forming a
joint stock cheese company to take
over the business.
In 1879, an addition was built onto
the cheese factory for $350. The
company now had 100 members,
with James Elliott acting as
president. More additions, new
floors, renovations and repairs were
made to the factory in 1881, as
production started to branch into the
line of small fancy cheeses, as well
as their regular cheddar.
The factory filled, orders from as
far away as Toronto and Ottawa.
William Messer was the salesman
for the factory for many years.
At the annual meeting held in
1883, the company President J.R.
Miller announced that 196,665
pounds of cheese had been
.produced, at an average selling price
of 11.09 cents per pound. Every day,
one ton of curd was ground up by
hand. This was such a huge process,
additional renovations were needed
by adding new equipment to update
the process.
The business was going along
smoothly until 1889, when suddenly
one night, the whole building
exploded into flames so quickly that
the cheese-maker, Mr. Dillon, and
his family barely escaped with their
lives from their living quarters in the
building. Arson was suspected and a
$100 reward was posted for the
criminal.
The patrons immediately met in
Forester's Hall and decided to
replace the factory with a more
substantial brick building. The
contract was given to William Welsh
of Belgrave, who had the new
building completed by June 1, 1889
at a total cost of $2,190. Arrested for
the arson was Mrs. Jas Hooper of
Turnberry Twp., who was married to
a farmer that held stock in the
company and had once been accused
of watering down the milk.
In 1918 the Bluevale Cheese
Company changed hands and was
sold to H.H. Hammond who would
continue with the creamery business.
Did You Know?
• In 1861 the population was
almost 800
• In 1957 the population was down
to 155
• In 1.874 a squirrel hunt
competition was held between the
married and single men of
Bluevale. The shooting lasted from
dawn until sundown and the tails
were counted. The married men
were ahead by 40 points.
• In 1882 James Boynton, cider
maker and town bootlegger was
leaving town to walk a tightrope
over Niagara Falls on Aug. 18,
weather permitting.
• In 1893 a baseball game between
the Chippewas (Swamp Angels)
and Barrie's School Section was
ended in the 5th inning due to a
dispute.
• In 1915 W.J. Masters bought and
owned the first car in Bluevale.
• It was somewhat of an
inconvenience for Mr. Masters, as
the first gasoline tank and pump
were not installed until 1920 by
Ms. Alice Paul.
Homecoming 2004 will bring
together old neighbours, family and
friends to be reunited and make new
acquaintances.
The events include a parade, beer
tent, children's events, reunion
baseball game, horseshoe
tournament, beef barbecue supper,
dance to the Jeff Tanner Band, non-
denominational church service.
jamboree in the park and antique car
show.
For more information regarding
these events contact Tracey at 357-
4066.
Cheese Factory:
The Bluevale Cheese Factory was
built and operated under the
direction of John Leech. He was the
owner with the initial investment
County votes
against resolution