HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-07-18, Page 32Wingham among the
foremost towns of Ont.
Although, as subsequent
events have proven,
Wingham was to grow but
little since its heyday in the
early years of this century,
there was a time when it was
viewed as a town of almost
unlimited promise.
The coming of the
railroads in particular
sparked a surge of meteoric
. growth that took Wingham
from a village of about 700
people to more than 2,000
between the years of 1874
and 1876, making it an im-
portant centre of industry,
trade and commerce.
The railroads are nearly
gone now, but even this cloud
was not without its silver
lining as it permitted the
town to develop on the
railway lands along the
Maitland River a park
system which today gives
Wingham claim to being one
of the prettiest towns in the
country.
For a view of the early
years of development in the
town, we offer these excerpts
from the account contained
in the Huron County
Historical Atlas of 1879.
The first settler within the
limits of the "town plot" of
Wingham, and before
"anyone had turned their
attention to the place oc-
cupied by the present town,
zehrs
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was -Edward Farley, an
Irishman who had previous -
Ly resided at Owen Sound,
which place he left for the
"plot" in the early spring of
1858, and arrived at the spot
where he still resides on the
17th of March that year.
He relates some extremely
amusing incidents in con-
nection with his journey,
which lay by water to
Collingwood, thence by the
Northern Railway, lately
finished, to Toronto; Grand
Trunk to Stratford, and then
on wheels as far as he could
go. This latter point proved
to be Bodmin, a little set-
tlement in the, Township of
Morris.
On his ' way, his
"freighters abandoned
him, disgusted with the
awful condition of the roads,
at Blyth. It happened to be on
a, Sunday and he was obliged
to hunt around for a waggon,
which he managed to secure
together with two yoke of
oxen, and with them he
continued to Bodmin where--
he
herehe built a raft, embarked his
effects thereon and floated
down the stream to his
destination, where he landed
on the above-named day and
at once went to work to clear
land and built the first house,
a fog one which, with an-
nexes at various times since
appended, still forms his
residence.
The difficulties and ex-
penses gf traveling in those
days may be judged from the
fact that Mr. Farley paid,
first and last, in the neigh-
bourhood of $100 in freight
and transportation charges
of various kinds on about one
ton of household goods.
The first settlers in what is
now Wingham ° were John
Cornyn and family, corn-
prising
omprising his sons Robert,.
William and Thomas. They
built the first house in the
place, on the spot where the
Queen's Hotel now stands, in
the summer of 1859. It was a
log building at first, but was
subsequently added to and -
used as a hotel — being the
first public house in the
locality — till 1873, when it
was pulled down to make
room for the more pre-
tentious structur-e which was
erected over its ruins.
Next after the Cornyns
was Edward Foley, the early
part of the succeeding 'year
(1860), who built a frame
house used first as a store
and subsequently as a public
souse known as the Com-
mercial Hotel. A child born
in his family was the first
born in Wingham.
He was • accompanied or
(Continued on Page 4)
CELEBRATE THE
BICENTENNIAL WITH
THESE CROWD -PLEASING
SPECIALS FROM ZEHRS
Warm up the 8X' 3.Q.! .. .
Kraft 500 gr.
Cheese Slices
Size 15's
Cantaloupes
Nectarines . kg. 1
2.98
ea. •99
.30 1b..59
Canada 4 Titre White .99
Vinegar
• IN-STORE BAKERY
60% Cracked Wheat or
100% Whole Wheat
675 gr. loaf .69
Bread ...
SPECIALS JN EFFECT JULY 18-21
low rn,rrdrh of fine f()od'
zehrs
WINGHAM MARKET ONLY
Hwy. 4 South, Josephine St.
These Extra Specials are in Addition to Zehrs Regular
Specials Elsewhere in Crossroads.
We reserve the right to limit purchases.
Wingham-Turnberry Bicentennial—Page 3
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WINGHAM TOWN
COUNCIL
TURNBERRY TOWNSHIP
.COUNCIL
The Councils of the Town of Wingham and
Turnberry Township welcome all visitors
celebrating Ontario Bicentennial.
Both local residents and guests are encourag-
ed to take part in the many festivities planned for
the weekend.
Mayor Willie Harris
Reeve Brian McBurney
VVARM UP THE BBQ
FOR THESE BICENTENNIAL
SPECIALS
MINUTE
STEAKS
4.19
Smoked
Pork Hocks
,b1.59
With Bacon
and Onions
POTATO
SALAD
m 1.29
Hot Smoked Sirloin Tip
Maple Ham lb, 3-53 Roast Ib.3•99
Fully Cooked
Just Heat & Serve
In Rings or 1/2 Rings In Gravy
Fine Bologna Ib. 1.76 Roast Beef Ib 3.50
WEARE READY TO SERVE YOU!
To find us,simply turn west at the Wingham Sales Arena.(Hwy. 4) onto Turnberry B
Line
BAVARIAN
� DELI PACKERS
Tarns Mayer Klaus I3locchingcr
�1 in ll;iin.
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I(u3 17115 Rc, 5I') 357 I h2