Village Squire, 1977-12, Page 28Daytripp ing
A round trip that provides plenty of shopping opportunities
Last month %•.e travelled to one
'stonetown this month our little trip will
take us to another, but this time getting
there is half the fun, especially if you're in
a Christmas shopping mood.
We start the journey at Clinton, the
crossroads of Huron county. Clinton was
one of the first of the area towns to spring
out with some interesting small shops to
augment the usual small-town shopping
fare. Some of the shops have had short
lives but there are still some interesting
places to visit. From Clinton we head south
on Highway 4 through the flatlands of
southern Huron, one of the richest farming
areas in Ontario. Chances are when you eat
anything with beans in it. it could have
been grown here. It's also a big corn
growing area with little rise or fall all the
way to Exeter. Along the way you pass the
old air force base now called Vanastra, and
on through the hamlets of Brucefield and
Kippen and the village of Hensall, the
centre of the bean industry and a place
with a few interesting shops of its own.
Travel downtown once you get to Exeter
and you'll find it is a town with its fair
share of interesting shops, selling antiques
and books and flowers and other
interesting gift ideas.
Return to the northern outskirts of
Exeter once you've explored downtown
and turn right onto Highway 83 and head
east. There are a few more hills as you get
farther east but the land is still quite level.
Along the way you'll pass two more
interesting places to shop. Just before you
get to Russeldale you'll see signs pointing
to the Country Spire on your left. It's about
the biggest of the "small" shops in this
area. The huge old church makes an
impressive display area and the old choir
loft is now a tea room. It's become a
favourite shopping place for many.
Just down the road and on the opposite
side of Highway 83 is the Country
Craftsman. It's a smaller shop but also
interesting. featuring the hand-crafted
work of Tom Miller whose wife Carol, runs
the shop.
At Russeldale, turn right on Highway 23
and head south. You've passed into Perth
county by now but through the strange
geography of the area, you go back into
Huron county further along Highway 23.
Kirkton is up the road a few miles. It's a
tiny comhiunity but one that is very active,
as witness the annual Kirkton Garden
party which draws huge crowds and helps
pay the way for many community
improvements. In a park on your right as
you go into the village, you'll see the
Kirkton-Woodham Community centre, the
swimming pool and the ball diamond, all
evidence of the tremendous spirit of the
local residents.
Turn left in the village on Perth county
Road 24 and travel eastward until you conte
to a dead end. Turn right and you'll soon
come to the crossroads of Ranoch. A left
turn here, and you're only a couple of miles
from St. Marys. .
St. Marys, unlike Elora has always had a
strong local economy and hasn't had to,
depend on tourism to bring in dollars.
Industry is strong here, especially the huge
St. Marys Cement plant that can been seen
puffing smoke into the air to the south as
you approach the town.
Because of the fact that the town is not
on a major highway, there's always a
feeling of having made a discovery the first
time a visitor enters the town. From the
west, you come over a hill and there is the
town spread out below you giving a great
sense of age and solidity because of the
predomination of quarry stone as a
For over forty years
Welcome Wagon hostesses
have been making calls
on newcomers - whether they
be within our own nation or
in a foreign country.
If you are a newcomer,
know of one, or are a businessman
desiring representation
in the newcomer's home, call
your local representative listed below
for WELCOME WAGON LIMITED.
�rer� ' aeon,
Call your Welcome
Wagon Hostess now.
WINGHAM 357-3275
EXETER 1185-2870
MITCHELL 348-8925
GODERICH 524-6654
STRATFORD 271-5856
26. VILLAGE SQUIRE/DECEMBER 1977.