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The Citizen, 1999-12-29, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN MILLENNIUM ISSUE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1999. Hamlet of Walton Walton once home to numerous businesses Humphries store In the late 1880s, Walton was a thriving community, home to numer­ ous businesses and residents. Situated at the junction of Morris, Grey and McKillop Twps., on the Seaforth to Wroxeter trail, the ham­ let is named for the English home­ town of its founders John and Anna (Button) Hewitt. It is assumed they settled on Lot l, Cone. 18 of Grey Twp. around 1859. Soon there were two stores, a lodging house, a blacksmith shop and a saw mill and grist mill. The first log school house was built in I860 and residents could attend a Methodist, United Presbyterian or Presbyterian church service. St. George’s Anglican Church drew parishioners from 1880 until 1968. The Methodist Church arrived and was used until 1925 when the congregation merged with the Presbyterian to form the United Church. The two Presbyterian congrega­ tions had joined in 1910. It then became known as Duff’s United Church. There was the Rob Roy and Walton hotels and postal service began in 1862 in one of the general stores. Rural routes began in 1912 and eventually there were four. Biggar’s Hotel sold many times over the years, in 1901, the adjoining house was destroyed by fire and two years later, an auction was held for the chattel of McKim’s Royal Hotel and household goods. In 1919, the unused hotel was dismantled and the building materials used for area homes. The Walton Hotel was the most successful in the hamlet as it still functions as an inn and restaurant today. Charles Sage took ownership in 1868. Mrs. Sage continued to run the business after her husband’s death, until 1901. At the turn of the millennium, the Walton Inn is owned by Graeme and Helen Craig. There is a story which indicates Walton’s importance in the last cen­ tury. There was once a grist mill located at Leadbury, Cone. 12-13 (Hullett-McKillop Rd) of McKillop Twp. The road to the mill was a toll road so customers would bring their product to Walton, stay overnight, walk across the concessions the next day arid return for a second night. The success of two banks in the community is said to be partly due to this business. The Sovereign Bank operated until 1908 and the Standard Bank/Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce served customers from 1918 to 1933. Through the years there were pump makers, butchers, barbers, jewelers, lawyers, blacksmiths, car­ riage makers, harness makers, livery stable operators, doctors, veterinari­ ans, bankers, implement dealers and garages. Walton experienced a boom after 1907 when the CPR began running through the village. Gradually, businesses began to move away from Walton as cars pro­ vided greater mobility to larger stores in neighbouring communities and with the railroad ceasing to run. Proud to be a part of Brussels for over 50 years Oldfield Pro Hardware and Radio Shack In 1997 Oldfield’s Pro Hardware Store in Brussels will mark 51 years in business on Brussels’ main street. Max Oldfield first came to Brussels in 1946 and started a hardware store in the old Royal Bank building across Turnberry St. from where he is now located, in the centre of the block between Mill St. and King St. In 1948, Mr. Oldfield bought the first section of his present store from William Gillespie who had been operating a hardware store there since at least the turn of the century. Mr. Oldfield says he chose the hardware business because he had worked in the air force as a wireless mechanic, repairing transmitters and radios and he had always been interested in mechanics so one thing more or less led to another. In 1955, the front of the Gillespie store was renovated and a complete new front was installed. In 1964 the hardware line was' expanded to include things like television and radios and so the next door store was purchased from C & G Krauter Plumbing in the mid 60s when the store became part of the Pre Hardware group. Mr. Oldfield says he was kept very busy with television sales and repair. He would sell the televisions during the day then spend many evenings repairing them. When they started off with the Gillespie store, there was enough room but eventually so many things were getting piled up on the shelves and in the back rooms that they couldn’t kept track of all the merchandise and decided to expand. The Oldfields ran into that problem again in 1979 and decided on a further expansion purchasing the neighbouring building which housed J & K Shoes and Jeans from Ken Webster in April of that year. At one time the store had been the Brussels Legion. In 1999. the hamlet and surround­ ing area is home to many businesses. They include construction, motorcy­ cle racing and promotions, several farmer related enterprises, a variety store, computer recycling, trucking, crafts, a repair shop, aircraft and toy shop. Duffs United Church stands on the edge of the community at Lot 1, Cone. 17, Grey Twp., across the con­ cession road from Walton Public School. The first school was a log structure constructed prior to 1872, on Lot 5, Cone. 15, Grey Twp. A second one was built on Lot 30, Cone. 9, Morris Twp. in 1874. Large enrolment forced the construction of another building to the east. A red brick school house, S.S. No. 11, was built in 1907 next to where these build­ ings had stood. A second structure was joined in 1920. It was used until 1962 when Walton Public School was built. It was converted to a pri­ mary school in 1969. With decreased provincial funding for schools, The Avon Maitland District School Board, which over­ sees all public schools in Huron and Perth County, is considering closing the school. All the children may be transferred to Seaforth or be split amongst Blyth Public, Grey Central, Brussels Public and Seaforth Public Schools. Walton Hall has an extensive his­ tory in the community. After serving as the Methodist From left, Jean, Anne, Max and Jim Oldfield 1995 - Darlene, Jim, Brian, Max, Jean and Stephen Oldfield Church, first at the comer of Huron County Road 12 (Brussels Line) and McKillop Twp. Cone. 14 (Canada Company Rd), then moved to Lot 18, Cone. 1 of Grey Twp., the build­ ing was used as an Orange Hall from 1927 to 1938. When the Ancient Order of United Workmen’s hall was sold and con­ verted to residential use, the commu­ nity purchased the Orange Hall. When the hall was moved back across the highway to its present location, hydro lines were an obsta­ cle. The roof and gables were dis­ mantled for the move and the side walls lowered two feet before recon­ struction. In 1945, four acres next to the hall were purchased for use as a ball dia­ Walton saw mill mond and picnic area. A recreation committee was set up in 1968. In 1976, the park was sold to the recreation committee for $1 and the Walton Area Sports Club was formed. Due to extensive repairs needed at that time and the increasing difficult task of getting volunteer help, the building was sold to the Women’s Institute. By 1995, there was fear the hall would have to be closed, sold or tom down. However, the community once again came to the rescue. A committee to oversee operations and fundraising formed and the hall was busier in 1999 than it had been for many decades. () Proposed road names Mr. Oldfield added Radio Shack in 1980 as well as expanding other lines. Aside from offering hardware for farm-oriented operations, the base of his business, Oldfield says, the shop also provides fishing and hunting licenses and is the Sears catalogue outlet for the community. In recent years, Oldfield’s has added computer equipment and a locksmith business, looked after by son, Jim. When he first got into the hardware business, Mr. Oldfield started off with not more than $5,000 of stock and only 1,000 sq. ft. of area. At that time the store was equipped with a pot-bellied stove and some customers said they would quit coming to the store if it was ever taken out, because people liked to sit around the stove and talk. It made the store something of a meeting place. Things have changed a lot since those days. The store has to do more business now in any given day than they figured on doing in a month in the beginning. And as the times have changed so has the way in which merchandise is purchased. It used to be that every other person who walked through the door of the store was a salesman from some firm or other, but now there’s an advantage in belonging to a group like Pro Hardware where 90 per cent of the goods are bought through a buying group. Ordering is now done by punching it into a mini computer which is then attached to the telephone. An order that used to take anywhere from 20 - 25 minutes on long distance telephone is in there in about 20 seconds. Mr. Oldfield was presented with two Golden Hammer awards from hardware manufacturers Stanley and Estwing, at a hardware show in 1995, for 50 years in the business.