Councillors here are ready to consider a sign to recognize the historic importance of the vanished village of Petherton.
A letter from David Stack, of the Arthur and Area Historical Society, asked council to consider the erection of a sign at Petherton “commemorating this once active community.
“As you know, road construction (of Highway 6) removed two of the remaining houses this year. Little of the old community now remains at the intersection.
“In this past year, Jennifer Langdon, a student at Wellington Heights Secondary School, in the history class of Ian Turner, produced an extensive report on the history of Petherton. Once there were stores, a post office, church, and mills there.”
A copy of that report was included in council’s agenda.
“We should do it,” said councillor Ross Chaulk.
Councillor Dan Yake also has no issue with a sign to recognize the community. He was amazed at what existed in that community at one time.
However, Clerk Lori Heinbuch pointed out it is along a provincial highway and the municipality does not own any land at that location.
Any sign, she said, would require approval of the Ministry of Transportation.
Yake wondered if the township could place a sign along the sideroad.
Heinbuch offered to investigate options.
Broomhead said if worse comes to worst, once they are 33 feet back, it is township property anyway.
Heinbuch said highways are controlled 150 feet from the centreline, plus sightlines from the sideroads.
Yake noted that in lots of places there are directional signs on roads pointing to historical plaques down other roadways.
That might be one way to have it addressed, Yake said. “Otherwise you’ll have to go through 100 hoops to get the MTO to support a plaque.”
He said council should do what it can to support the idea.
“It’s kind of an amazing story [about the community],” he said.
Mayor Mike Broomhead said that during the amalgamation of the municipalities now part of Wellington North, a new name had to be picked out.
“I was dead against Wellington North,” Broomhead said.
“Petherton was my suggestion,” he added. “But it didn’t garner any support.”
