James McQueen ranks as one of the most prominent farmers in the latter decades of 19th century…
Valuing Our History
Train robbers received three year sentences in 1908
The North American economy suffered a major and sudden downturn in the summer of…
Railroad station helped to sustain hamlet of Orton
Four hamlets in Wellington County were named for sitting Members of Parliament. For a period of…
An editor took a long trip by horse and buggy in 1876
Travel by road in the 19th century was something most people avoided as much as possible. The…
Elora firemen hosted huge convention in 1934
For the past 15 years, people have enjoyed Elora’s old-fashioned Dominion Day celebrations on…
Effective local government began with Baldwin Act in 1849
A little while ago I was chatting with the editor of this newspaper about the history of municipal…
1921 jail breaks were bad ideas for three men
Back in the summer of 1921 three young men got to know one another as inmates at the Ontario…
Derailed car of coal plugged CNR line in Guelph in 1953
Back in 1953, the railways were still vital to the local transportation system. Although passenger…
Plans for new Kenilworth Catholic church announced in 1902
The Roman Catholic church has had a presence in Wellington County since the early days of…
Notorious American criminal arrested in Guelph in 1908
On the afternoon of June 19, 1908 a Guelph constable, on foot patrol in the downtown area of the…
Harriston bridge dispute dragged on for three years
One of the old landmarks of Harriston was the bridge that carried Elora Street and Highway 9 over…
Fergus council considered assistance for new housing in 1916
For the first time in the history of Canada, the economy geared up for an all-out military effort…
United Farmers of Ontario held huge picnic at Elora in 1920
The United Farmers of Ontario were one of the more interesting developments in the first two…
Fuel sources, illegal alcohol, train tragedy: A few tales from the 1920s
A few weeks ago this column featured several short pieces, none of which was long enough for a full…
Area newspapermen formed an association in early 1900s
One of the more interesting professional groups to have operated in this area was the Wellington…