On April 18, 1908, newspapers across Ontario carried a story about a homicide at the…
Valuing Our History
Elora man was ‘Father of the Rose Bowl’ in Pasadena
Though it is not as popular today as it was 40 or 50 years ago, the Tournament of Roses Parade and…
Preserved whale drew crowds to Fergus in 1936
Freak shows and and exhibitions of unusual natural phenomena were popular with 19th…
An afternoon of hooky led to 1880 Guelph tragedy
A fine fall afternoon can be an irresistible lure for young boys to abandon the classroom, and to…
Tragic hunting accident at Puslinch Lake in 1895
The Grand River Conservation Authority’s parks at Elora, Guelph Lake, Lake Belwood,…
Epic political battle preceded 1956 Harriston school
Most of the towns and cities of Ontario constructed new schools in the 1870s, and Wellington County…
Battle over Harriston school raged into summer of 1954
Last week’s column described the efforts of the 1954 Harriston Board of Education…
Controversial Harriston school opened in 1956
The previous two columns described Harriston’s political battle in 1953 and 1954 to build an…
Beaten candidate tried to unseat Arthur’s 1908 reeve
In the early decades of Wellington County, disputes over election results were so common as to…
1908 blizzards shut down roads and local rail lines
Ask oldtimers about severe winters in Wellington County, and most will immediately recall the…
Railways struggled to open lines after March storm
Last week’s column offered the first part of the story of the winter of 1908, and the storms…
Armed holdup of farmer shocked Peel in 1925
Back in the 1920s, Joseph Davidson operated a 150-acre farm on Concession 13 of Peel Township,…
Mrs. Norman Vincent Peale had an Elora connection
Those who make a habit of reading daily newspapers may have spotted an obituary notice in early…
Father-son stabbing incident turned into a farce
Samuel Soper was one of the better known men in 19th century Eramosa Township and Rockwood. He and…
Harvey trial involved embezzlement, murder, execution
Over the years this column has offered accounts of various trials in the history of Wellington…