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r1fi~ne7 ablevare Giîtware *t'l'able Linen Br7idai Regsttr The Canadian Champion, Frîday, August 16, 2002-15 idne Of JEWELLEKY mit iamonds Of Ail Sizes hitîc. 3 large salada, 1 large t ries, med gravy, 1 bag of Homeatyle 2 Bite Brownies & for a lmledltme a free 2L Bottie of Pepsi #22,99 or 15 pcs. for $27.99 276 Main St. v",. (905) 878-4171k free gin -wrapping . relaxed shopping envirnnment [ t lpn Monday-Wednesay 10-6 Thursday & Friday 10-8, Saturday 9:30-5 227 Main Street E., Milton (tine, f mit, & mi titi) P/unie 905-878-0050 ToI Eree I1-888-40(0-8664 b a.x 905-876-1658 ELia/Idelacourts@on.aibni.cn A Historical Glimpse of Downtown Milton Iýv John Luignan, Fiicýgerahd Insurance Spriggs Insurtnce Brokers Many readers will rccall that the mighty metropolts Toronto in its iufancy was referred 10 raiher derisively as "Muddy York". Ih sbould corne as no sur- prise that Milton in the early days was rired in mud for much of the ycar. Salvation carne n lb a drought which- devastated local farmers' crops or the freeze-up ot wintcr. The onset of cold weaher would often onlv offer a bncie respile. Stage coac.hes mighi flot be up to thetr axles in mud. but stranded jusi as hopelessly in a sîîow drift. Peesrians might îlot be covcred frointhcad 10 toc wîth clayey gumnbo but rnîghî have to 0 h here you walk! Main wade througlt deep snw.1910. Designated postally asN Thec Main Street that wc kuon now sion with a Milton in OuebeC)1 retains many of ils oldcr buildings but trontier days. ceaves no hînt of the diri road and plaîîk sîdewalks of the pasi. The local dlay thai gave rise 10 several prosperous brick plants was a curse tor early Miltonians. Early polîtîcs and chters 10 local aews- papers would oten rcvolvc around the dcplorable state ot town roads. What sccms comical ioday was probably flot vcry funny thea. Thc humour ii lalling face fîrsti lîto the ntud or losing a boot or sboe iin the goocy soup would soon wcar thin on the second, thîrd or fourth occasion I an sure. Many of tbe buildintgs that tune Main Street date ront the prc-raîlway perîod and are evidence of a busîlîîtg local economy. Early photos of Main Street. even ones front the early 1900s, years afier the railways' arrivaI, seern 10 hînt ai Mltons carlîe frontîîer-îowan-l1îke existence. Wooden awnîngs and halconies proîtding front store fronts covcrîng the sidewalk.s. along wîtb false store fronts hcaring sîgus sucb as 'Medtcal Hall' lnow part of Qualîîy Greens), gîve a wîld wesî sort of flavour 10 early Milton. Certainly early life could bc harsh and rocant mach hard work and sacrifice. An account front an early Milton resîdeat Auna Ruddy is cnigbiening. -There was more drînking lu ibose days and on the other hand nmore, rnuch more. rligious fervour Mcn drank hard. lived hard. aînd whcn they got religion îhey got it hard. Many a hoy wenî 10 ihe devil hecause of the cornpanîonship he found in the drîuking placi.."And there were pleniy of hotels aud tavets in Milton. Because of Milînas iuitial isolatont a thrîvîug hotel industry becarne esiablished 10 serve the weary iraveller. There was the Albion Hotel locaîrd ai Main and Commercial Street buili about 1855. the Thornpson House aI 155 to 165 Maiu. aitd the Wallace Hotel ai Main and Brown Street buit in 1864 amoug others. (The Albion was also known as the Commecrcial, Kennedy. Charles. Papa Nick's and now as the Knîghî Cap. The Thnînpsou Bouse was later known as the Roya,l the Bennet aud the Stone Hotel- the leterîag ot the Thompson House is still visible on the tone section added in 1864. The Wallace Hotel whîch bunted dowun 1973 was also aanied the Hotel McGibbon. the Mitchell lItn and the Milton Inn.) Aîtd fire in tIhe early days xas a great threat especially nhen contbined n lb drinkittg atîd trame srucîtîres. A raîher sarç.as.qi eport of a fire in May 1866 is revealiag. The arstocratic West Enîd bas suffered a sevete loss in the total destruction of that eleg-ant con of buildinîgs kiowna as Sloatss Bloîck. (This is houghî 10 have beca on Bronte beincea Robert in m and King Street.) Il appears that Mr. Sloan bas been gîving a series of reuntous of con- vivial enîertainrnenîs 10 bis frîends ai wbicb tbcy generally 'dlid! not go tome tilI mornt * îng' and last uîghî the excitentent rose 10 sucb a pîtcb that spontaneous combustion took place about four o'clock in the morntng svhe they were aIl suugly sýub rosa'. The i hosi and bis frîends wcre so overcorne wîîh emto hthdil not been lor the exertions * of the bostess the îown would have suffered a serious loss. As il was îhey nere observed to bc wrîting German Txt ith their feet were rescued. By great exertions the furni- turc. consistîng of îwo old chairs, a broken lcg table and a couch nere rescued front the Street Iooking east circa devourîug elerneni.- filton West (ta avoid confu- The brick buildings ot lte Lile Block his scene is reminiscent of coastrucîed in 1893 ai 200 to 208 Main Street replaced a row of frame stores ihat were Insi 10 fîre in 1886. Sîmilarly the brick buildings put up lu 1916 ai 152 tri 156 Main Street replaced frame structures consumned by lames in 1915. The cause nf the fire was ni knovti but clearly trame structures, nere very vulîterable. This conirasîs n'îîb a tire ai 1897 that broke ouitiii the Wiîîî & Comnpany Shoc Factitry (non' the Lido) a brick building erected in 1892 ai 179 to 181 Main Street. Renosatitins tîîlloned the fîre. and the sboe contpany continued in oper- ation unttl 1911. tollowed laîe by a knîîîîîîg milI and carpet tacînry. But brick buildings were not iopervînus 10 the ravages of fire. The loss of ihe Wallace Hoîcl in October 1973 (more popularly known ai the tinte as the Milton Inn or The U.pper Hoiel' i he Knîgbî Cap was 'The Lower Hotel') s a case in point. Milton fîremea werc bclplcss wben faced nîth numerous layers of roofîng and myrîad taIse walls insîde the hotel. People wcre dumbfouuded that such a stec turc could bc complcîely losi. In lîghî of that we should appreciate the number of old buildings ibai bave sur- vîved in ourtclowntown. Wbeu you walk pasi these buildings. iry 10 imagine whaî Milton and is residents were like in the nineteenîh and carly twentîetb cen- tury. There are lierally tbousauds of interesîing storles and people in Main Street's history ready 10 be explnred. Observe and enjoy. And as a lesson front our forefaîbers, wipe your feet and check your smoke detectors. Atn article such as ibis onue eauflot hope 10. or even a(tempt in. sumîinarîce the rîcb and colourful history of Milton. Ai mostiti can whet the appetite of the reader 10 corne aînd dîscover wby generations have been proud 10 caîl Milton their home. We are extremely fortunaîr ibat our forefaîbers and our current citicenry have bad the foresîgbî 10 preserve and proîecciotr natural and historie resources. Wcencîcourage our tien cîticeas in corne explore what niakes Miltoni suds a unique aîîd îuîerestiug place to lîve- the besi of towu aîsd counstry. You will fînd Mîltoîtians Io be a Irîend- yý buach eagcr ici share our proud antd colourful pîsi. Welcoaîe 10 Mudville. oops. I nSean Milton! For resources and suggestedfurther readi,îg, please contact the aiutiior or the Milton Historicîal Society. 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