Finally, I'm going to take a few posts to celebrate Meaford's 150 years as a town. It's hard to capture the rapture and enthusiasm that led to the town being incorporated in 1874, but in those days 'progress' was a matter of faith in the future. And nothing symbolized that 'progress' more than the railway! When it arrived, Meaford's continued growth was assured.
It was the Northern Railway that first arrived in Meaford, when they extended the line west from Collingwood, arriving in Meaford in 1872. The station was on what we know today as Station Hill, at a spot along Paul St., above the little park as you go down the hill on Sykes St.
Meaford's growth did boom in the late 19th century, with the establishment of several industries and the building of a grain elevator down in the harbour. Intensive lobbying resulted in the rail line being extended down into the harbour and around the shoreline to the east. This would serve both the grain elevator and the factories that had been built. As this was the end of the line, there was also a railway turntable, and the passenger station was moved as well, to a spot about where the Rotary Pavilion stands today.
Meanwhile, downtown business was booming, and the late 19th century saw a flurry of building on the main street. As in many towns in southern Ontario, business owners put up 2 and 3 story edifices to house their stores, though most of those 2nd and 3rd stories were never used except for storage and apartments. I actually remember a 3 story store in my hometown of Woodstock where all 3 stories were used.
And look at the brick patterns! Some businesses made their stores stand out by using decorative brick patterns for the storefront. Look at both the brickwork and the domed upper windows, a cost that wouldn't be considered today. Compare this to modern suburban stores!
And here's another one. Look at that fancy brick cornice at the roofline and the curved brickwork over the windows. Most of the downtown main streets in southern Ontario owe their architecture to the booming years of the late 19th century.
For those interested in names - St. Vincent Township was named after the Earl of St. Vincent, a noted battle commander and First Lord of the Admiralty and Meaford was named after Meaford Hall in Staffordshire, his home. St. Vincent Township, Sydenham Township and Meaford, the town, were all amalgamated to form the new municipality of Meaford in 2001.
Really nice architectural treatments in the old buildings! Glad the railroad helped make the town prosper. I like seeing a town with flowers hanging on the light fixtures.
ReplyDeleteI think the fancy brickwork tells us much about the pride which the owners had in their properties, nowadays they'd settle for a slick advertising campaign and a fancy website. Can't help but wonder what the bricklayers thought when first handed the plans for such a building.
ReplyDeleteThe brickwork is beautiful. We’d never see such work these days.
ReplyDeleteThe railways came and then they went.
ReplyDeleteThat brickwork is really something! Thank you for the pictures and the history lesson.
ReplyDeleteI love the old buildings. There are few of these in the small town I'm in, just the post office and the city hall.
ReplyDeleteThe pride taken by the builders is very evident.
I started looking hard at old buildings and the brick work when we were in Paisley. Stuff I never really paid attention to before. Not close enough I mean, as I've always loved old buildings in small towns.
ReplyDeleteI love the brickwork on these old buildings.
ReplyDeleteYour right about the late 19th century architecture in all the small towns. They just don't do brickwork like that anymore. It's always so great to see. I think small town history is always so interesting.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful ornate buildings, there were some as fancy down here, but few owners are willing to spend the money to maintain them so they're gradually deteriorating as time passes.
ReplyDeleteThe decorative brick work is awesome!
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