The name should be recognizable to students of local history and beer drinkers alike. This home at 30 Mary Street was built about 1874 for Robert Simpson, the first Mayor of Barrie... and a brewer. Simpson appears to have had a long relationship with the brewing business. In 1836, he bought a store, tavern and brewery located in the village of Kempenfeldt (sometimes referred to as Mann's Point) from William Mann, who went on to [...]
Due to the complications of hosting an effective annual general meeting in light of COVID-19, this year, the Barrie Historical Archive opted for a resolution instead of extending an invitation to join us at an AGM. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on another outstanding year for the volunteers in our group, as we attempt to make a mark with Barrie's only free, online archive of historical content. Here are some of [...]
Iconic bell tower slowly disappearing from the downtown landscape. The Toronto Street address wasn't the first location of the former Central United Church building, but it was its last. Just over 2 years ago, the sanctuary which has stood at the corner of Ross and Toronto Streets, virtually unchanged since it was erected in 1957, was deconsecrated as a church on June 25th 2017. That was the final service for a congregation that has been [...]
One of the original 'dogs with jobs'! You may recall from previous blogs, mention of the Tordiff family - long time contributors to the Barrie Archive, since before it even launched. Whenever the Tordiffs drop off family memorabilia for the Archive, Bob always tells the tale (tail?) of his brother's dog Ted. So without further delay, here's the story of Ted the Wonder dog. "You all have heroes right?" Bob begins. "Well, I do as [...]
They were just two. But to all, they were many. Willard Kinzie, to some, was the "Milk Man". To hiking partners, he was "Titanium Man". Officially, a mayor, a businessman. But also a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather. A fellow parishioner. A walking guide, a restaurateur, a curling skip. A storyteller - sometimes, for a little too long! Ross Archer too, was a mayor and businessman. Also a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Also a weekly [...]
Canadian Forces base west of Barrie has been a long-standing part of the community. This past weekend there have been numerous local events to commemorate Remembrance Day. We join with others around the world who are paying honor and remembering the sacrifices made on our behalf. Barrie is one of the unique communities that has a military base, practically next door. Most of us are quite used to seeing men and women in uniform around [...]
"Here's another one of Borden. Some more on Borden here." And so on, and so on it goes. Sitting with Ann Campbell, she lifts one voluminous book after another onto the dining table before us. Ann, who traces her ancestry to the McCutcheon family of Florence Street, Barrie, has invited me to her handsome Newmarket home. We're surrounded by boxes of family photo albums and precious keepsakes. And while Ann and her family have amassed [...]
Mary Harris tells the history of buildings in Barrie's downtown core. Exposed to the stiff fall breeze, a large group of warmly dressed people looked south from Homestead Bakery and Artisan Cafe and took in a view of Kempenfelt Bay that didn’t exist 60 years earlier. The group huddled around our own Mary Harris, ready to embark on the organization’s second annual Places in Time walking tour on Saturday. Harris directed everyone’s attention [...]
Ready for another read? This blog series, made possible by the Diana Strachan, daughter of our author Peggy Newman, offers us a look through the lens of a 16-year-old Briton in Barrie during the Second World War. With Christmas time fast approaching, our author is enthralled in her social circles at Canadian Forces Base Borden and Barrie Central Collegiate Institute. She enjoys a gender-bending Sadie Hawkins dance and participates in a moving Remembrance Day ceremony [...]
Read the fifth instalment in this exciting new blog series, made possible by Barrie Historical Archive supporter Diana Strachan. Diana's mother, Peggy Newman, writes her parents after returning from a two-week camp excursion in Honey Harbour with her sister Joan. Read about her 1940s camp experience and relish the layers of nostalgia Peggy peels back! See past blogs to read Peggy's letters since arriving in Barrie after leaving her parents back in Basingstoke, England, to [...]
Read the fourth instalment of this exciting new blog series for the Barrie Historical Archive, made possible by archive supporter Diana Strachan. If you need to catch up, check out the preceding blogs here. Diana’s mother, Peggy Newman, is now fully engrossed in our humble Canadian town. Here, she documents her 17th birthday celebration and some exam results as she completes her courses at Barrie Central Collegiate, though she does gloss over the grades rather [...]
This marks the third installment in an exciting blog series for the Barrie Historical Archive, made possible by archive supporter Diana Strachan. Check out the preceding blogs here. Last time, we felt Peggy Newman’s anticipation for the Barrie Central Collegiate formal dance and heard about her adventures with best friend Joyce Little. Today, we hear about her late-night out at the dance (along with her impressive dancing skill!), and learn about an exciting new course she [...]
This is the second instalment in a new blog series for the Barrie Historical Archive, courtesy of archive supporter Diana Strachan. Catch the first instalment here. After settling in Barrie with her sister, auntie and uncle, we see a snapshot of 16-year-old Peggy Newman finding her way in a new town. In these letters, Peggy details friendships she’s made since enrolling at Barrie Central Collegiate, many of which, according to her daughter Diana, would last [...]
In the 1800s, getting to the Tollendal Mill could be a precarious journey. The only access, before a bridge was built over Lover's Creek, was by way of water or the Tollendal Mill Road. This road ran west from the Penetanguishene Road (Yonge Street), down a steep downslope, over the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) tracks and on to the grist mill on the west side of Lover's Creek. At the north side of the junction [...]
Wish you were here. A simple sentiment that, at one time, was likely entirely overused. At one time, when distance was a real thing. When entering into someone’s company, regardless of spatial separation, wasn’t as easy as booking a cheap fight to any corner of the world. When our best friends, even from far-off places, weren’t just a click away. After all, there are very few instances today in which we really wish you were [...]
Members of the BHA celebrate their group award from Heritage Barrie. All the Barrie Historical Archive wants for Christmas is...you! Cliche? Maybe. But in earnest, we want you in 2018! We would be amazed if you shared your historical photos/documents with us. Elated if you offered us your time as a volunteer, or as a member of our board of directors. Honoured if you supported our cause with a monetary gift or recurring donation. [...]
It's just a tiny, clapboard building in Oro-Medonte, just a few kilometres from Barrie's city limits. But it's left a HUGE impression on our community. Now, learn about the HUGE undertaking required to restore the church, first constructed more than 170 years ago, at the Barrie Historical Archive's monthly meeting. Join us on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. at The Creative Space to listen to a presentation from Mike Rekker, a consultant on this extensive engineering project. "Some [...]
Local graphic artist and entrepreneur, Tyler Gooding is making history – quite literally – with typographic Barrie-centric art. Having long appreciated the graphic art depicting the names of streets and locations in other famous towns, Gooding asked: “Why not Barrie?” The result: Stunning typographic art posters paying homage to some of Barrie’s most historic streets. Gooding’s new business, 67 & North – with a name inspired by Canada’s year of Confederation – launched a month ago with a [...]
Happy new year! 2016 was an incredible year for the City of Barrie. Never before has Barrie been able to boast of a state of the art digital, free online museum until now. The Barrie Historical Archive (BHA) launched on September 21st with a one night only spectacular night called Mayors’ Seat. This evening, which united nearly every former City Mayor, was an unprecedented historical event that was used as the catalyst to open the virtual [...]
September 21, 2016 will go down in Barrie’s history as an unprecedented evening that will not soon be forgotten. The launch of the Barrie Historical Archive at the “Mayors’ Seat” event during Barrie Historical Week was a watershed moment for the City of Barrie, which up until this point has not had a dedicated, online municipal museum. The uniqueness of the BHA is that it is online, free, accessible to all 24/7 from anywhere in [...]
Barrie is more than 170 years old and has been without a museum – until now. On September 21st the Barrie Historical Archive (BHA) will launch an online museum with the “Mayors’ Seat” event at City Hall. But why should Barrie have a museum? After all, we have a county museum up the road in Midhurst. Aren’t museums antiquated depositories for things that are already collecting dust in our homes? Perhaps – but their value [...]
A CBC Radio Ontario Morning interview with Travis Doucette, brought content donors from London, Ontario with loads of rare images of the Roxy and Capitol theaters, old Barrie and much more. A listener in London was encouraged to reach out to the Barrie Historical Archive after hearing this recent interview on CBC's Ontario Morning. The gentleman's father had been a projectionist at the Roxy theater and had preserved many never-seen-before images and some wonderful artifacts [...]