The Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association meets once a month, opening its doors to anyone with an interest in history and heritage.
Their main focus is to promote the history of Bradford and the former Township of West Gwillimbury – and the September meeting, which featured a presentation titled ‘Bradford 101’ was the perfect introduction to the area.
“Bradford 101” was created and developed by long-time Bradford West Gwillimbury resident and BWGLHA member Franz Aschwanden. It provided a history lesson delivered by a witty character named “Bill.”
Armed with a dash cam, Aschwanden drove down some of the most familiar streets in town, stopping along the way to focus on points of interests. “Bill” explained each stop, adding a little comedy along the way – and helping historic landscapes and landmarks come alive.
It proved to be an interactive evening, as members and guests commented and helped identify the buildings, clarifying their history through personal experiences and stories passed down from their own parents and grandparents.
On the corner of Drury and Hollands Streets, 38 Holland Street west was once a Mattress Factory owned by Ben Collings – that stuffed mattresses with marsh hay harvested in the Holland Marsh.
The mortgage offices at 22 Barrie, a charming neoclassical building, was once home to the old post office.
Bradford is a growing community, expanding at a rapid pace – making it all the more important to acknowledge the history, preserve the landmarks and celebrate the heritage, memories and stories of its residents.
Interested in local history? Drop in to a meeting of the BWG Local History Association at the library, or think about joining, at a nominal fee. Meetings are held on the last Saturday of the month, usually at 2 p.m. at the Bradford Public Library and Cultural Centre at 425 Holland St. West.
