MILTON – FROM A GRIST MILL TO A VILLAGE
Before the purchase of the Mississauga Tract from the Mississauga Indians in 1806, Halton County was virtually unsettled. The purchase of the Mississauga Tract along with the construction of the “York Road” (now Hwy. #5) from Toronto to London, sparked settlement in the lands to the west of Toronto. By the year 1817, the population of Halton County had grown to 668.
Settlement in Halton County in the early 1800′s was closely correlated with the construction of grist mills. As grist mills were a necessity to the early pioneers, it was to their advantage to erect a log cabin or frame house within the vicinity of a grist mill. In a short period of time small ‘grist mill’ communities sprang up throughout the Halton area.
Milton in the early 1820′s functioned at first as a grist mill centre. Unlike many Ontario towns that faded away soon after their origin, there was no limit to the growth and prosperity of the Milton village. Because it was selected as the seat of government for the County of Halton in the middle 1850′s, Milton emerged as the leading town in the county. From this time to the beginning of the great Depression in 1930, Milton underwent several periods of tremendous growth.
A COMMUNITY DEVELOPS
Early pioneer families in the Milton area included the Whitefields, Martins, Fosters, Greenias and Huffmans. These people were obviously attracted to this area because of fertile soil, rich forests and fast-flowing rivers; the combination of these offered tremendous agricultural and industrial potential. In addition, the appeal of the Milton area was enhanced by the towering Niagara Escarpment immediately to the west.
The development of most Ontario towns usually is accredited to one or two pioneer families. Such is the case with Milton and credit as the pioneer family should be given to Jasper Martin and his wife Sarah, who emigrated from Newcastle, England and settled on Lot 14, Concession 2, of the Township of Trafalgar in 1821. Having the benefit of the Sixteen Mile creek flowing through his property, and realizing the advantage of having a grist mill, Martin had a very substantial grist mill in operation one year later.
As Martin’s grist mill depended on the availability of fast-flowing water, it was necessary for him to construct a millpond and millrace. Something should be said concerning the determination and perseverance of Jasper Martin, for his millpond was initially dug by hand, and later with ox-drawn barges.
Soon after the completion of his grist mill, Martin increased his business enterprise by constructing a sawmill, an ashery, and a small store. By the early 1830′s Jasper Martin’s business position in the community was well established.
The grist mill provided Martin with a living and it also precipitated settlement of the area. By 1830 a small pioneering community with a population of approximately 60 people, became known throughout Trafalgar as “Martin’s Mills”.
The early death of Jasper Martin at the age of 36, in 1833, and the death of his wife Sarah shortly thereafter, could have been as a consequence of the tremendous hardships endured by them, as they pioneered the new land. The initial development of Milton was directly due to the hard work, ingenuity and foresight of Jasper Martin.
By the year 1837, the Martin’s Mills community had reached a population of over 100 people. In addition to the grist mill, sawmill and ashery, small service shops such as George Brown’s general store and Fosters cooper shop appeared and aided in the economic growth of the town. Complete with log schoolhouse (1837) Martin’s Mills was well on its way to becoming a self-sufficient community.
Concerned about the growth and future of their town, the leading people of Martin’s Mills called a meeting in 1837, for the purpose of renaming the town. After the death of Jasper Martin, his four sons, John, Joseph, Edward and William carried on with the grist mill operation. Because of their prominent position in the community, and also because of their partiality to the poet John Milton, their suggestion that Martin’s Mills be given the name of Milton, was well received, and was quickly adopted by all the townspeople. In order to mark the beginning of the new town of Milton and also to serve the needs of the community, the post office of Milton West was established in George Brown’s general store.
Before the advent of railways, a considerable amount of the travel from Milton to neighbouring towns such as Acton, Oakville and Bronte was done by stagecoach. Stagecoach fares and arrival times fluctuated according to the state of the roads and thus varied throughout the seasons. In normal conditions the stagecoach fare from Milton to Acton cost approximately 50 cents.
Stagecoach drivers had not only to contend with the lengthy journey and the poor state of the roads, but also the well-being of the horses, for they were occasionally afflicted with wounds from broken pieces of wood “flying up” from the plank road.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MILTON WHILE UNDER THE UNITED COUNTIES OF HALTON-WENTWORTH
By the Act of Union in 1841, the two provinces of Upper and Lower Canada became united. As a result of the Act of Union, there was an attempt to consolidate the counties in Canada, and consequently, Halton was united with Wentworth to form the Halton-Wentworth County and they remained united from 1841 to 1853. During this time the Halton-Wentworth urban and rural areas became more densely populated.
By the year 1851 the population of Milton soared to well over three hundred people. This may appear to be a small increase in population by today’s standards, but at the time it was considered to be quite substantial. As well as having a full complement of business enterprises such as blacksmiths, boot and shoemakers, masons, wagonmakers, cabinet makers and coopers, Milton also had three hotels to meet the social needs of the community.
One of the earliest hotels in Milton was given the unique name of “Speed the Plough” and was owned by Henry Orcut.
In order to meet the educational needs of the increased number of Milton students throughout the years of 1841 to 1853, the original log schoolhouse at the outskirts of town was converted to a frame structure. As this facility proved to be unsatisfactory as far as size and travel distance was concerned, a brick school building was constructed at the east end of Main Street. Two of the first teachers in this new school were James Black and Finley McCallum. It is interesting to note that the salary of each was no more than two hundred dollars a year.
Although the 1840’s was an exciting period of time, infectious diseases such as diptheria, smallpox, typhoid and cholera took the lives of many of the Milton pioneers. The practising physician in the Milton area in the 1840’s and early 1850’s was Dr. James Co9bban. Despite the handicaps that medical people faced at this time, Dr. Cobban was well recognized throughout the area as a highly-skilled practitioner. In lieu of cash Dr. Cobban sometimes accepted payment in goods such as wheat and boots, or in services such as blacksmith work.
Being a doctor in the 1800’s was not an easy chore, nor is it today for that matter. As a “jack of all trades”, Dr. Cobban delivered babies, set fractures and occasionally extracted a tooth.
From the beginning of Jasper Martin’s grist mill in 1822 to the middle 1850’s, considerable headway was made in Milton with respect to the availability of religious services and churches. Before churches were established in Milton, it was common occurence at the time for travelling missionaries to hold services at local homes and farms. One such missionary, a Father Gordon, set up a mission in Trafalgar in 1835 and had a congregation of over one hundred people. Milton’s log schoolhouse was also used as a common place of practise for Anglicans, Presbyterians and Baptists.
By 1853, three churches were established in Milton. St. Andrews Church of Scotland or locally known as “Auld Kirk” was the first permanent church to be built, and it was located on the south side of Main Street at Queen. In 1852 two more churches were constructed. The Wesleyan Methodist Church was built at the west end of Main Street and the Anglican Church was erected at the east end of Main Street.
Between the years 1822 to 1853, the economic structure in the Milton area shifted from grist making to sawmilling. According to the assessment rolls taken in 1850, the township of Trafalgar had in operation nineteen sawmills and only three grist mills. The sharp rise in the saw milling industry could be attributed to the market for wood in the boat construction industry overseas.
As mentioned earlier, Milton was situated in a very rich agricultural area (one of the main reasons for the growth of the village throughout the 1840’s was due to the economically successful farms). Also by 1853 a number of profitable cattle raising farms were operating on the outskirts of Milton.
Complete with churches, schools, hotels, mills, general stores and other small shop industries, Milton by 1853, had come a long way, since the first pioneers inhabited the area.
Before the undertaking profession reached some degree of sophistication in Milton, it was the custom of the time to hire one of the local residents to fetch bodies of deceased citizens. John Jarvis, who settled on Lot Two, Concession Three, Trafalgar Township, south of the Milton village, was employed for a period of time in the 1840’s to pick up corpses.
DIVISION OF HALTON – WENTWORTH COUNTY
Milton underwent what might be termed its second period of growth between the years 1853 & 1857.
A major milestone in its history stemmed from an Act of Parliament of the Province of Canada on June 14, 1853. With this act, the united counties of Halton and Wentworth were split. With the separation of these two counties, it would be necessary within the next few years to consider one of the villages within the county of Halton for the seat of government.
The first meeting of the Reeves and Deputy-Reeves of the newly separated County of Halton was held at Thompson’s Inn, in the village of Milton, at noon on the 12th day of July 1853. The most immediate issue facing the new government of Halton concerned the erection of county buildings, and it was finally resolved that three thousand Pounds would have to be raised for the construction of these buildings. A further two thousand five hundred Pounds would be allotted to a Mr. Winter, an engineer, for the purpose of designing the plans for the new buildings.
Selecting a site for the placing of the county buildings was the council’s next concern. Of the several offers made to the council, Hugh Foster’s was the most acceptable. Foster, who owned considerable land on the south side of Main Street in Milton, made available to the county four acres of land as a free grant and additional acres at the reasonable cost of fifty Pounds per acre.
Until the County buildings and gaol were finally constructed at some point in 1855, the Halton County Council continued to meet at infrequent intervals at Thompson’s Inn, Milton. Another bylaw of some significance concerned the salaries of the councillors and officers of the Provisional Council. According to the bylaw, that was passed on December 30th, 1854, “the salary of the Provisional Warden shall be twelve Pounds, ten shillings per annum; the Clerk, twenty-five Pounds per annum; Councillors, seven shillings and sixpence per day and six pence per mile travelling expenses; the Treasurer, fifty Pounds per year”. These people were certainly not overpaid with respect to their workload and responsibility.
COUNTY COURT BUILDING LOCATION TRIGGERS DEVELOPMENT
The decision to have the County Court building and gaol located in Milton had an extremely positive impact on the growth of this village. By having the body of government located here, Milton was given both attention and recognition. The prosperity of Milton was augmented to a considerable degree by the thriving lumber and agricultural industries.
With the increased growth in Milton’s population, there came the strong need to construct additional churches to meet the needs of the various religious affiliations. Having already three churches in operation by the mid 1850’s, two other churches, the Presbyterian Free Church and a Roman Catholic Church were respectively constructed in 1855 and 1857. Sometime after 1857, Milton’s sixth church, the New Connection was founded. In addition to economic opportunities, the availability of religious facilities served to attract prospective residents.
As early as 1848, it was realized that a school of some proportion would be needed in Milton to accommodate the rising school age population. Consequently, a lot was bought from Joseph Martin in 1848 for the mere sum of sixty dollar. In 1857, nine years later, Bruce Street School was erected at a cost of $3200.00. Constructed of stone, the school was operational by January of 1857. Of the two teachers that were given the first appointments at the new school, Mr. Robert Alexander was hired at $520 per year and Marion Sproat was paid the amount of $200 per year while the caretaker of the Bruce Street School was also paid $200 per year.
Milton over the years has been blessed with exceptional schoolteachers. They were respected both as teachers and leaders in the community. In recognition of his extreme dedication to the teaching procession, one of Milton’s most beloved teachers, Finley McCallum was honored with the following speech at his retirement in 1853: “the harmony that has existed year after year in our school section we in a great degree attribute to your indefatigable labors, the uprightness has gained the confidence and esteem of all”.
With Milton’s population booming in the 1850’s the demand for residential accommodation rose to a peak. A considerable number of the homes that characterize Milton today can be dated well back into the 1840’s. The earliest homes that were built in Milton were of frame construction but as time went on, homes were built of limestone obtained from the Niagara escarpment to the west of Milton. Towards the end of the 19th century, when the brick companies were in operation, it became the custom to build homes from brick.
The various styles of homes that were erected in Milton typified whatever was in mode at the time. Homes built in the 1840’s were Loyalist in design, while later on in the 1850’s, Gothic styles appeared, and many of the homes that were featured in the 1870’s could be classified as Romantic Victorian. Records show that the original owners of Milton’s oldest homes were not only doctors and county clerks, but also butchers and mill owners. The fact that very substantial homes were built by people employed in a variety of positions is an indication of the overall well being of the economy of Milton in the 1850’s.
The formation of the Milton Mechanics Institute in 1855 enhanced the social, educational and cultural needs of Milton’s people. The purpose of the Institute is best summed up from the remarks of Dr. Freeman, the first president; “It is intended by the reading room to bring members together….to attract them by pleasurable as well profitable society, away from the haunts of drunkenness and vice. We propose embrace all branches of knowledge within the range of morality and extend it as far as possible throughout our section”.
The Mechanics Institute which was opened only to male membership by either invitation or by application had by 1857 a membership of 56; 37 readers and a book circulation of 262. Mechanics Institute restricted to male membership, they served a very useful purpose at the time.
FROM BUSINESS HOUSES TO SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES
Visitors to Milton in the 1850’s could not help but be impressed with the setting and atmosphere of the small village. A vivid description of Milton in 1856 in given in the diary of the Honorable Amelia H. Murray after her visit on October 19:
“We found Milton to be a thriving town in the banks of part of the Sixteenth River. An annual show of cattle and agricultural produce made the place like a fair, and numbers of very respectable-looking farmers were walking and driving about. We found two daughters of Mr. M–; one of them wife of the principal hotelkeeper, the other married to a well-informed gentlemanly young man, the doctor of the place who has good connections in England. We dined with them and afterwards walked three miles with her father to his own farm. We found Mrs. M. —knitting, seated by a glorious log fire and everything around told of the comforts and contentment of a good English farmhouse. These farms are divided into what are called lots; each lot is 100 acres. Mr. M. purchased a lot and a half. These farms are much better cleared from trees and stumps than the land which we passed from the Rideau Canal to Belleville. This part of Canada is altogether much more advanced than the Lower Division”.
Shopping in Milton in the 1850’s was for the most part conducted on Saturdays. In order to accommodate the numbers of horses and buggies that come to town on this day, sheds were installed at the back of the hotels, behind the United and Presbyterian churches and beside Martin’s Mill. Dressed in their finest clothes the Milton town and country folk used this occasion to not only shop, but also to socialize with their friends and neighbors. As early as ten o’clock, numbers of people had entered the town and were soon engaged in some type of conversation in one of the many shops that stretched along Main Street. In order to facilitate shopping and socialization on Saturday, the Milton merchants kept their shops open until 11 o’clock at night. Saturday was looked forward to by all the local and rural Milton people.
Before the advent of Milton’s first newspaper, local shops, mills and other services could advertise only by store signs, posters or word of mouth. With the establishment of the “Halton Journal” in 1855, Milton’s businessmen had another method of advertising. One such advertisement was placed in the Halton Journal on August 31, 1855 by Robert Vigeon, bootmaker and went as follows: “all work done on the premises by experienced workmen and made of the best material. Surgery performed on boots and shoes by cutting new feet, making good the legs, healing the wounded and improving the understanding generally”.
The cost of groceries in Milton over one hundred and twenty years ago was obviously, considerably cheaper than today. For example, the cost of butter was 6 pence per pound and eggs 6 pence per dozen. Bartering was not encouraged by the local merchants as a type of business transaction and this fact may be substantiated from an advertisement placed in the Halton Journal on August 1st, 1855 and reads:
“My creditors demand that payment be made Whilst supported by you, I am not afraid,
Twill relieve me of difficulty and keep me from smash, To meet with my payments, there is nothing like cash.”
Most welcomed by the residents of Milton in the 1850’s was the availability of a wide variety of goods and services from the additional business houses which were built along Main Street. Some of these new shops included Peter McKay’s hairdressing salon, Sniders groceries and crockery, Martyn’s millinery and dressmaking shop, Kennedy’s copper and sheet iron ware shop, Martyn’s watch clockmaking and jewelry store, George Inglis’s bakery and many more.
Milton’s oldest industry, “Martin’s Grist Mill” continued to be high employing, economically sound business venture. The longevity of this enterprise was due to strong management, plus the large demand for Canadian wheat in Europe. Completely gutted by fire in 1853, the grist mill was rebuilt into a four-storey building at a cost of $30,000.
In addition to the new business houses, a number of large-scale industries commenced operation in the middle of 1850’s. One of the new industries to come at this time was “Joseph Brothers’ Foundry”. Establishing themselves in a store building in 1855, the Joseph Brothers manufactured threshing machines and combines, reapers and mowers. One of their patented products, the Milton Threshing Machine, had a market all over Canada. With eventual sales over $40,000 per year, the Joseph Brothers Foundry aided the economy of Milton, by being able to employ several mechanics.
Farming in the Milton area took on a new dimension in the 1850’s with the creation of the Halton Agricultural Society. One of the early activities that resulted from this society, was the “Milton Fair”. This event was most popular and for the first few years it was held at the Farmers Market, where the present Town Hall now stands. Activities that characterized this event included the displaying of farm products such as butter, homemade bread and preserves; lessons in handicrafts and livestock entries and demonstrations. Needless to say, the people of Milton and area, became accustomed to, and looked forward to the yearly “Milton Fair”.
POOR ROADS BUT GOOD HOTELS
The planking of roads in Ontario began as early as 1836 and continued well on into the 1850’s. One of the first major roads to be planked in Halton County was the “Trafalgar-Esquesing and Erin Road”. Built in 1850, at a cost of $28,000, this road stretched for a distance of nineteen miles from Oakville to Stewarttown. The wood that comprised this road consisted of planks eight feet long and three inches deep. These planks were placed together across four-inch sills, and were held in place by their own weight. Plank roads could at the onset endure five years of heavy travel before repairs would be required.
The poor state of Milton’s plank roads in the 1850’s and the years after, deterred travelling to a great extent. Spring thaws took a heavy toll on the roads and made wagon travel extremely difficult. Upset with the lack of suitable roads, many of Milton’s residents and merchants made no hesitation in complaining about the situation. Concerning the state of the roads, the editor of the Halton Journal wrote in his editorial of November 29, 1855: “What is the utility of an improved piece of road, extending a few miles, if it is unconnected with any others and only leads to impassable gulfs or seas of mud?”
By 1856, the Trafalgar-Esquesing and Erin Road, along with many other roads in Halton were badly in need of repair. The Halton Council was very much aware of the state of the roads and the extent to which the economy of Halton depended on good transportation. Determined to rectify the situation, a municipal road report was made in 1856, and summed up the situation by saying: “Many complaints were made during the Fall of the state of the road, some of them no doubt-well founded, and many without cause. Yet the Board, while they were using every exertion to keep the roads in repair, did not assent to the continual demand for the removal of the toll, for had it not been for the plank, bad as they were, the road would have been like those adjoining, almost impossible… The point to be now considered is the mode to be adopted for securing immediate re-construction of this road. The Directors express the opinion that the entire people of this County are interested in the construction of the main arteries from the rear to the lake, that without their construction in a permanent manner, the County must retrograde in improvement instead of advancing.”
Despite the public outcry, and the honorable intentions of the Halton council, the necessary funds for the improvement of Halton’s Roads were not available. Consequently, many of the plank roads were torn up in the late 1850’s leaving the County right back where it started: isolated.
The decision by two railway companies to bypass Milton in the 1850’s was a further blow to the hopes of the townspeople for the rapid development of the village.
An article pertaining to this situation was printed in the 1852 edition of the Streetsville Review and stated that: “Without hesitation we affirm that the route of the Hamilton and Toronto Railway should be struck so as to intersect Milton in Trafalgar and Streetsvillle in the Township of Toronto…The Milton route exhibits a track of country unrivalled in the province for richness and fertility, replete with manufacturing establishments; the feeders of a railway. But the Directors chose to run the railway in straight line between Hamilton and Toronto.
Despite the disadvantages of the poor roads and no railway through her village, a few large-scale industries found it profitable to be in business in Milton. The growth of the hotel enterprise was due, by and large, to the lack of speedy and efficient exit out of the village.
In addition to providing beds for weary travelers, the hotels provided many other valuable services. Rooms were often rented for the purpose of holding meetings or the displaying of salesmen’s merchandise. Much of the early social activity was centered around the hotels’ dining and drinking lounges. An insight into the types of services provided by Milton’s hotels in the 1850’s may be gained from advertisements placed in the local newspaper. On July 9, 1855, the following hotel advertisement was placed in the Halton Journal by the “Milton Royal Saloon”:
“The subscriber begs to leave to announce to the inhabitants of Milton and the surrounding country, that he has opened a saloon on Main Street, next door to the post office where he will keep constantly on hand a great variety of liquors of the choicest description. Also oysters, sardines and lobsters and meals served up at any hour in the day. To convince yourselves of the above fact, please call and see. The subscriber trusts that by paying due attention to his customers and the public generally, to merit a share of public patronage. W.H. Thuresson.”
MILTON – THE CAPITAL OF HALTON COUNTY
Selecting the seat of Government for the newly established county of Halton, was not the easiest decision to make. The two main towns that were vying for this position were Oakville and Milton. Oakville at the time contained more people than Milton and was in a more advanced stage of economic development. The advantages of having Milton as the county seat rested on her geographically central position in the county, plus the fact that the Halton Provisional Council had already resolved by a bylaw, to have the County Buildings located in Milton.
Instead of putting the decision to popular vote, a bill was introduced in parliament by the Liberal M.P. John White of Milton, to have Milton named the county seat. After being passed by parliament, it became official, but not without controversy, that Milton would be the seat of government for the county of Halton.
The decision to name Milton as the capital of Halton County in 1857 was heartily welcomed by the townspeople. The tremendous residential and industrial growth that took place between the years 1857 and 1877 can largely be attributed to this decision and by 1877, Milton’s population had reached 1400; an increase of approximately fifty percent from 1857.
Of all the problems faced by the Halton government from 1857 to 1877, finding a solution tot he poor state of the county’s roads presented considerable difficulty. Transportation to and from Milton throughout this period of time remained as much a problem, as it did before 1857. Although plank roads were being replaced by macadamized roads in the late 1860’s, travel was still severely handicapped in bad weather. The roads from Milton to Oakville and Bronte were in worse condition than some of the other roads, and therefore stagecoach fare to these places were considerably higher. Stagecoach accidents were not uncommon and were usually the result of the poor roads.
“The Erin Stage on its way to Georgetown with a number of passenger got two of its front wheels into a deep cut, overturning the carriage and precipitating those on board into the mud. One person was badly injured, and the coach was almost completely destroyed”.
The stagecoach ride to Milton from Oakville became frowned upon by Oakville residents and many preferred to reach the town by taking the railway to Toronto and from Toronto to Georgetown. On top of this, they still had to travel an additional ten miles by stage or carriage to reach Milton.
In 1870, a bylaw was introduced by the Halton County Council, for the purpose of improving the main roads in the county. As the improving of these roads would necessitate the raising of $100,000 in tax money, a mixed reaction to the bylaw resulted. In order to end once and for all, public criticism of the county council’s procrastination in solving the road problem, a rate payers vote on the issue resulted. Results of the vote are as follows:
YEA NAY
Esquesing 11 300
Nelson 13 317
Trafalgar 11 309
Nassagaweya 4 189
Milton 9 21
Oakville 104 5
Georgetown 0 60
It is obvious from the vote, that the southern townships favored extensive road repairs, while the northern townships were definitely opposed to the plan. One can only speculate on the reasons why the northern towns and townships voted negatively to the road improvement program. Perhaps these areas felt that the total road budget would be consumed with repairs to the southern township roads alone. The fact that road construction in Halton County would be retarded for years to come, could no longer be accredited to an indecisive county council.
MILTON RECEIVES TOWN STATUS
In 1857, Milton not only was selected as the county seat, but it was also given the official status as an incorporated town. Milton’s first mayor, George Brown, and the other officials of the town council, were now concerned with the erection of a suitable town hall. After several years of planning, the town hall was officially opened in 1865. Constructed at a cost of $8,000.00, it featured a huge bell tower, large gothic type entrance, and a facial carving over the front entrance of Peter Bam Zimmerman, one of the contractors.
Aside from giving the town hall an ornate appearance, the Bell Tower was used to signal noon hours, curfew times, fire alarms, and the shutting off of the town’s water supply.
Next on their list of priorities, was the town council’s concern for the immediate policing of the new town. Consequently, David M. Bowman had to contend with Court and Council meetings. Some of the offences that Bowman had to contend with were assault and battery, careless driving, selling liquor on Sunday, obstructing the highway and profane swearing. It is interesting to note that Constable Bowman could not leave town, unless he received permission from the Mayor, and even so, he had to appoint a substitute during his absence. The chief constable was a few years later, given the added responsibility of pound keeper and “Inspector of Licenses”.
If the chief constable’s responsibility did not go beyond fining minor offenders, his position might have been easier than what it was. Such was not the case, for crimes of a more serious nature did occasionally occur in Milton. Convicted criminals in Halton County served their time in the Milton gaol. Although few escaped, one prisoner managed his release by scaling the prison wall to an awaiting horse-drawn sled.
Before Milton’s gaol courtyard was constructed in the 1880’s, executions were held in public beside the court building, and usually drew large crowds. Between 1857 and 1877, Thomas Horner was hanged for murdering two women, and Edward Keenan was executed for murdering his mother. With the case of Edward Keenan, many people believed, including the Sheriff Levi Wilson, that Keenan was unfairly convicted. In protest, Wilson resigned as Sheriff shortly after Keenan’s execution.
Living or owning a business in a town that is undergoing rapid change and expansion is always exciting, but not without its fair share of problems in a growing town, blame was almost always directed to the town council. The Milton Town Council was certainly no exception. No sooner had the county council’s road improvement program been defeated (in 1870), when, in 1872, the Milton Town Council was under severe attack for the poor condition of the roads in Milton proper. Concerning Milton’s streets in 1872, the following words were placed in the May newspaper:
“Great complaints are made of the unreasonable delay in putting the sidewalks in a reasonable state of repair. A large proportion of Main Street is in bad shape and the back streets perfectly mantraps. The delay is chiefly attributable to the niggardliness of the town council which so binds the hands of its committees that scarcely any work can be under taken without being submitted to the council. The nailing down of a few planks on the sidewalks would produce an animated discussion at the Council Board, and so the people go on stumbling over the dilapidated board walks”.
Although not necessarily precipitated by the above editorial, the sidewalks were much improved over the latter years.
Town Status Sparks Economic Development
Despite the disadvantages of not having immediate railway transportation there was no end to the number of small business houses and manufacturing enterprises that came to Milton following 1857. In order to meet the day to day needs of the ever-increasing Milton population a full range of service shops became well established. The following list of large-scale industries commenced operation in Milton at some point between 1857 and 1877: Robertson’s Steam Sash Door and Blind Factory; Rodler and Huff’s Tannery; Socrates Center’s Ashery; Ramshaw’s Quality Buggies and MacKenzies Blacksmith and Carriage Works.
Although shopping in Milton was by and large conducted between Monday and Saturday, some shops opened on Sundays to benefit their customers and to make an extra profit. This pattern soon emerged, for in 1859, the Halton County Council introduced the “Sunday Blue Laws”. As a result of these laws and eighty-four page report was issued and outlawed the following activities on Sunday:
To expose for sale any merchandise or real estate; to perform any worldly labor, to play skittles or ball, or to use a gun except in defense against a wolf or other ravenous beast…that it shall not be lawful for any person to bathe or indecently expose his or her person by washing in any waters within this county, lying or running near any public highway between the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., unless provided with and clothed in proper bathing dress, sufficient to prevent any indecent exposure of the person.
Because of the extensive market for lumber in Ontario after 1870, sawmilling became a very profitable business in Milton. Of the sawmills that were operating in the area by 1872, Lindsay’s and the Milton steammills were located in town, while the Boyne, Tasker, Robertson and Lawson-Bannerman sawmills operated nearby. As each of the mills employed upward to thirty-five men, they were able to cut between twenty and thirty thousand feet of lumber per day.
One of the most dangerous aspects of the sawmilling business involved the cutting of saw logs. Because of the expertise of the employees, few field accidents occurred, but when they did, they were most often fatal. In 1867 one such accident occurred when three brothers were “felling” a tree. The tree apparently rebounded off a dry pine and hit and killed one of the brothers. The young man was just twenty years old and his wedding was to take place one week later.
The most significant change in the economic structure of Milton during this time period centered on the re-direction of the transportation lanes. Prior to 1857, the importing and exporting of merchandise to and from Milton was by and large in the north-south direction, between Milton and Lake Ontario. With the completion of the Grand Trunk Railway through Acton in 1855, Milton’s main transportation corridor changed It was now more profitable to ship goods, such as wheat and lumber, via Acton or Georgetown because of the shorter distance.
AGRICULTURE GROWTH
The invention of the threshing machine by the Joseph Brothers of Milton in the 1870’s was the most important improvement in agriculture practices in a number of years. Prior to the invention of the threshing machine, sheaves were threshed by a flail and then winnowed or shacked so that the chaff could be blown away by the wind. For the first twenty years of its use, the thresher was powered by five teams of horses “which were attached to five long poles which fitted into a cylinder having large cog wheels. A long iron rod connected the cylinder and separator and gave the necessary speed to thresh the grain.
The Joseph Brothers threshing machine was such a great improvement to farming that other types of threshing machines began to appear on the market. By 1870, the Joseph Brothers’ thresher and McDonald’s climax thresher were in heavy competition with one another. In order to end the speculation on which thresher could do the best job, the two threshers were put to a test match on a farm outside the Milton area, in August 1872. Apparently the match was called a draw, because of the equal amounts of grain wasted by both machines.
One of the most important events in Halton County was the annual ploughing match. Before county ploughing matches came into being in 1890, individual townships hosted their own matches. The 1871 report for the ploughing match held in Trafalgar states that:
“The annual ploughing match for the Township of Trafalgar took place on the farm of Samuel Anderson on November 9, 1871. The weather was extremely favorable, and the farmers having generally finished their fall work, flocked from all parts of the township to see the show. Twelve competitors enforced the field and in the opinion of competent judges, the work was very creditable to them”.
The Milton Fair which was established in the 1850’s by the Halton Agricultural Society had gained such popularity by the 1860’s that steps were taken to secure a permanent fair ground. As a result, eight acres of land were purchased south of Main Street in 1864, by the Milton Driving Park Association and the Racing Committee. The Agriculture Society constructed a hall on the grounds, and the showing of stallions
and plowing matches became the main attractions at the Fair.
By 1870, farming in Halton County was extremely successful in the form of grain and stock raising and the market gardening of strawberries and apples. With increased productivity on the farm, there developed a large demand for farm laborers and domestic servants. In order to solve this situation, farm positions were advertised in local newspapers and periodicals. In 1870, The British Farmers and Farm Laborers Guide to Ontario stated that “there is a good demand for domestic servants and farm laborers, the former from $5-6 per month in winter and $6-8 in summer and for the latter, $10-15 in winter and $16-22 in summer including board”.
THE CHANGING SOCIAL, CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL CHARACTER OF MILTON
The social, cultural and educational character of Milton today stems to a great extent from the advancements made in these circles over one hundred years ago. Having a population of over one thousand people, various steps were taken to bond the interests of the people. Where as automation has made society in general today artificial and indifferent, the complete opposite was true in the 19th Century town. Bonded together by common goals, interests and attitudes, the Milton way of life in the 19th Century, was made by people, enjoyed by people and shared by people. The fact that Milton became a closely knit town was largely due to a co-operative group of people who were keenly concerned about each other’s welfare.
On top of friend and family gatherings, social life in Milton took a variety of other forms. As mentioned previously, the Milton Fair represented entertainment at its very best. Other types of entertainment consisted of Bruce Street School concerts, lectures and concerts sponsored by the Mechanics Institute, band concerts, and “annual balls” by the various organizations such as the St. Claire Masonic Lodge. These events, open to everyone, took place on a regular basis, and usually attracted large numbers of people.
Having adequate housing facilities, ample employment opportunities, good transportation and crime prevention are only a few of the problems that a town has to face when undergoing a period of strong growth. Another problem facing the growing town was the adequate provision of school facilities. Milton can be proud of her history, for the educating of her children has been a top priority.
Expanded facilities at the Bruce Street School, a grammar school and several small private schools such as the “School for Ladies” conducted by a Mrs. Noble afforded the Milton children with ample educational opportunities. Education was treated very seriously by the Milton Community at large, and the school teachers were held in such high esteem that they dared not be seen openly purchasing a bottle of liquor.
Although the discipline that prevailed in the school and the classroom was much stricter than today, it was not unusual for the odd humorous incident to occur. “A school boy was caught stealing from the teachers desk, and his father was sent for at once. He came and after administering a mild rebuke to his son, he turned to apologize to his teacher. You see my son has a mind so large, that he thinks everything he sees belongs to him”.
Throughout the trials and tribulations of living in a pioneer society the key to one’s well being and happiness has always been held by ministers and doctors. Fortunately, Milton has had many fine doctors and ministers over the years. The following story serves as on example of the type of dedication exhibited by Milton’s professional people throughout the years.
In September of 1870, the children of Joseph Wilson near Stewarttown were playing around the back door, when a rattlesnake came out from under loose boards. It first attacked the infant, inserting its poisonous fangs into one of the child’s fingers. Then with head erect, it pursued an older child into the house. The terrified mother attacked the snake by pelting it with hot smoothing irons which happened to be on the stove at the time. The reptile beat an unwilling retreat, before it finally disappeared under a pile of rubbish. The infant became alarmingly ill, its fingers swollen and whole body covered with peculiar spots. Dr. Clarkson Freeman of Milton and Dr. William Freeman of Georgetown attended the child and by their vigorous treatment saved it from its apparent doom.
By the late 1870’s, Milton became quite adjusted to her new roles, both as a town and the county seat. Whereas many towns would have folded without railway service, Milton looked only one way, and that was forward. By 1877, Milton was looked on by many as the most prominent and influential town in the whole county of Halton.
RAILWAYS, THE FIRST OF SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS
Before 1877, two unsuccessful attempts were made to hook up Milton with railway service. One of these proposals consisted of having a railway line joining Milton, Oakville and Guelph. Unfortunately, Milton was not receptive to this idea and the scheme folded.
Finally, what appeared to be a hopeless and impossible situation suddenly changed. Milton would get its railway after all and not one railway, but two! The first to greet Milton was Hamilton and Northwestern in 1877, soon followed by the Credit Valley Railway in 1879. The determination of Milton to obtain railway service can be substantiated from the fact that the town granted a thirty thousand dollar bonus for the construction of the Credit Valley Railway.
The official opening of the Credit Valley Railway took place on September 19, 1879 in Milton, because of her most generous financial contribution towards the construction of the railway. The following is a description of the official opening of this railway as stated in James Filby’s book “Credit Valley Railway”. “The entry of a railway into the town that helped to sponsor it was a gala affair. Write-ups of the opening of the railway and the first sod turning at Milton, indicate that a good crowd of people attended, numbering several hundred, including the Governor General”.
Having the railways through Milton not only altered the familiar landscape but effected many significant changes in the economic patterns and the transportation habits of the people. Not longer would industries have to ship their goods by wagon to the Acton train, and no longer would the people have to rely on the almost obsolete stage coach. Milton people were now much more mobile than they used to be, travelling to places in less than half the time it used to take. As early as 1879, the Credit Valley Railway was taking up to six hundred people to and from the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. As times change, people change with them.
Shortly after the coming of the railways, and at a cost of twenty thousand dollars, water was piped into the town from springs in the Niagara Escarpment. To celebrate this technological feat, an official opening was held in 1887, for the townspeople to view the piped water system. To the dismay and the embarrassment of the project’s engineer, no water appeared. Before the townspeople arrived in the evening for the second scheduled official opening, the engineers were able to rectify a malfunctioning valve in the reservoir. This opening could not have been more convincing especially to the people closest to the hose who became thoroughly soaked with the onslaught of the water. One convenience of the new water system that was enjoyed by all people, was the end of the “nuisance trips” to the “little house” out back.
The next event in the modernization of Milton, was the introduction of other prominent citizens who put up $2,500 each for establishing hydro-electric power, it would have been several years later, before the town received this service. Originally operating under private enterprise, hydro-electric power in Milton was taken over by the municipality in 1908 and in 1913 control of the plant passed into the hands of the Ontario Hydro-Power Commission.
RAILWAYS ATTRACT LARGE INDUSTRIES
Complete with railways, water supply system, and electric power by the early 1900’s, the industrial segment of the town became totally transformed. With these technological improvements, many of the old established trades became obsolete. Railway transportation together with the introduction of the automobile around 1910 became the new mode of travel and thus effected either a slowdown or shut down in the carriage, harness and blacksmith businesses.
Technological advances invariably lead to an alteration in life styles. As much as the automobile brought people together, it also separated them. What had been tradition in Milton for years now changed. Church Services which were held on Sunday afternoons were changed to the morning because people wanted the afternoon time for Sunday travel.
Despite the rapid changes that resulted from technological advances, people have always been able to adapt quickly to new situations. In the words of Mrs. Dick, a very gracious and knowledgeable lady who has witnessed ninety-three years of considerable changes to Milton, “life must go on”.
Milton in the 1890’s was thus, considerably changed from her earlier days with respect to people’s attitudes the types of industries, the physical layout of the town and the skyline. The following writer’s description of Milton on July 9, 1891 is indication of the progress of the town at that time:
“The town of Milton presents many advantages over other towns and cities of Canada in consequence of the salubrity of its climate, the fertility of its soil, excellent drainage, the purity of its mountain springs of water, which so amply protects life and water.The town is regularly laid out with broad streets, ornamented with trees; it is distinguished for the magnificence of its public buildings. Its lovely flower and fruit gardens and its artistic lawns with its fountains add greatly to the pleasure and comfort of its inhabitants”.
Of the several large manufacturing and industrial enterprises that endowed Milton and areas, after 1877, the Robertson Lime Kiln operation was one of the most successful. The availability of limestone rocks from the Niagara Escarpment and the accessibility to railway transportation were primarily the reasons for the location of this industry at the Kelso site. Lime, when mixed with sand, forms a plaster.
Robertson’s “shaft lime kilns” as they were called, were built in the late 1870’s. Each of the three limekilns was approximately fifty feet high and the top was level with the adjacent quarry. Joining the top of the lime kiln to the quarry was a tramway which was used to carry the quarried limestone to the entrance to the kilns.
In the beginning years of the Robertson operation, one of the employees would climb down a rope along the face of the escarpment to insert dynamite into the limestone cliff in order to blow it into rocks. This was a rather dangerous practice, for once the dynamite was ignited, the explosives man had to scurry back up the rope, before the wall exploded.
The large rocks that resulted from the explosion, were further broken up by stone hammers, and were placed into horse drawn carts. In order to empty the rocks into the lime kiln top, the horse drawn carts were backed up along the tramway to the kiln. Fred Hilson of Kelso, a former employee of the Robertson Kiln remembers on at least one occasion when a stubborn horse refused to move backwards, resulting in the cart and horse sliding off the tramway to the ground fifty feet below.
Contained in the base of the lime kiln, was a furnace lined with firebricks. After approximately four hours of heating the limestone rock at 14,0000F, decomposition would occur and the lime was taken out from the ‘draw hole’ below the fire box. Before Robertson’s used a crusher to further decompose the lime, the burning lime was placed into wooden railway cars. It was therefore not uncommon in the 1870’s to witness moving train with one or two cars on fire.
Although the Robertson Kilns operated only in the warmer months, the employees were hired on a yearly basis. On the off season, it was the responsibility of the men to cut enough wood to heat the furnace for the oncoming operating season. Using limekilns to produce lime was quite effective and eight to fifteen tons of lime could be produced every twenty-four hours.
The Robertson lime kilns were taken over in 1927 by Domtar Chemical Limited of Paris, Ontario. Due to the advanced technological improvements in producing lime from other quarries, sales at the Robertson operation in the early 1930′’ declined.
Shortly after 1930, the kilns became obsolete and the remains of the Robertson kilns may be seen today, by looking south from the main gate of the Kelso Conservation Area.
The coming of the brick companies to the Milton area around the turn of the century afforded Milton residents with another type of employment opportunity. Although bricks were being made in the Milton area as far back as 1818, it was not until the late 1800’s that bricks were being mass-produced. The success of the “Milton Brick Company”, the “Toronto Pressed Brick and Terra Cotta Works”, the “Interprovincial Brick Company”, and the “Gypsum Lime and Albastine Company” was largely due to the rich deposits of medina shale found in the Milton area. Another advantage to brick making here was due to the abundant supply of water from the escarpment. An Ontario government mining booklet in 1906 praised the shale products of the Milton area, “especially the fancy brickwork for fire places, mantels and columns, the ceramics and roofing tile”.
Since 1890, many fine edifices have been constructed in Milton from the bricks of its neighboring brickyards. All Saints Church and the Halton County Home for the Aged are two of the many impressive structures that have been assembled from local brick.
MANUFACTURING FIRMS LOCATE IN MILTON
An industrial report dated 1916, stated that “the Town of Milton occupies a prominent place among the bustling towns of the province. A desirable spot for manufacturers to locate, there is not better place in Ontario, and those desiring a suitable site should pay a visit to this enterprising town”. Of the several large industries that too advantage of Milton as an ideal site for industrial location, Robertson’s Screw Company received unprecedented success.
The basis for the formation of Robertson’s Screw factory resulted from the ingenuity of Mr. Robertson, who developed the technique for producing the ‘sockethead screw”. The demand for Robertson’s sockethead screw in the building trades became so great that in 1910, one year after commencing operation, the total number of employees had to be increased from twenty-one to eighty-five.
By 1915, it was obvious that the huge sums of money that Robertson had invested in his company, was paying off. Equipped with several heading machines and threaders, Robertson diversified his business and was now manufacturing sockethead patent screws, screw drivers, rivets, burrs, washers, wire, and wire nails with.
With World War One raging in Europe at this time Robertson manufactured ammunition for the Canadian Army.
The importance of Robertson’s manufacturing company both to the building trade and to the overall economic prosperity of the Town of Milton cannot be stressed enough. The company employed over six hundred people in peak times. By 1930, almost twenty percent of the total working force in Milton was employed at the Robertsons Plants.
Several other large manufacturing firms found it to their advantage to locate here and were soon employing hundreds of Milton citizens. Two plants in particular, the Milton Shoe Company and the Milton Textiles Limited had developed into extremely profitable industries by the early 1920’s while the trade of these two companies extended from coast to coast.
Milton’s oldest industry, Martin’s Grist Mills, continued to flourish throughout the nineteen hundreds and according to the Milton industrial report of 1916, “this establishment has always been unremitting in its endeavor to merit every demand of its customers in a prompt and satisfactory manner and on this account has built up a patronage of the greatest and most gratifying proportions”. Operating on water and electric power by 1916, Martin’s Grist Mill was producing over one hundred barrels of flour a day.
MILTON’S BUSINESS HOUSES FLOURISH
Since the beginning of George Brown’s general store in 1836, a number of lucrative business houses have occupied a prominent position along Main Street. A number of general stores, grocery store, dry goods stores and meat stores have come and gone. Some of the establishments were in business for a short period, while others flourished for several years. As is the case of any growing town, business houses exchanged hand several times throughout the years. Because of the great number and variety of business houses that have been established in Milton it is impossible, herein, to do justice to the contributions that each of these shops has made to the social and economic well being of the town. Many of Milton’s original businesses, such as Anderson’s Barber Shop, have remained in the family over the years and still continue today.
One of the more popular and well-patronized business houses to be established in Milton in the early 1900’s was “Messrs Buck and Morely’s Meat Market”. According to a report of the business houses operating here in 1920, “Messrs S. buck and G. Morley, the proprietors are businessmen of well deserved prominence and are highly regarded for their enterprise and sterling integrity”, handling all kinds of fresh, salt and smoked meats, all orders were filled and promptly delivered to their customers.
Banking services first commenced with the arrival of the Bank of Hamilton (predecessor of the Canadian Bank of Commerce) in 1877. By 1920, two other banks, the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Bank of Toronto had branch offices in town. Since these banks were the financial bulwarks of Milton, their contribution to the growth of the town was immeasurable.
The various goods and services that were available from a number of other business houses in Milton in the 1920’s are summarized in the following chart:
Business House Services Rendered Merchandise for Sale
Galbriath and Company “The Store of Values” Staples and fancy dry goods, Groceries
T.G. Ramshaw Real Estate Broker, Money loaned, mortgages, leases, wills, general insurance.
C.R. Turner Licensed Embalmer Victor Phonographs and records, furniture, brass and iron bedsteads, metallic, cloth-covered and wood caskets.
John M. Mackenzie Fitting of eyeglasses Pure drugs, medicines, “The Rexall Store” Kodaks and photo supplies.
M. E. Nixon Hardware Agent for Moffat’s stoves and ranges, Lowe Brothers paints, oil and glass.
A. L. Chambers Catering for weddings Bread, cakes, pastry, confectionery parties, banquets candies and ice cream.
Syer Grocery Groceries, fruits, salt and smoked meats.
E. F. Earl Furnace work. Plumbing, roofing and general tin-smithing.
John Lawson Agent for Dale’s Flowers, Pure drugs and chemicals
“The House That Quality Built” Fitting for eye glasses Physician’s supplies and surgical instruments
“Hunter Studio” Photography, Picture Framing Ladies fancy dry goods, art
H. L. Sherman needle work yarns.
D. A. Hewgill Complete line of groceries, foreign and domestic fruits, Fine teas, coffees and table delicacies.
J. F. Robinson Repairs to farm machinery Agent in Halton County for Maxwell cars, agent for International Harvester Co.
TRAVEL AND COMMUNICATION
The implementation of telephone service in Higginbotham’s Drug Store on Main Street in 1893 greatly improved the link. The first switchboard was a magneto type design that serviced only fourteen subscribers and only at restricted times throughout the day. Calls could be made by other people in Milton but only at the telephone office in the Drug Store.
The original Bell Telephone subscribers in Milton were comprised of hotelkeepers, business owners, a barrister and two doctors. By 1909, the demand for telephone service had risen to the point whereby the service had to extend to a twenty-four hour service. By 1917, approximately two hundred and ninety telephones were operating in Milton. In 1931, with a population of one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, seven hundred and thirty telephones had been installed. Nellie Cunningham, a long time employee of the Milton Bell Telephone office, commenced duty in 1912 and served for over thirty years with the company.
Local newspapers have always been a very effective means of communication within a town. A number of newspapers have come and gone in Milton over the years. Milton’s newspaper today, “The Canadian Champion”, published by J. Dills, has over the last 117 years proved to be a most effective and influential newspaper. Described in the Peel Halton Directory of 1864 as “The Only Paper” in the county of Halton, the Canadian Champion is today a very popular and well-subscribed newspaper.
Although on a much smaller scale than the automobile or train, the bicycle became a very popular means of communication in Milton. Years after 1880, in many early pictures of Milton, one can see teachers and other people riding their bicycles around the town, and to their place of employment. Bicycle clubs were formed in Milton as early as 1890.
The importance of bicycles can also be determined by examining the use of the bicycle in advertisements in that era. The following advertisement appeared on the behalf of Smith’s Clothing Manufactory, Hamilton, in 1896:
Mary had a little wheel,
She used it as a breather;
And every where that Mary went,
The wheel was beneath her.
She wheeled to Church one Sunday,
And jumped off her perch
Made the congregation wonder
To see a wheel at Church
But Mary said, “Why this surprise
Which you appear to feel?
It’s quite a proper caper to
Wear bloomers on a wheel.
If none of you young wheelmen wear them,
I wish just here to state
To Smith’s you must tomorrow go
If you’d be up to date”.
Now mark the happy consequence
Of Mary’s innovation;
They being all possessed of sense,
Both priest and congregation.
For the crowd came to our store next day
To ex amine the cloth and stitches,
Now every man who rides a wheel
Is dressed in Smith’s knee breeches.
While on the subject of clothes and communication, courting procedures over the years have taken a wide variety of forms. Bicycle, boat, train, and car rides have no doubt contributed a fair share to the development of the blooming romance. In 1890 a gentleman farmer of Milton area tried every means possible to win the heart of a young lady.
After being rejected several times, the farmer visited a friend who owned a clothing shop, to receive some advice on what his strategy should be. After calling on his friend, the farmer “was once more determined to try his self-command by calling on his fair enemy.
As he reached the gate of the house, she came up, returning his improved and altered appearance. They entered the house, two hours after, he was an accepted lover. His hat, scarf, boots and collar were bought from “Lindsays” on his way through Milton”.
The moral of the story tends to make one believe that the old adage, “Clothes make the man” is quite true.
MILTON’S CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
After 1877, major developments were achieved in Milton with respect to Churches, schools and recreation. The most drastic change in the Milton skyline came as the result of the construction of large Methodist (now United), Presbyterian, and Anglican churches.
Other land use changes included the widening and paving of roads, the development of the Millpond Park and Victoria Park for recreational purposes, as well as additional school facilities. The widespread use of the automobile in the 1920’s necessitated the construction of garages behind or beside many Milton homes. Many of Milton’s Community Service Groups such as the “Children’s Aid Society” developed between 1877 and 1930.
With respect to educating youth in Milton, many interesting developments in the history of The Bruce Street School have been recorded by Jim Dills, Editor of the Canadian Champion, in his book “An Indelible Imprint”. For example in 1927, indoor plumbing and electric lights were installed in the school. These and other changes were initiated by The Bruce Street Home and School Association. Over the last seventy years many other fine schools have been constructed in Milton.
MILTON-”BETTER THINGS TO COME”
At the beginning of the Great Depression, the population of Milton hovered around two thousand. Between 1930 and 1950, industrial and residential growth remained static. The rebirth of Milton occurred in the 1950’s and was largely due to the construction of Highway 401 and the location of several large industrial corporations in the town. A modern shopping mall, new library additional schools and housing developments have thus been added to meet the need of the community at large.
Milton, today is a unique combination of both old and new. The physical environment of the town has changed somewhat, but the goals for the healthy development of the town have remained the same. With an urban and rural population of 18,000 today, there is every reason to believe that this figure will double in the next twenty years.
From the original of Milton in 1821, to the present time, hundreds of men and women have been responsible for the development of the town. To these people, we owe a great debt as their foresight and hard work have made Milton a thriving town and a pleasant place to live.
This information is re-printed with permission of the estate of the original author.
