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8 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, Mar. 1, 1978 Port Perry the Beautiful i... A Prosperous Town- A Charming Country tn The next mile stone-in.Port Perry's progress was the building of the Scugog bridge by the County of Ontario in the years 1853-4, connecting Port Perry with Scugog Island. This was a floating bridge, but was afterwards filled in, making a solid, permanent roadway. Previous to this a ferry had to be operated during the open season between the Port and the Island. Next was started a stove foundry, by John Cameron of Toronto, and man- aged by William Shipman, erected where Swan Bros. carriage shop now stands, afterwards burned down. Next was a flouring mill, built by T. & G. Paxton, later becoming the property of James €arnegie. This was destroyed by fire in June, 1902, but has been replaced by a modern, substantial brick building. Next in order was the building of the Port Perry foundry, owned by Mr. Bigelow and Thos. Paxton, and operated by Paxton, Tait & Co., in the manufacture of agricultural implements and mill machinery. This is at present. owned by Madison Williams, whose orders for turbine wheels and mill machinery come from all over the Dominion. Follow- ing the upward progress of the town, was the opening of a branch of the Royal Canadian Bank, of which Mr. Bigelow was the manager for five years, retiring to give - greater personal attention to his extended business. Shortly after, in 1870, the building of the Port Whitby and Port Perry railway was commenced, of which Mr. Bigelow was president during its construc- tion. The Paxtons, Sextons, and Edward Major were some of the moving spirits in this undertaking. Mr. Bigelow, after the completion of the railway, sold out his interest and withdrew from the company. Shortly after this the Ontario Bank opened a branch, first in the office at present owned by Mr. Carnegie, until a better premises could be obtained, sub- sequently moving into the premises at present occupied by the Western Bank, of which Mr. H. G. Hutcheson is the man- ager. The Ontario Bank subsequently withdrew its agency. Following this was the opening of a branch of the Central Bank of which the late Wm. McGill was - manager, but the branch was compelled to close through mismanagement and losses at the head office. The building of the Cartwright roadway was undertaken in 1890, connecting Scugog Island with the Township of Carwright, to which the people of the town contributed largely, and which has proved so bene- ficial to the town, and a convenience to the whole country. Then followed the estab- lishing of a branch of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, of which the present manager is Mr. Chas. Ballard. In the year 1866 was established the ---- er -- J. 0. WADDELL Reprinted from the North Ontario Observer - February 22, 1906 "Port Perry Standard' by Mr. E. Mundy. Shortly after this the Ontario Oberver, published at Prince Albert, was removed to Port Perry. This is owned and conduct- ed by Mr. Henry Parsons. After the completion of the railway all the business men of Prince Albert removed to Port Perry, VIZ.: T. C. For- man, Aaron Ross, George Currie, John Diesfeld, J. H. Brown, Thomas Courtice, late of Courtice & Jeffrey, W. Brock, and others. Adam Gordon from Manchester, M.P.P, for North Ontario, came to Port and built a grain elevator where the Matthew Edwards egg storehouse is located. This was afterwards destroyed by fire. Port Perry was incorporated in 1871. Mr. John Nott was appointed by the County Council to take the census, and this established the village's claim to be incor- porated. Port Perry, therefore, com- menced business on her own account on the 1st of January, 1872, when the first 'council was elected, of which Joseph 'Bigelow was reeve. Henry Gordon, trea- surer, and Duncan McKercher, clerk; Councillors - A. N. Sexton, Caleb Crandell, W. Tait and John Phillips. The Ross grain elevator was built by Aaron Ross in 1873, and is now operated by William Ross in his extensive grain busi- ness. In the same year the town hall was built, also the Public and High School building. The High School has an enviable reputation as an educational institution. Its fame as such is known throughout the Dominion. The Principal is Dr. McBride, - who has held the position for the past 34 years. Many of his pupils hold prominent positions in Canada and the United States. Port Perry has turned out many able men in all walks of life. In 1884 occurred the great fire, which burned down the whole of the business portion of the town, from Water street to John street, the only building left being Mr. Tummond's grocery and feed store. The fire entailed a loss of between two and three hundred thousand dollars. Not discouraged, however, her people went at it with a will, and rebuilt their premises better than ever. Port Perry at present contains about sixteen hundred people, and with the Prince Albert suburbs added, aggregates about two thousand. The town is situated on the west side of Scugog Lake, opposite Scugog Island, which forms a separate township, containing about ten thousand acres, and is fully:settled with prosperous farmers. The Island contains an Indian reserve of 800 acres, on which is located a band of about forty Mississauga Indians. Port Perry is situated on rising ground from the Lake, rising to an elevation of 117 nua MR. H. PARSONS A pioneer publisher of Ontario County. Editor of the North Ontario Observer feet within a distance of three-fourths of a mile, in one of the finest agricultural and stock-raising districts in the Province. The highest elevation of the town is nearly 700 feet above Lake Ontario, Scugog being 568 feet above Ontario. The town is 49 miles from Toronto by rail via Whitby, and is noted as one of the most healthy towns in the Dominion. As such an altitude the air is always fresh, pure and invigorating, 'which makes the place a most pleasant one summer or winter. The residence streets are enbowered in shade trees, which form a wind break in winter and a cook shade in the heat of summer, and add very materially ta the beauty of the town. Who can say Port Perry is not a most delightful place to live in, having, as it has, so many local advantages. Situated on the shore of a beautiful lake, having a magnifi- cent panoramic view of Scugog Island, forming an enchanting and beautiful scene of farm and hillside, not easily excelled. Residents of the town who have seen this panorama of nature every day for years fail to see it as strangers do when vjsiting the town. Strangers express themselves ~ delighted and surprised with the beauty of the town, the fine houses, the well-kept lawns, the shady trees, the neat appear- ance of the town generally, its fine view of' the Island, and its many other advantages. The town possesses a municipal lighting and waterworks system, good railway accommodation, good hotels, fine stores, one Methodist church, one Presbyterian church, a Baptist, an Episcopal, a Roman Catholic, and a Catholic Apostolic church. There is a first-class Public and High School, also telegraph and telephone ser- vices. Boats, during the season of navi- gation, can leave the docks at Port Perry, going as far east as Hastings on the River Trent, via Peterborough, a distance of about 150 miles in an easterly direction, and north-westerly to Balsam Lake. On completion of the canal from there to Lake Simcoe the present year, boats can enter that lake, visiting Orillia, Barrie, Beaver- ton and Jackson's Point summer resorts; and on the final completion of the Trent canal vessels from here can go down the St. Lawrence to the sea, or west to the Upper Lakes, taking in all the cities of the lakes from Midland to Duluth, Chicago, Detroit or Cleveland. Mr. Joseph Bigelow, whose portrait appears on the front page of this issue, and to whom The Observer is indebted for the article on "Port Perry, past and present", was born in the Township of Tecumseh on Nov. 9, 1828. His father, Hiram Bigelow, owned a flour and saw mill in the township, but removed with his family to Lindsay in 1844. Mr. Joseph Bigelow and his twin brother, Joel, came to Port Perry in 1851, and started a general store under the firm name of J. and J. Bigelow. After a time Mr. Joel Bigelow removed to Whitby, where he opened a store. Mr. Joseph Bigelow remained in Port Perry, and has ever since been most intimately connected with the rise and progress of the place. He has occupied positions of honor and responsibility, and has amassed a com- petency. He owns a beautiful home on the hill, an engraying of which is shown in" this number, also a photo of Mr. Bigelow taken many years ago. There is no citizen of the town more honored and respected than Mr. Bigelow, and the Observer but voices the hope of all citizens that their esteemed townsman may be spared to enjoy many years of happy life in the prosperous town which he has so helped to create. We at the Star hope you are enjoying this feature about "the good ole-days' in Port Perry and area. It has been brought to our attention that the Scugog Shores Museum ° reprinted 2,500 copies of this original paper and they are available to visitors at the museum in the Print Shop. Local residents wishing a copy may obtain orie when they visit the museum after their opening in May 1978. Continued Next Week "The Churches and Schools' "MEMBERS OF PORT PERRY COUNCIL, 1906 REV, GEO. KORINSON Wi L. PARRISH (REEVE) H. G. HUTCHESON 7A C, H. ALLIZON ee a -- # 1 [7 NT J 5 3 SMe Le EEE : for > Ea -- Ca MC >