The photos found in this blog post are the property of Huronia Museum, Midland, Ontario. Any reproduction for commercial use without permission is prohibited.  Any other distribution must credit Huronia Museum.  Please contact the museum with any questions you may have. 

County Assessment Level Rises to $144,611,563
County Herald headline, Friday, June 8, 1962 

Midland and Penetanguishene are among several North Simcoe communities which will have slightly lower percentages of equalized assessment for county purposes next year than they have for 1962. The 1963 figures were presented to Simcoe County council yesterday by its equalized assessment committee. They show the equalized assessment for county purposes in 1963 will total $144,611,563. Population of the county increased from 104,560 in 1961 to 105,405 in 1962, an increase of .79 per cent. Midland’s equalized assessment for 1963 is given as $11,740.329 or 8.1185 per cent of the total for the county. This year it was 8.1516 per cent. Local taxable assessment is listed as $17,540.255. New equalized assessment percentage for Penetanguishene is 2.3337 per cent, down slightly from the 2.3515 per cent in 1962. Local taxable assessment is listed as $4,470,272 and the equalized assessment as $3,374,759. 

Two taxi licences were approved by Midland council Monday night. Noel Sims, Wyebridge, applied for a taxi owner’s licence to operate in conjunction with Reliable Taxi, owned by Wilfred Pilon, 201 Dominion Ave., West. Council approved the application providing Mr. Sims moves to Midland and providing sufficient space is available for the additional taxi stand. Also approved was a taxi driver’s licence for Leon Murphy. He is to drive for Hebner’s Taxi. 

Homer Spring and Tiny Township council Monday night settled their differences involving a strip of land Mr. Spring had been occupying for some years, and which was actually discovered to be part of the road allowance of Findlay Drive, Balm Beach. Present at a meeting of council, with his solicitor, E. B. Kendall, Mr. Spring approved the terms of an agreement drawn up by Mr. Kendall. Part of the disputed land is being sold to Mr. Spring for $150, plus all legal fees. The rest will be used to widen the corner of Findlay Drive at that point. In return, council has agreed to close up an unused road allowance behind Mr. Spring’s property. When closed, the land is to be deeded to Spring.  

Wm. Scott, plumbing and building inspector, has been appointed inspector and local administrator of the new Construction Safety Act approved by the provincial legislature earlier this spring. The appointment was made by Midland council Monday night.

The owner of what one member of Midland council termed a “shack” has been ordered to demolish the building within 48 hours of receiving notice of Midland council’s decision. If the owner fails to take action, council has ordered that the building, located at Dominion Ave. and George Streets, be demolished and any charges and costs involved charged to the taxes of the owner of the property. Council was informed that for months the structure has been a hazard for children and a menace to the health of those living in the area. Chief Arnold Tippin said the building had been condemned and placarded some time ago. He said the windows and doors have been boarded up on several occasions but the boards had been torn off. 

A reported car’s backfire cost Elgin Gilmour both his 1947 automobile and garage today.  Garage man Tim Nesbitt was helping Mr. Gilmour, retired, get his car out of winter storage at 147 Hugel Ave. E. “The car stalled, Tim was bent over the open hood with a can of gasoline in his hand, when I pressed the starter. There was a flash of flame.” said Mr. Gilmour. “The flames spread to some old cushions stored in the garage. We tried to pull the car out but it was impossible. My wife, Margaret called the fire department.” he added. Both the car and garage were completely burned. They were insured. Mr. Nesbitt singed his arm but there were no other injuries. 

Jim Lemieux blossomed forth as a pitcher last night as Midland Indians downed Collingwood 3-1 under the shadow of the Blue Mountains in a South Simcoe Baseball League game. Normally an outfielder, Lemieux held the home team to four hits and was in trouble only in the first inning. 

Editorial page photo entitled; “Stone and Tree Design at Midhurst Park” 

Simcoe County warden, John McDonald is seen greeting some of the Midland elementary school pupils who paid a visit to county council Monday as guests of Reeve Arthur Argue and Deputy-reeve William Orr. Left to right are Mary Jane Mohan, Bayview, Robert Guthe, Regent, Valerie Cosey, Sacred Heart, Donate Lichtenfeld, St. Mary’s, and Reeve Argue. 

Midland lawyers John Gammell (left) and Douglas Haig watch Mrs. W. J. Casey operate a mimeograph machine during the official opening of the new Simcoe County registry office Tuesday. Visitors were taken on a tour of the building, which provides ample room for members of the legal profession and others having business there. 

Top pupils from five Midland elementary schools got a chance to see Simcoe County council in action Monday. Left to right are, Michael Farewell, St. Mary’s; John Webb, Bayview; Betty MacKay, Parkview; Romalda Belanger, Sacred Heart; Marg Walker, Parkview; Wendy Short, Regent, and Deputy-reeve Wm. Orr. Seated is Warden John McDonald. 

Lieut. Governor of Kiwanis District 5, Bruce Burden, Toronto, paid his official visit to the Midland Kiwanis Club, Monday. Pictured here with Mr. Burden (centre) are Midland Kiwanis President, Wilf LaRose (right) and J. J. Robins, past Lieut-Governor Kiwanis District. 5. – Rolfoto 

Public Schools Levy up .25 on Commercial Rate
Free Press Herald headline of Friday June 13, 1962. 

Midland Public Schools Board set the mill rate for 1962 educational purposes during its June meeting Friday night. Rates are 8.82 commercial and 7.93 residential. As the result of a new assessment this year, the 1962 mill rates cannot be compared, as such, with last year’s figure, it was stated. This year’s gross expenditure is $272,322, up from $258,794 for 1961. For the second year Department of Education provincial grants based on average daily pupil attendance eased the tax squeeze for residential ratepayers and made necessary the dual mill rate, one commercial, the other residential.  Anticipated provincial grants are expected to amount to $115,664, compared with $92,200 in 1961. 

W. J. Mann, president of Canadian Curtiss-Wright Ltd., announced today his company’s acquisition of a substantial interest in the Midland Foundry and Machine Co., of Midland. The Midland company’s product line includes hydraulic equipment for oil companies, the automotive trade and the aircraft industry which includes hydraulic jacks, tire removing, and handling equipment, material handling equipment, and industrial and automotive compressors. In addition to head office and factory in Midland, the company operates sales warehousing and servicing facilities in Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg. Mr. Mann said, this step adds new marketing capabilities as well as product lines through Canadian Curtis Wright’s established business in the aviation, electrical, and electronic field.

35 YEARS AGO (1927)
Three hundred dinner guests officially opened The Georgian Hotel and heard Mayor George T. Gooden praise Dr. G. E. Tanner’s efforts in building up the commercial section of Midland. The Model Theatre orchestra provided gallery music. With the arrival of the evening train the first guests registered. * * * Not to be out Charlestoned or Black-Bottomed, the Blue Room Dance hall, boasting a seven piece band, opened with a Hospital Guild dance. Profits went to St. Andrews Hospital. The Blue Room was above the present day Georgian Bay Hardware Co. Ed. Jeffery was manager. (Crow’s Nest) * * * Midland Shipbuilding Co. set a continental speed record, accomplishing the launching of two canal-size freighters and a tug in 30 minutes. The whole town turned out for the “fleet” christening ceremony. The Canada Steamship Lines’ freighters Weyburn and Saskatoon were 258 feet long and displaced 2,400 tons each. * * * After 45 years of petitioning Waubaushene turned out in force to open the Narrows bridge. Schoolchildren paraded, the Orillia Citizens’ Band huffed and puffed, and Wm. Finlayson cut the ribbon. Rev. A Bourrette blessed the structure. * * * A party of Chicago supply and machinery manufacturers, stopped off at Midland during a week-long cruise of the Great Lakes. Mayor George T. Gooden escorted the visitors to vicinity points of interest and saw them off aboard the S.S. Noronlc several hours later. * * * Every Ontario motorist was to carry a driver’s licence ruled an order-in-council of the Ferguson government. Highways Minister George S. Henry said the $1 fee would be charged to experienced drivers. Novices must pay another dollar to be tested by government-approved inspectors. * * * Midland’s fourth grain elevator (Simcoe), with a two million bushel capacity, opened for the September rush of fall grain to the seaboard. More than 300 men worked day and night to finish the structure. The new elevator brought to 12 million bushels the storage capacity at Midland. * * * Rev. P. C. Cameron led a two-day conference of the Collingwood Association of Baptist churches in Midland. Opening day was Women’s Day and Mrs. McCracken welcomed out of town delegates.  

Arthur LePan, a member of this newspaper’s staff since 1955, has been appointed news editor of the Free Press Herald and County Herald, managing editor Wils Harrison announced this week. During his seven years with the firm, Mr. LePan served as a reporter and later publication manager. In his new post, he succeeds Edward Murphy who has joined the staff of the Richmond Hill Liberal. Newcomer to the Free Press staff is Bob Sutton of New Liskeard, a graduate this year of the School of Journalism at Ryerson. Serving as women’s editor and general reporter for the summer months is Miss Marion Lavigne, a Midland girl who has completed her first year of journalism at Ryerson. 

A number of original land grant deeds, indentures and other old official papers received recently by Fort Penetanguishene Museum provide some interesting reading as well as bringing to light some names apparently long since gone from the scene. A number of the documents, all of which are printed and written on fine old parchment carry dates in the year 1834, when Sir John Colborne was Lieut Governor of Upper Canada. Included in these are the following: Charles Langlade, the Elder, (presumably an ancestor of the Longlades now living in the area) was granted Park Lot 35 on the west side, of Penetanguishene Bay, containing 20 acres. The document was dated April 23, 1834. In the same year, Dedin Revol received a grant for “Lot 18 in the first range on the South side of Water Street in the Village of Penetanguishene. Etienne Frechette of Penetanguishene was granted Park Lot 17 containing 15 acres, and Pierre Rolland received his deed for Park Lot 22. Pierre Lepin, who later had some connection with the present Vimy Inn in Penetanguishene became deeded owner of Park Lot 36. Park Lot 18 went to Antoine Lafrenier in that same year, and Augustin Pricour received Lot 9 in the second range north of Pointz St., in the Village of Penetanguishene. Wm. Simpson, gentleman, a forebear of the man who donated the documents to the Museum, was granted the Northwest ¼ of Lot 8 in Concession 14 of the Township of Tiny. The earliest deed centering around sale of land appeared with a February 1834 date. In this, James Farlinger, for the sum of 25 pounds deeded to Athenis King 100 acres of the West of Lot 14 in Concession 3 of Tay Township. [There are several more, comment if you wish to see them] 

Simcoe County lawyers will no longer be able to complain about lack of space to carry out their searches for deeds, titles and other documents in the old county registry office. They have plenty of space, and modern facilities, in the new office, above, officially opened in Barrie last week. 

This was part of a colorful parade of girl guides of Wendake Division at the Midland-Penetanguishene District High School field, Saturday. The march past proceeded the annual field day, held between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for Midland and Penetanguishene Girl Guides. Good weather prevailed for the Guides’ annual sporting event.

Editorial page photo entitled; “Wind and Waves at Victoria Harbour”. 

Friday was a big day for Hon. E. C. Drury, former Ontario premier and ex-Simcoe County sheriff, when an historic plaque was unveiled in his honor at the Drury homestead, Crown Hill. Dr. Drury, 84, (top picture) is chatting with Rev. A. W. Downer, MPP for Dufferin Simcoe (left) and Dr. W. W. Jury, noted archaeologist. Lower: W. H. Cranston presents Warden John C. McDonald with a replica of a painting of John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. The reproduction was made possible through the interest of Hon. Bryan Cathcart, minister of travel and publicity.