Glencoe & District Historical Society
Preservation of Local Heritage
1) Burns Presbyterian Church
- Location: 24493 Dundonald Rd, West of Glencoe. Large cemetery is across the road.
Founded by 12 families in 1835, the first church was eventually replaced in 1891 with the present building and equipped with its first organ in 1899.
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2) Oil Field In Mosa Township
- Location: 3045 Oil Field Drive between Pratt Siding and Airport Rd, just south of a deep gulley.
The first oil lease was registered in 1916 with more finds on the way. Production ran from 100 to 325 barrels per day until oil dwindled in the 50's and 60's.
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3) Shields Siding Store
- Location: 24251 Pratt Siding Rd, near intersection of Shields Siding Rd.
Located at the former rail crossing of the Grand Trunk Railway and Pratt's Siding Road, the general store was built prior to 1920 and closed after 1971 due to a fire.
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4) Cashmere Formerly Canton
- Location: 600 Longwoods Road, West of Wardsville.
In 1834 William Gardiner inherited his father's grist and sawmills. He developed a village on the flats over 20 years. A flood in 1876 devastated the village.
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5) Strathburn
- Location: Southeast Corner of Longwoods Road and Dundonald Road, Southeast of Glencoe.
A broadcast station was installed here in 1930. The site was later converted to a meteorological station and an enemy radio monitoring facility during World War II.
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6) Wardsville
- Location: 1782 Longwoods Road. North corner at intersection with Hagerty Rd.
Settlers comprised those who arrived by ship at Port Glasgow, walked inland and crossed the turbulent Thames River where some drowned. A bridge was built in 1850.
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7) Middlemiss
- Location: Middlemiss Ave (Main Street), Village of Middlemiss. Close to intersection with Melbourne Road (aka Iona Rd, Hwy9). Beside an empty lot approx. 300 feet from the intersection.
In 1872 the Grand Trunk Railway line ran adjacent to the property where George Middlemiss had built grist and sawmills. It became a centre for shipping.
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8) Melbourne "The Split Village"
- Location: 6547 Longwoods Road, below the water tower.
Originally a post office site, Melbourne began with a tavern and mercantile in 1827. By 1858 buildings extended into the neighbouring township.
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9) North Ekfrid
- Location: 6110 Olde Drive, near intersection of Springfield Rd. The sign is located to the left of the church.
Surveyed in 1820 as part of the District of Upper Canada, this was a vibrant community and was a stopover on the Wells Fargo stagecoach route.
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10) Appin
- Location: 48 Wellington Ave, Appin, Northeast of Glencoe. In front of the Ekfrid Community Centre.
Immigrants began settling from 1853-56 with the coming of the railroad between Windsor and Toronto. The local timber industry exported lumber to France and the West Indies.
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11) Mayfair
- Location: 5637 Longwoods Road at Mayfair Road. Sign is located to the left of the church.
In 1888 Mayfair boasted a population of fifty residents and several enterprising industries. The Mayfair Mansion and the Miller Tavern are the only remaining landmarks.
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12) Glencoe Post Office
- Location: 250 Main Street Glencoe, at current post office.
In 1909 a magnificent post office was built and was used as a postal station, customs house and armoury, until demolished in 1965 for the construction of a new building.
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13) Glencoe Town Hall
- Location: 153 McKellar Street, Glencoe. In front of current municipal office building.
The original town hall, constructed in 1871, housed the municipal government and the home of the Masonic Lodge. In 1962 a new hall and fire station were built.
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14) Grand Trunk and Wabash Train Station
- Location: Southwest corner of Main Street and McRae, Glencoe.
Built in 1904, decorated with corbos to support the large overhanging roof line, this station has been beautifully restored to its original state.
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15) Village of Glencoe (1856) formerly Known As "Dundonald" (1853)
- Location: Southwest corner of Main Street and McRae, Glencoe.
The first train stopped at Dundonald in 1854. The name changed to Glencoe and the town was incorporated in 1873.
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16) Glen Hall
- Location: 3600 Concession Street, Southwest of Glencoe. Across from the High School.
This substantial Georgian red-brick home was built in 1854 for Angus Peter McDonald, member of the Provincial Parliament. A grove of trees was planted east of the house.
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17) Macksville
- Location: 23610 Thames Road, Northwest of Appin. Slightly Northwest of the intersection with Olde Drive.
The community was named after two residing families, the McAlpines and McIntyres. The general store served as a social centre for the community. The school was closed in 1969.
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18) Peter McArthur: The Sage of Ekfrid
- Location: Small roadside park on Longwoods Road between Melbourne and Strathburn
Born in 1866, "Canada's philosopher on rural life" Peter McArthur was a freelance writer and public speaker. The Strathroy Library holds several of his works.
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19) Strathburn Airport
- Location: Intersection of Old Airport Rd and Longwoods Rd. *Note: The sign will be installed spring 2011.
In 1928 a landing strip was developed. Soldiers from Canada and England received flight training in Tiger Moth and Harvard airplanes during World War II.
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20) German POW and Japanese Internee Camp
- Location: 138 Mill Street, Glencoe. The sign is located behind the arena beside the picnic shelter.
During World War II, 200 German POW were held here. In 1942 Japanese-Canadian evacuees were interred.
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Acknowledgements:
The Middlesex County Heritage Trail is an effort by the CFDC, and information has been published on this page with permission. Historical information was provided to the CFDC by local historians. Within Southwest Middlesex information was provided by the following historians: H. Carruthers, L Munro, K Willis.
Copyright © 2011 Glencoe & District Historical Society. All rights reserved.
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