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Mike Johnston ·
These two stone commercial buildings on the south side of Queen's Square are collectively known as Hume's Block. They are the oldest surviving buildings in the square, outlasting landmarks like Scott's Opera House and the Queen's Hotel. The one on the right, with its unique 3rd storey balcony,was built for Richard Irwin in 1837, whose grocery store ended Absalom Shade's retail monopoly in the burgeoning town of Galt. It was later purchased by …
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Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame
Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame ·
This is a historic week for Galt fastball history. Let's start with 1962.
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Wayne Conrad Serbu
Wayne Conrad Serbu ·
Downtown Preston Cambridge still has a historic charm today. Many of the King Street century structures are still occupied today.
Preston still has lots of historic buildings on King Street street.
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John Short
John Short ·
Flash from the Past: Spring horse show was a favourite Galt event For a dozen or so years beginning in 1901, lovers of all things equestrian gathered in late spring for the Galt Horse Show at Dickson Park, situated in the heart of today’s Cambridge. Those annual gatherings ended shortly before the First World War, but the show was revived in 1946, soon after the Second World War concluded.
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
A young, Scottish-born Adam Warnock arrived in Galt with his family in 1835. As an adult, he partnered in a number of local businesses, including some textile mills. In 1881, Adam and a group of businesses partners, known as "The Syndicate" purchased a mill building (dating to the early 1840's) situated on the east bank of the Grand River and overtop of Mill Creek. There, they began the Galt Knitting Company. Warnock was president of the …
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Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame
Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame ·
The only Canadian born Heavyweight Boxing Champion was born 144 years ago today in Hanover. Noah Brusso grew up in Preston and Hespeler, worked at Clare Foundry and Brodie Woollen Mills, played soccer and lacrosse and as a 14 year old in 1885 finished 3rd in the Ontario Skating Championships. He won a Jr. National Lacrosse Championship with Galt in 1898. He began his boxing career in Detroit in 1900 where he changed his name to Tommy Burns so …
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
DID YOU KNOW the first Main Street bridge was constructed by town founder Absalom Shade in 1819? The current concrete bowstring bridge was built in 1931 as a Depression-era works project, and is one of four similar bridges built to span the Grand River around that time.
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
The Granite Block is a stretch of well-preserved mid-19th century stone commercial buildings on the south side of Main Street. The first section of the block was built in 1851 and shortly afterwards survived a huge fire that destroyed its remaining early-1800s wood frame neighbours. After the fire, the remaining portions of the block were completed by 1862. The 4-storey section (4th storey added decades later) was home to Walker's, an early …
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Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame
Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame ·
Ninety-nine years ago today horse jumping legend Lorne Siegle was born in Hespeler, Ontario. After attending Hespeler Public School Lorne began riding as a teenager in Guelph and soon made a career out of training horses and show jumping. By the late 1940s he was dominating the show ring and as a member of the Canadian Equestrian Team he became one of the best riders in the world and is credited with bringing show jumping into the mainstream. He …
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John Short
John Short ·
Old Opera House Queens square
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Andrew Stuetz
Andrew Stuetz ·
Let's face it, we'd be lost without this local architecture buff guiding us along through Cambridge's illustrious history! — Meet Mike Johnston, one of your Cambridge memories hosts! 📸
www.cambridgetoday.ca
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
One of the most visually appealing buildings in Cambridge, the Osbourne Block dates to 1895. It was built by Galt businessman and town councilor William Osbourne, whose operations included an oatmeal mill, tannery and grocery store.
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
DID YOU KNOW that when it opened in 1922, the Galt Arena Gardens featured a natural ice surface? Vents along the base of each wall were kept open during the winter months to allow cold air to circulate inside and keep the ice frozen. Artificial ice equipment was only installed 7 years later, in 1929, after the city of Galt took over the arena, which had been built privately.
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John Short
John Short ·
just a few years ago at the four corners as we called it
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
'Heritage tells a story;' Stroll Walking Tours owner wins Waterloo region award
www.cambridgetoday.ca
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
The former Galt Public Library - this beaux-arts beauty was built around 1903, helped by a grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. It was designed by Galt architect Fred Mellish, whose many local works included the old Galt Hospital & the Galt Fire Hall along with a number of residences. The Library was closed in 1967 when it's modernist replacement was built across the Grand River in Queen's Square.
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Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame
Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame ·
On this date in Cambridge history 159 years ago one of Galt’s foremost sportsman and community leaders was born. Dr. Harry F. MacKendrick attended Galt Central School and Galt Grammar School (GCI) and the University of Toronto. He played on the Canadian Soccer Team that won a U.S. Football Championship but it was on the Grand river where he established himself as a world champion. In 1886 he won the U.S. Singles Canoe Championship and in 1888 he …
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
Still lamenting the loss of the 160-year-old Peter Hay Knife building, an unfortunate victim of arson. Worried about its future, I took this photo after it was damaged by a small blaze in 2024, not knowing it would be the last time I would see it standing. It was, until it's demise, one of Cambridge's oldest surviving early industrial buildings.
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MK
Michael Krupp ·
Do you think William Dickson spoke French? Most likely, he did. When he first came to Canada, he resided and worked in the Montreal and Kingston area. The work he did from age fifteen to age twenty was selling provisions to Fur traders many of whom spoke French. Just living in Montreal would require some fluency. But the most telling evidence that may prove this matter is a book presumably owned by Dickson and residing in the Cambridge Archives …
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Wayne Conrad Serbu
Wayne Conrad Serbu ·
As a kid growing up in Hespeler this Water Tower was something we all remember.
Did you climb to the top?
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
Ferguson cottage is a single-storey Scottish-style home built along the west bank of the Grand River. It was built for blacksmith William Ferguson around 1837, making it one of the oldest buildings in Cambridge. Now owned by the City of Cambridge, the cottage has been home to the Galt Horticultural Society since 1981.
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
The Galt Armoury, officially named the Col. J.A. McIntosh DSO ED Armoury, was built in 1914 for the 29th Waterloo County Regiment and is the current home of the Highland Fuseliers of Canada. McIntosh was Galt's postmaster for 32 years and served in both World Wars. The Armoury, one of 60 built throughout Canada between 1911 and 1915, stands on the former site of the historic Dumfries Mill, which was a flour mill constructed by town founder …
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Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame
Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame ·
On this day in 1897 Clarence “Dolly” Dolson was born in Hespeler. He moved to Galt 6 years later. Dolly played 93 games for the Detroit Red Wings from 1928-31 when they were called the Detroit Falcons and he still holds the Red Wing record for the all-time lowest goals against average (1.98). Clarence played junior hockey for Galt when they won the OHA Jr. Northern Hockey league title in 1914-15. He also was a catcher for the Galt Terrier …
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MJ
Mike Johnston ·
Galt Jazz on Main Street - this Sunday!
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MK
Michael Krupp ·
Here is a fun fact. Some people will know that Philip Stedman was the first person to purchase Block One of the Haldimand Tract, buying it from Joseph Brant and the Six Nations Confederacy. But what you may not know is that in correspondence (available at the Cambridge Archives) Stedman often referred to his purchase as Stedman Manor. Had he lived to develop and settle the land it would probably be known today as North Stedman Township.
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