A Brief History of Cheltenham


 
 

Founded in 1822, the village of Cheltenham has a long and varied history. Originally a mill town, the area has gone through numerous changes in the intervening 160 years. Below is a thumbnail sketch of some of the more memorable occurances in the town's history.
 
 


Looking west along Mill Street, circa 1880.


 
 
1822 Charles Haines receives the areas first Crown land grant 
1827 log construction grist mill built and operated by C. Haines 
1845 First tavern opened by C. Spence 
1847 new grist mill to replace the old 
1847 new sawmill built by E. Haines 
1848 William Henry builds the second tavern. Two distilleries in operation, one provides Cheltenham Wheat Whiskey 
1853 3 hotels 
    1 Henry’s, run by William Henry replacing his tavern 
    2 The North American, run by William Allan 
    3 The Saville, run by John Saville 
1850s boom in wheat exports caused by the Crimean war 
1865 population of ~250 
1860s second boom in wheat exports caused by the American Civil war 
1871 brick school built to replace wood building 
1874 Hamilton and Northwestern Railway, soon to become the Grand Trunk, arrives 
1877 Credit Valley Railway provides Cheltenham with a second depot 
1877 population up to ~350 
1886 the ‘big’ fire, the main business area of wood buildings is levelled including Henry’s Hotel 
1887 general store and brick house built by Fred Haines. New hotel built by William Henry 
1900 Beaver Hall built with a tile business in the back. Operated by E. Harris 
1910 North Chingacousy Telephone Company installs lines and a switchboard 
1914 Interprovincial Brick Company opens the brick yards on Mississauga Rd. 
1917 Frank Lyons trades a team of horses for a Chevrolet 
1927 electricity arrives from the Cataract generating station 
1928 A.K. House tears down the wooden Harris store and starts a tourist development called Ferndale Park 
1948 the grist mill burns down. Miller Bill Townsend retires 
1958 brickyards close 
1974 the new Town of Caledon, encompassing Cheltenham, is formed with the creation of the Region of Peel 
1993 Brampton Brick reopens the brick yards for shale extraction 
1996 municipal water comes to Cheltenham 


The Farmers Bank, now the Cheltenham General Store, circa 1900
 

Thanks to Ms. Heather Broadbent, Heritage Officer, Town of Caledon, for her support.
 

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