Centennial Park

The above photo shows the Uxbridge Trans Canada Trail Pavilion located in Centennial Park. The Pavilion lists the individuals that played a crucial role in creating The Great Trail of Canada. The Trail now stretches over 27,000 kilometres, connecting the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans.

Centennial Park is located in downtown Uxbridge behind the township office and the stores on Brock Street. The Great Canadian Trail and the Uxbridge Historic Trail pass through the pavilion located in the park. In the 1800’s this area looked very different.  Back then the area was covered by Wheler’s Pond (seen below)

_{The following photos courtesy of Uxbridge The Good Old Days and Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten}

This photo is believed to be take from the Anglican Church bell tower in the late 1800s and shows Wheler’s Pond and downtown.  Of note in the photo, you can see the home of Joseph Gould on Main Street in the lower right.  This stately residence was torn down in 1961-62 to provide a playground for the newly constructed St. Josephs Catholic School (now the site of the Uxbridge Township Office).  Read more about the Uxbridge Township Office/St. Joseph Catholic School

In the middle of the photo near the top you can see the Trinity United Church, which was torn down in 2022 after it was hit by a tornado earlier that year. On the left side of the photo you can see the Bell Tower located behind the Library.

This aerial view taken in the early 1900s shows the pond viewed over the corner of Toronto Street and Brock Street.  This photo also shows a number of historical buildings, some of which are long gone.  In the middle of the photo you can see the The Joseph Gould Institute (Uxbridge Public Library) and the Bell Tower. To the right of the Library site is the Mansion House Hotel (torn down in 1963) with the stables behind it.  Beside the Library you see the Jones Hardware building (taken down in the late 1940s) and across the street is the Market Hall (torn down in 1955).

Looking across Wheler’s Pond South East behind the Library.

This rare photo shows the bell tower from behind from the bridge at the north end of Whelers Pond.

Behind the bell tower you can see the stables at the Mansion House Hotel. 

Courtesy of Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten

The above photo shows Wheler’s Pond looking to the south west.  Up on the hill you can see the home of Joseph Gould and the Anglican Church on Main Street. The photo below shows the area today taken from a similar vantage point.  The Medical Centre on Toronto Street now hides the view.  

In the late 1940s the pond was no longer needed for water power, and was reverted to being a creek.  The pond bottom for many years became the town’s dump.  As a Centennial project in 1967, the former pond site and dump became Centennial Park. 

The photo below shows the dump in 1957.  

The area today is now made up of Centennial Park and a Municipal Parking Lot.

Photos courtesy of Uxbridge The Good Old Days and Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten

Source: Uxbridge The Good Old Days and Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten and http://www.DiscoverUxbridge.ca

Isaac J. Gould Oatmeal Kiln

You can see the Kiln, which is still standing today, to the left of the mill in the above photo. Photo from: Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten.

The Isaac J. Gould Oatmeal Kiln was used to power the Oatmeal Mill that was built by Isaac J. Gould on the north shore of Elgin Pond (then known as Park Pond).  You can see the Kiln, which is still standing today, to the left of the mill in the above photo. The mill was built in 1887 on the former site or Joseph Gould’s woollen and saw mill which was destroyed by fire 1886.  The mill was briefly operated as a woollen and saw mill before it was converted to grind oats.   In the mid 1950s the mill was condemned and collapsed in 1957.

The following two photos show the Kiln as it appears today.  It has been converted to a home.

The Oatmeal Kiln December 2021

The Oatmeal Kiln December 2021

The Oatmeal Mill and Kiln on the north side of Elgin Pond (Park Pond).  Photo from: Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten.

The Oatmeal Mill and Kiln seen from Bascom Street – Photo courtesy of Gary Ledrew.

The Oatmeal Mill and Kiln seen from Elgin Pond – Photo courtesy and coloured by Gary Ledrew.

Learn more about the Oatmeal Mill, the Kiln and Elgin Pond in our Uxbridge History Blog.

Photo Credits:

Uxbridge The First 100 Years by: J. Peter Hvidsten

Gary Ledrew