History:
This area began, as did most of Ontario, as a wild and wooded region, best traveled by water.

The first known settler in the Brighton area arrived in 1796; a gentleman named Obediah Simpson.

By 1831 there were 19 official families in the area, as well as a number of unregistered settlers.

By 1851 the population had increased to 500 people and 10 mills in Brighton.

As did most small towns of the area, Brighton reached its peak in population and prosperity between 1830 and 1875. Each of the settler families had their own specialty and their own importance to the community.

Brighton Bay - Port of Newcastle

Since the Port of Newcastle was the only natural harbour on the north shore of Lake Ontario, Presqu'ile was chosen as the District Town of Newcastle in 1800.

The future town was surveyed and government buildings such as a courthouse, jail, headquarters and a tavern were constructed.

The proposed town died with the sinking of the "Speedy" on October 7, 1804

Port of Brighton - Gosport

The Port of Brighton / Gosport had four busy wharfs in 1853. During the shipping season farmers sent grain and lumber to the U.S. Returning ships brought the community manufactured goods and coal.

The shipping industry peaked in the 1869's during the American Civil War but died in 1890 when the McKinley tariff halted trade to the US

Four wharfs were located a the the following present locations:

• Brighton Municipal Dock - 3 Bay St. E.
• Harbourview Marina - 4 Bay St. E.
• Brighton Yacht Club - 70 Price St. E.
• Brighton Municipal Park - 139 Harbour St.

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Our Downtown Core
Although the street-scape of the downtown core has been altered by at least three major fires, many of the buildings date back to the 1870's. Brick used in the construction of the buildings were of local manufacture. The following buildings have changed little during the past 100 years.

• 67 Main St.
  Present home of "Thompson Law Office"
• 22 - 26 Prince Edward St.
  Present home of "A. Camp Law Office"
• 1 Young St.
  Present home of the "Brighton Independent".

60 Maplewood Ave. - 1857 Grand Trunk Railway Station
Present home of "Memory Junction Railway Museum".
Museum features railway memorabilia and items of local historic interest.

Free admission, donation appreciated.
Tel: 1 (613) 475-0379
Web site: www.memoryjunction.netfirms.com

60 Maplewood Ave. - Ford Depot
Presently home of "Whistle Stop Antiques" and is part of Memory Junction Museum. Building was built by the Morrow family as a Ford unloading depot. Ford dealers from Oshawa to Gananoque came here to pick up new Ford automobiles from 1911 to 1920.

6 Monk St. - 1900 un-refridgerated fruit house
Presently "Coles Storage"

4 Monk St. - Butler coal and fruit storage
1899 to 1929
Presently "Coles Storage"

47 Centre St. - 1920 apple cold storage building
Presently home of "Brighton Country Store"
Building was built during the one term of the "United Farmers of Ontario".

Brighton Canning Company
The company was opened in 1898 and would eventual become a "Canadian Canners" complex. Although the main plant burnt down in 1947, several buildings listed below still exist.

• 25 Richardson St.
  Present home of "Renegade Sale"s
  Originally built as an office for Sam Nesbitt. In later years it became a labeling facility and Canadian Canners office
• 52 - 58 Division St.
  It operated as an apple evaporator from 1900 to 1929. It was also were active during both world wars.
• 11 Richardson St.
  A Blacksmiths shop was operated at this location from 1939 to 1958
• 211 Prince Edward St. - Built by the Butler Family in 1848
  Present home of "Gordon Tobey Developments"
  A mill pond and factory were located across the road along Butler Creek

143 Main St. - 1850 Methodist Church
Presently the home of "Antique Warehouse"
It also operated as a Baptist Church from 1939 to 1958

137 Main St. - Store, 1853 to 1900

130 Main St. - 1880 Stage Coach stop
Present home of "Walas Funeral Home".

20 Platt St. - Sanford Gardens
Built by lumber baron Platt and finally completed in 1895 by Dr Sanford.

96 Main St. - 1840 revival style home
Present home of "Apple Manor Bed and Breakfast"

79 Main St. - 1903 Victorian House.
Present home of "Mickey's Homemade Ice Cream Parlor".

78 Main St. - 1840 Victorian Cottage
Present home of the"Gallery of Fine Arts".

14 Division St. - 1872 Victorian House
Present home of "The Gables"

96 Young St. - Proctor House
Presently "Proctor House Museum" and "Proctor-Simpson Barn Theater".
1867 Victoria mansion and barn built for the Proctor family. Situated on 100 acres of parkland the house is a living museum that reflects the lifestyle of the prosperous family

Open daily from June to August.
Tel: 1 (613) 475-2144
E-mail: proctorhousemuseum@sympatico.ca
Web site: www3.sympatico.ca/proctorhousemuseum

County Rd. 30
The high banks along Hwy 30 were shaped by glaciers when melting water from the massive ice fields cut a path through the landscape seeking an outlet to Lake Iroquois, 10,000 years ago.

202 County Rd 30 - 1905 Victorian Home
Previously "Butler Creek Inn",
now privately owned by the Piller family.

79 Killbank Lodge Rd. - Wades School
S.S. # 8 1967 to 1964.
Presently "Scout Hall".

1621 County Rd 30 - Cedar Creek Cheese Factory
Operated between 1899 and 1955

193 Guertin Rd. - 1852 Farm House.
Presently home of "Break Away Antiques"
Farmhouse was built on location after the "Little Lake: burst its banks and disappeared. The 1926 hipped-roof barn is open during the summer by chance or appointment.

2381 County Rd. 30 - Grist Mill 
Present home of "Country Past"
The original mill was built in 1838 and was located on Butler Creek northwest of this location. It burned down and was rebuilt in 1848. It is believed that it was dismantled and floated to the present location around 1853 when a new gravel road was constructed. The business closed in the 1980's.

2949 County Rd 30 - Codrington Catholic School
Presently "Yorkspan Antiques".
Operated between 1918 and 1950's

3006 County Rd. 30 - Codrington Public School
S.S. # 15. Operated between 1886 and 1966

3061 County Rd. - 1840 General Store
Presently "The Country Shop"
On the journey south to the Brighton Railway Station, the Campbellford horse-drawn stage would stop here six days per week to pick up passengers and outgoing mail. On the way back they would drop of passengers and pick up mail. The stage was replaced in 1934 with a daily buss service.

3087 County Rd. 30
20 - 23 precise replicas of past structures.
Lens Jackson's Hand Crafted Village
Visitors are asked to knock at front door prior to touring village.

70 Bayshore - Presqu'ile Hotel
Presently, Brighton Municipal Dock
The hotel operated between 1905 and 1972, and was the heart of the summer life for the entire area. All that remains of the Presqu'ile Hotel complex is the "Brighton Municipal Dock" which was built in 1939 by the Federal Government.

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Brighton, where the past greets the future.
Experience the history of Brighton which runs each
year starting on the long weekend in August

Whether you are a resident or a visitor, plan to
participate in one or more of the weeks events.

Bus and walking tours

Contact Bonnie Brown for more information.
Tel: 1-613-475-0915

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Memory Junction Museum

Railroad museum and local historical displays. The museum is located an original 1857 "Grand Trunk Railway" station. Static displays include one of three remaining N-4 class locomotives, a number of box
cars and caboose's, a velocipede and numerous displays of railway memorabilia.

Open 5 days per week, May 24 to mid October.
Closed Tuesdays and Fridays.
Free admission, donations appreciated

60 Maplewood Ave,
P.0. Box 284,
Brighton, ON
K0K 1H0

Tel: 1-613-475-0379
E-mail re.bangay@sympatico.ca
Web site: www.memoryjunction.netfirms.com

Proctor House Museum (SOHO)

19th Century mansion at Proctor Park. The house was originally called "Millbank" and was built in the Italian style with beautiful bay windows, cornice moldings, high ceilings, ruby flash-glass over the entrance, circular staircase and a belvedere (cupola)

The house remained in the Proctors family's ownership until 1960 when the last Proctor to live in the house died. In 1970 the badly deteriorated property was given to the community and in 1972 it was saved from demolition by the local "Save our Heritage Organization". SOHO have restored and furnished the building
to represent the period of 1840 to 1899.

The grounds of Proctor House are now a 37 hectare conservation area and also feature the Proctor-Simpson Barn theater and agricultural museum.

Open daily from July and August
Hours 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Weekends 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Open for special events such a Applefest and Christmas

P.O. Box 578, 96 Young St.
Brighton, ON
K0K 1HO

Tel: 1-613-475-2144
E-mail: proctorhousemuseum@sympatico.ca
Web site: www3.sympatico.ca/proctorhousemuseum

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