27
Another historic home related to Appleton's woollen mills is the "Jack Collie" home. Built in 1946-47, by newlyweds Jack Collie and Isobel (Meabry) Collie the home looked out across the Mississippi River towards the Collie Woollen Mill. Jack worked for his father at the Collie Woollen Mills in Appleton and later moved to New Brunswick where he managed an associated mill.The home still has its striking appearance with its tower facing out onto the Mississippi River and looks towards the ruins of the Woollen Mills.
28
Former Jack Collie Residence13 November 2012
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.91.93)
Photographer: Sarah Bennett
29
Home of Jack and Isobel Collie, 19471947
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.49.9)
Donated by Isobel (Meabry) Collie in memory of her husband, John D (Jack) Collie, and his family.
30
Construction of Collie home 1946-19471946-1947
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.49.1.90)
Donated by Isobel (Meabry) Collie in memory of her husband, John D (Jack) Collie, and his family.
31
Appleton once had a cheese factory where local farmers brought their fresh milk, where children stopped for a quick snack of fresh curds and where cheddar cheese was made. The Appleton Boat Launch now sits where the cheese factory was.The Appleton Cheese Factory was in operation by at least 1899. Much of the history of the Cheese Factory is recorded in several ledgers now in North Lanark Regional Museum Collection. These ledgers provide a record of all the local farmers who brought milk to the factory from 1918 to 1945. Each time a farmer brought milk it was weighed and recorded in the ledgers. At the end of the week the weights were tallied up and the farmer was paid.
By the late 1920s the Appleton Cheese Factory had joined the much larger company known as The Producers Dairy Limited of Ottawa which included factories in Almonte, Shawville, Hull and Ottawa that produced butter, cheese, milk and cream.
As mechanization and the automobile increased in popularity, many local cheese factories were consolidated into larger industrial plants. The Appleton Cheese Factory was no longer in operation by the early-1950s with local milk going to other factories to be processed.
32
Appleton Boat launch & private shed. The shed is built on the foundations of the old Cheese Factory.13 November 2012
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.91.92)
Photographer: Bennett, Sarah
33
Appleton Cheese Factory Ledger from 19181918
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum 2012.4.102
34
Original Site of Appleton Community Hall, now holds Seating in Memory of Brian Cole (1990-2003)13 November 2012
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.91.58)
Photographer: Sarah Bennett
35
Just a short walk away from the Appleton Boat Launch one comes across a cement table and chairs looking out on the Mississippi River. This quiet retreat was constructed in memory of Brian Cole (Sept. 02 1990 to Jan 10, 2003) Grandson of Delbert & Vera Cole, Appleton Village, by the Appleton Community Association and Friends.Several community hall buildings stood at this location over the years. The community hall was an important part of Appleton's social life. The hall was host to 4-H meetings, films, dances, junior farmers, women's institute, and school plays among other things. The community hall also held the WWII Honor Roll which commemorated all those who had served and those who had died from Appleton during WWII.
Currently Appleton doesn't have a community hall but many events are still held within the community either outside, at a local residence or at the North Lanark Regional Museum. Residents of Appleton also have access to community resources in the Town of Mississippi Mills and Carleton Place.
36
The Community Hall in AppletonEarly 20th Century
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.88.13)
Donated by Communications Canada, Government of Canada
37
The blacksmith was always an important person in Appleton. Providing tools, hardware and shoeing horses for the village. In 1857 there were two blacksmiths in Appleton: Mr. Martin Manho and Mr. M. Sullivan. In 1871 the blacksmiths were Mr. Thomas McNeely and Mr. Michael Sullivan. In 1885 John Beatty was the village blacksmith.During the 20th century the last blacksmith in Appleton was Andy Gladish. Mr. Gladish's first blacksmith shop was in an old building on the East side of the river next to the red brick general store. The site is now an empty green space. Nails and metal scraps can still be found buried in the ground.
In the 1940s Andy Gladish and his sons built a much larger shop down the road with two apartments above it. Andy operated his shop on the main level and lived in one of the two apartments above. The current owners proudly display an anvil at the front of the house to commemorate the building's heritage.
38
Site of original Gladish Blacksmith Shop13 November 2012
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.91.57)
Photographer: Sarah Bennett
39
Blacksmith Shop Built 1946-1947 by Andrew Gladish and sons Jack and Max13 November 2012
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.91.31)
Photographer: Sarah Bennett
40
The history of Appleton's hotels in not well documented. It appears that Appleton had at least two hotels on the East side of the River. One was opposite the cheese factory and the other was opposite the general store. The hotels provided a place for the mill owners to entertain salesmen, a place for travellers to sleep, and served as the local watering hole.In his book, Historical Sketches of Appleton, Jack Brown makes several mentions of Appleton hotels included:
In 1871 a Mr. Michael Brennan was Appleton's hotel keeper.
In 1897 Mr. Baker changed the name of his hotel from Appleton House to Bay View House.
In 1904 Mr. Thomas C. Arthur sold the hotel to a Mr. Wellington Spearman.
Divided down the centre by the Mississippi River, the community of Appleton has always depended on a bridge to fully connect the community. Over the years a variety of bridges have been constructed in Appleton.
In 1899 tragedy struck when the bridge gave way and killed two men. By 1900 a new bridge had been constructed and was in use. Appleton's current bridge was built in the 1950s and is almost unanimously considered an eyesore among the local residents.
 |
 |
 |
 |