We have two streets named after federal administrators from way back when.
Each week, we speak with Milton Historical Society (MHS) President John Challinor II to gather information and details about the namesakes of our roads. If you weren’t aware, he and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, writing Milton Streets back in 2007.
Recently, we covered Chretien Street and Gosford Crescent. This week, we’re looking at Bond Head Court and Dalhousie Gate.
Starting alphabetically with Bond Head, Challinor notes the interesting name comes from a former Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada.
He adds that while Sir Francis Bond Head struggled with the rebellion, the rebellion itself also struggled. He proved to be a lose-lose situation on both sides, and eventually came to an end.
Some may be wondering what kind of connection a former former Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada may have with Milton. Well, back in the 1990s, the decision was made by the Town to not just honour locals with street names, but also recognize provincial and national figures, such as Prime Ministers, Premiers and Governor Generals. This is how we have street names like Trudeau Drive and Laurier Avenue.
Another person who qualifies under that federal banner is the namesake for Dalhousie Gate, who does have a slight connection to Milton.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets are named, you should check out the book written by Challinor and Dills. Published by the Milton Historical Society back in 2007, it sold out in about six weeks and has since been long out of print. That said, according to Challinor, you can still find a copy at the Milton Public Library. With nearly 15-years having passed since the initial publication, and the extensive town growth in that time, an updated book is likely to come.
You can also take a walk with the late Jim Dills down Milton’s Main Street in 2002.
If you have a suggestion on what you’d like to learn about next week, let us know! We’re currently working on names that we find interesting. You can message our Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram page, or even email us at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that we find interesting.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
