Photo: Town of Milton
It’s Street Name Monday!
On a weekly basis, we speak with Milton Historical Society 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 focused on Limestone Road and Quarry Crescent. This week, we’re covering Keyworth Crescent and Smokey Hollow Boulevard.
Starting alphabetically with Keyworth, Challinor says the namesake was a prominent figure in the community, and was known for his work with local organizations.
Challinor recalls Keyworth’s fantastic speaking voice and presence, most notably his British accent. He says would’ve been perfect for the radio in another life.
Keyworth passed away in 1994 after a battle with cancer.
Our second street this week is Smokey Hollow Boulevard. Challinor says it’s an old name for a local area, once home to Milton Mayor Gord Krantz.
The name comes from the level of industry that filled the area back in the 1800s, causing an occasional smoky appearance.
Also known as Terracotta, the name is similar to a hamlet just outside of Halton. Challinor says the connection is a coincidence, with the word meaning “Brownish-Red Brick,” which is frequently found in both areas.
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.
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 X account or 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 (Milton)
- News1015@LocalRadio.ca (Orangeville)
- News92@LocalRadio.ca (South Simcoe)
- Rick.Sargent@LocalRadio.ca (Bolton)
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.
