Thompson Grist and Flour Mill
In the year 1878, a mill hearing engine and boiler was moved to this Lynden mill from Troy. Over the years the mill had sections added on to the original structure, a four storey section added in 1922. Production during that time was 140 barrels of flour and 15 tons of chop daily, with about 15 men being employed on a twenty-four hour cycle. Originally owned and operated by Robert Thompson, and later by other members of the Thompson family, the mill business was sold in 1949 to the Lynden and District Co-operative. At one time flour was made at this mill and was shipped to Scotland and the West Indies as well as supplying Ontario and Quebec markets.
Thompson's Block
Where an empty parking lot is now once stood a brick building, known as Thompson's Block as it was built in 1881 by Robert Thompson Senior. This building had many tenants over the years. To name a few, a harness shop, general stores, Bank of Toronto, Royal Bank of Canada, a dental office, and an auction house conducted their business out of the Thompson Block. The upper floor was used as a meeting hall by various groups and the local Presbyterian congregation from 1884, until eventually becoming residental rental units. Plans to renovate and transform the building into a restaurant in the 1980s were never fulfilled, as the premises were destroyed by fire 27 January, 1981.
Robertson's General Store
This corner property had originally been purchased by James E. Orr in 1863. A year later, with little if any development taking place, he sold it to his brother Wesley F. By 1865, James repurchased the lot and erected a frame store where he acted as merchant. A general store and post office were located here until a sales agreement was made with Schuyler Teeple in 1872. The building was added to and converted to a hotel. The hotel was sold c.1874 to the Elliott family, who resold it to James Patterson April of 1874.Under Patterson's proprietorship, the hotel became known as the Union Hotel, until it was burned to the ground in the great Lynden fire of October 1877. Despite the fact that James had been uninsured, a new frame hotel was constructed on the site by the new year. By December of 1880 the property was being offered for sale by public auction, to be held at those premises in January of 1881. It was described as a three storey structure operating under the name Maple Leaf Hotel. It was purchased by John Pitton, who was keeping a hotel in Troy, Ontario.The hotel stayed in the Pitton family, passing on to John's son Nelson in late 1888, until July 1891, when it was sold to James Chambers of Caledon East. It went back to Nelson Pitton in 1894, who then sublet the premises. Pitton moved to Welland, and the hotel came under the ownership of Thomas Kivell in 1898.The old hotel was then used as a boarding house and Masonic Hall. Come September of 1906, the property was purchased by George Pririe, who had the lower floor reworked into a grocery store kown as the Maple Leaf Store. This grocery store served Lynden under various ownership until sold to Donald G. and Lillie Sutherland in 1923.The Sutherlands kept a grocery store supplying the community with various goods. The post office was conducted out of this store from 1923 until relocated to the new location in 1973. Just a couple years later John B. and Agnes Robertson purchased the business and property, commencing a 35 year storekeeping tradition that terminated with John's death in 1960. Agnes sold the property to her son Donald, who carried on the business until selling it in 1964. The old frame store was removed in 1962, replaced by the present day cement block building.
Robbin's Bakery and General Store
Purchased in 1862 by Horatio Nelson Elliott, little development occurred on this lot until John McDonal opened an inn or saloon here in 1866-67. The property changed hands a few times, all while operating as a general store.By 1880, Paul Smith had a tinsmith shop in part of the building, while the remainder was a harness shop run by Henry Rous. Henry would move his shop to the Thompson Block in 1881, leaving Paul to take over the entire building. Wesley Vansickle was operating a butcher shop in this space by assessment time in 1884. By 1887, Charles Partridge took possession and was a shoemaker on the premises, until Rinear Hanes moved the post office here late in the next year. The property was sold at public auction April 1889, however Rinear remained there with his retail business and post office until April of 1894.Eventually the property came under the ownership of Asahel and Mary Robbins on March 28, 1901. They revived the old store, adding in a bake oven. Asahel ran the bakery until his death in 1915 at the age of 56, when his son William Ashel assumed control. Mary ran the grocery, bringing her daughters Lillie and Margaret Pearl into the business when they became old enough. The old frame structure was dismantled in 1928, and by November of that year they moved into a new brick bakery, store and dwelling. This structure burned down in 1939, with a new brick house and bakery being built on the opposite side of Main St. (now Lynden Rd.) in 1940. The bakery business continued until 1967, when William retired. The old Robbins' bakery sat idle for years, but by the 70s was used by Amos Kitchen as an auction facility.
Doherty's Blacksmith Shop
The former site of Doherty's blacksmith shop, set close to the road and constructed of brick. Note the board sidewalks in the accompanying photo, and many homes in the background still stand today.Lynden, like many other settlements, had a number of blacksmiths over the years. Before widespread industrialization, blacksmiths would make everything from horseshoes to nails and repaired tools and farm implements. An earlier frame shop at this location served both the blacksmith's need for space as well as several wagonmakers who sublet part of it.In May of 1886, Samuel Doherty bought the property from Nathan Vansickle for $500. By 1894 he had the frame structure removed, and built a new brick blacksmith shop. When Doherty and his family decided to relocate to London in 1912 after years of service to the community, the citizens of Lynden showed their appreciation by presenting them with a silver service.A few blacksmiths filled the position after Doherty left, and the property was purchased by Edgar Krouse in 1920. He had learned blacksmithing and the mechanical trade as an apprentice at his father's shop in Copetown. Shortly after coming to Lynden, Edgar discontinued blacksmithing, as he preferred repair work on the increasingly popular automobiles and trucks. His business, known as the Central Garage, would operate at this location for the next forty-five years. He served as Lynden's fire chief for most of that time, and was also a skilled rifleman, acting as the president of the Hamilton Gun Club in 1938.After Krouse's retirement, the property was sold a few times. The doors were altered in the late 1980s to accomodate larger vehicles. The brick shop was demolished in 2001.
Three Gables Snack Bar
Around 1939, Thomas Poulton bought a barn on lot 23 east of Main St., and had it moved to the north end of his property. Hardware and farm equipment were sold from the location for a few years. By 1948, Helen Walker and her daughter Hope had refitted the store into the Three Gables Snack Bar, which continued until 1952. It was purchased shortly after, but after the new owner passed away the location stopped being a commercial outlet. The building was torn down c. 2019.
Barrett's Wagon Shop
Born in England on September 30, 1830, William Barrett seems to have apprentinced to the wagonmaker's trade while there. He purchased this lot in 1862, when at the time Orpheus Street still connected with Main Street (now Lynden Road). By 1863, Barrett had built a frame house and a wagon shop and was conducting his trade in Lynden, while during his non-productive times with regards to wagon-making he performed carpentry work. His annual lumber use was 5,000 board feet, which manufactured wagons, sleighs, and harrows. Repairs of the same were also done.William died unexpectedly at the age of 45 in 1974. He was predeceased by his wife, leaving their seven children without parents. Their eldest daughter Margaret was only 19 at the time.One of Barrett's season employees, William Baker, took over the shop for a time. By spring of 1878, George Chapman had leased the property for several years, carrying on a shoemaking and repair business until he moved on to St. George in 1888. Wesley Vansickle then established a butcher shop in the former wagon works. After further exchange of hands and businesses being re-established at other locations, the old frame buildings were removed in 1898 and the white brick structure was built for Samuel and Sarah Doherty.
Lynden Presbyterian Church
Prior to the building of this church, services were conducted since 1884 in the upper level of the Thompson's Block. As the congregation grew, it was deemed necessary to build an independent church structure. The red brick building was ready for use February of 1890. The facility would independently serve Lynden and its community until the merging of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches in 1924, forming the United Church. From that time, the church became known as the Central United Church, although later slated to be discontinued. The facility remained in use up until the time it was destroyed by fire, February 16, 1942. The fire report stated that the furnace had blown up and that the resulting fire had consumed the inside before the volunteer fire brigade arrived on the scene. Despite the effort of both the Lynden and St. George brigades, the building could not be saved.The church was never rebuilt, the site laying vacant until the post office was erected in 1972.
Rous' Mill
Originally erected by William Harris as a frame planing mill in 1876, it changed hands multiple times over the next decade until the title was transferred to Charles Alfred Rous in 1887. He would continue the milling business, and shared his interests with his sons when they reached an appropriate age. Charles remained quite active with the mill until his death in 1933 at the age of 82. By 1924, his son Percival (Percy) Rous had sole charge of the business, which sawed and planed wood, and also made cider when in season. Percy would receive his income from the mill over the next 43 years, until it was terminated c.1967. After a year of retirement, Percy passed away in his seventies in 1968. The mill sat idle until being demolished in 1978.
Thompson's Store
The store that became Thompson's General Store was first established by Nellie and Lloyd Dyment in the 1930's, until September of 1948 when it was sold to Francis Corrigan and Muriel Thompson, Nellie's brother and sister-in-law. Frank and Muriel would continue the general store tradition over the next 25 years. Frank retired in 1972, the building was rented out for a brief period of time until eventually being converted back to a residence in the 1970s. Thompson's General Store was demolished c. 2019 and replaced with a new home.Local residents remember fondly the old store and its wares, as well as the groove worn into the floorboards from years of customers visiting.Image is c. 1954, with Donald and Lorene Thompson (Frank and Muriel's son and daughter-in-law) standing outside the store.
Patterson's Shoe Shop
Robert L. Patterson purchased this property in February of 1851 from Benoni Vansickle. He became one of Lynden's first merchants after establishing a one storey, frame boot and shoe shop in the same year. By late 1881 to early 1882 he had cut ties with the boot and shoe trade, converting the shop into a honey processing and retail stand until selling the property in 1902.The new owners, Pearl and William Rene Brock, had the premises refitted into a grocery store until renting their shop to Russell Edgar Jones in 1905. Russell did tinsmithing here for a few years, then the shop became Harmon Hanes' general store July 1907. After in business for only two months, Hanes abandoned the store which sat idle until taken up by William Ryan in 1909. He relocated to a new store in 1912, and the Brocks - now living in Hamilton - sold their store to Benjamin S. Hopkins. That store carried on until 1914, when it was sold again.The new owner, John F. Vansickle, was quite advanced in age when he purchased the store, but carried on the business up until 1924 at which point he was 85 years old, presumably dying the same year. He had sold his property om 1918, subject to a lifetime use clause, to Minerva Weaver who later leased it to Charles Robillard in late 1926. The shop was gutted and reworked into a garage, where gasoline was sold and mechanical repairs made until 1937 when Robillard moved his garage to St. George. The property was sold in 1940, and the rickety old shop was demolished in the mid-40s to make way for the house that stands there now.
