GILLIES HILL
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GILLIES HILL |
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NAME: Gillies Hill COUNTY: Bruce ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Snow in winter BEST TIME TO VISIT: Spring summer or fall |
COMMENTS:
Occupied farmhouse. Visit Ghost
Towns of Ontario for more info. REMAINS: School church and cairn |
| In the early 1850's, groups of Scottish settlers arrived and began farming the lushly fertile soils of Bruce County. This quickly lead to the growth of numerous crossroads hamlets. Crossroads hamlets were tiny farming communities, that offered basic services to meet the needs of the busy farmers who travelled around in horse and buggy. Gillies Hill was named after John Gillies, one of the early settlers, who later became it's first reeve and went on to become a member of parliament. By 1875, Gillies Hill boasted a store, school, post office, town hall, blacksmith and some houses. The church was built in 1908. Gillies Hill, along with many other similar settlements, began to decline after the first world war. The popularization of the automobile enabled the farmers to travel faster and further to larger communities. They had little need for crossroads hamlets. Also, since the very religious Scots Presbyterians frowned upon the use of alcohol, Gillies Hill was dryer than an old bone and had little to offer in the way of amusement or entertainment. The school, built in 1856, remained in use until 1952 and still stands on private property where it is used for storage. The church also remains. There is a cairn on the site to commemorate John Gillies and the other pioneer founders of Gillies Hill. Submitted by: Jeri Danyleyko |
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