Skip to content

Then and Now

Then and Now - HaltonHillsToday.ca

Then and Now shares historical photos and personal stories of past people, places, and events and connects them to their significance today. They are made possible through the continued support of MacKinnon Family Funeral Home as part of our Community Leaders Program.

A look back at Canada Day through the ages in Halton Hills

A look back at Canada Day through the ages in Halton Hills

Picnics, garden parties and parades were once highlights of Canada Day in Esquesing
Silver Creek a place of booming trade and commerce in the 1800s

Silver Creek a place of booming trade and commerce in the 1800s

The settlement between present-day Acton and Georgetown was once home to a grist mill, tavern, general store and the quarry industry
Acton's Beardmore Tannery saw many fires

Acton's Beardmore Tannery saw many fires

The town's signature industry, which got its start over 175 years ago, experienced many catastrophes
Postal service a hardship for early settlers of Esquesing

Postal service a hardship for early settlers of Esquesing

Hundreds of years ago before postage stamps were used, those who lived in what’s now known as Halton Hills had to pay to receive their mail - a luxury many could not afford
Local settlement of Little Dublin dates back almost 200 years

Local settlement of Little Dublin dates back almost 200 years

Just southwest of Acton, at the corner of 25 Sideroad and First Line, Little Dublin came to be in the mid-1830s
Norval once known internationally for its production of flour

Norval once known internationally for its production of flour

Famed Toronto distiller Gooderham and Worts also leased the local grist mill over 150 years ago
January a slow time for local merchants, even 100 years ago

January a slow time for local merchants, even 100 years ago

In 1923, stores in Georgetown offered major sales to entice customers after the holiday season
The old arena - Acton’s ‘Christmas present’ almost a century ago

The old arena - Acton’s ‘Christmas present’ almost a century ago

Newer residents may be surprised to know the Acton arena used to be in Prospect Park, where it was built and re-built after a tragedy at the hands of Mother Nature
Limehouse a hub of industrial activity in the 1800s

Limehouse a hub of industrial activity in the 1800s

In addition to the limestone industry, the local hamlet was also once home to a woolen mill and fire-proof paint factory, which sold products around the world
Contentious 1973 election saw the birth of Halton Hills

Contentious 1973 election saw the birth of Halton Hills

With the municipal election coming up quickly, we take a look back at the monumental election that formed Halton Hills as it is today