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THEN AND NOW: Burton Ave. still brimming with history

Burton Avenue was named for the Burton boys — James, Martin and George, sons of lumberman John Burton — who would figure prominently in Barrie’s history and development

This ongoing series from Barrie Historical Archive curator Deb Exel shows old photos from the collection and one from the present day, as well as the story behind them.

Burton Avenue

Going back in time, Burton Avenue — or Burton Street — was first named Brunel Street, after civil engineer, military officer and civil servant Alfred Brunel, born in 1818 in England.

Working in Canada for the government from 1844, Brunel created surveys for the Victoria Bridge in Montreal in 1851-52, before becoming assistant engineer of the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union Railroad in 1852 and superintendent of the line from 1853-56.

Active in local politics and militias in Toronto, Brunel rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After serving as assistant commissioner of the federal inland revenue for four years, he became commissioner in 1871 until his retirement in 1882. He died five years later in Norfolk, England.

Then came the Burton brothers.

The Burton boys — James, Martin and George, sons of lumberman John Burton — would figure prominently in Barrie’s history and development. The three brothers would operate the Ida Burton, the first steam vessel built in Barrie, which launched in 1866.

In 1875, James married Florence Thomson, the oldest daughter of lumberman Archibald Thomson, the man who would give us Queen’s Park. One year later, brother Martin would marry Florence’s younger sister, Emma. James and Martin were now firmly connected to the lumber world and they formally went into the business, establishing Burton Brothers.

The Northern Railway’s extension north of Barrie was strategic to this move — the brothers would have significant timber interests in Parry Sound, a large mill at Byng Inlet and strong lumber sales in Canada and the U.S.

The Burton brothers owned large tracts of local land as well, including a good portion of the Village of Allendale.

While Martin’s gracious home, the Robinson-Burton House, overlooked Queen’s Park in Barrie, James built his mansion, known as Springbank, in Allandale in the 1870s. Portions of land attached to James’s farm on what is now Baldwin Lane, were sold over time, as Allandale was developed.

A nearby and important neighbour on former Burton property would be the Holgate family. The Group of Seven artist Edwin Holgate was born in the striking home at 90 William St., in 1892. Burton’s Springbank would later be a sanatorium, called Simcoe Hall, and eventually part of the I.O.O.F. complex before it was demolished.

James and Martin, were among the original organizers of the Barrie Electric Light Company in 1888. James was also reeve in 1889-90 and president of the Northern Navigation Company. Martin was president of the Barrie Gas Company, vice-president of the Barrie Carriage Company and general manager to James at the Northern Navigation Company. Both men died in their magnificent residences: James in 1910 at age 61, and Martin in 1914 at age 62.

In our photo from about 1920, looking east along Burton Avenue from about Granville Street, on the left can be seen a portion of the former South Ward School (later King Edward School, now Unity High school) and the Allendale Methodist Church (note the spelling), which James Burton actively supported.

The land for both the school (in 1877) and the church (in 1892) was purchased from the Burtons. Often the school has been referred to as the Burton Avenue public school and the Methodist church is now Burton Avenue United Church. These wonderful old buildings continue to remind us of Allandale’s history.