Each street in Milton has a story to tell.
myFM News is continuing to dive into the history of our local roads. Last week, we covered Christie Circle, Trafalgar Court, and Knight Trail. This week, we’re looking at just two street names: Clements Drive and Stokes Trail.
As always, we couldn’t do this without the incredible work done by Milton Historical Society President John Challinor. He and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, having written Milton Streets back in 2007. Now, we’re looking at why these roads are named what they are.
Let’s start off with Clements Drive, which was first named back in 1978. Challinor says Matthew Clements was a very capable man.
Now, a 19th century farmer transitioning into the County’s Warden and then Sheriff is definitely an interesting career path. Challinor explains that Clements would have undergone training upon receiving the new positions. He served in those roles in a bid to improve the community, a commendable goal in any era.
Our second street name this week is Stokes Trail. It can be found in Campbellville with its roots tied directly with the area.
For those who recognize the name Duncan Reid, he and his family are the namesake for Reid Sideroad.
These are two family names that display just how steeped in tradition Milton’s history is with the agricultural sector. While farming may not be number one in Milton any longer (it was taken over by the industry sector in the 1900’s), it still continues to be an important sector for our town.
We didn’t receive any submissions from listeners this week, which is always a shame. We want to hear from you! If you 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, as well as suggested names. You can message our Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram page, or even email us at News1013@mbcmedia.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that interest us.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets were 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.
