Kimberley Historic Walking Tour

In the 1850s pioneers began to come to the southern part of the Township of Euphrasia, surveyed by Charles Rankin in 1836. In the northern part of the township many families were already settled by 1850. The Beaver River was used for transportation by the first families as they filtered into the area around the 4th and 5th Concessions of Euphrasia, between lots 2 and 8.

“When settlement of the Kimberley area began about 1854 there was no road providing access from the north. The 4th line was open for a distance south of Epping but the section just north of Kimberley had not been cleared and presented some problems in terms of swamp and flooding.” This was the reason settlers came by road from Thornbury and by means of canoe up the Beaver River. Jehial Hurd, born 1798, settled on Lot 8, Conc. 4 and the History of Leeds & Grenville book states he was the first to arrive. He had come from Marlborough Township, an Eastern township in Upper Canada. He was born in Burritt’s Rapids.

From: “The way we were … 20 stories about Kimberley and Kimberley People” by Marilyn Hammond.

1. Weber General Store (1904-06) 235304 Grey Rd. 13

Built by Frank Weber, he traded the store with his brother Dave Weber for the family farm in 1911. In the early 1920s it was a bank, then a store under several owners. It was the local library from 1967-1989 and re-opened as a general store in 2010.

2. Burritt House (1898)235298 Grey Rd. 13

Built in 1898 by Stephen S. Burritt, a local carpenter and farmer, the masonry work was done by George Proctor. It has been owned by two families, the Burritts and the Armstrongs. It is still home to Marilyn Hammond nee Burritt.

3. Bishop House (1903) 235285 Grey Rd. 13

This 1903 home was built by Wallace S. Bishop, who was born in Bishopton, Quebec in 1858. He wed Gertrude Burritt in 1895 and was known as “the sawmill man”. The Bishops left Kimberley in 1929.

4. Purdy House (1860) 235287 Grey Rd. 13

The oldest house in the village was built in 1860 by William Purdy. It served as a home, first post office from 1868-1872 and a store. It had many owners and renovations over the years approaching the village’s 150^th in 2018.

5. Proctor House (1889) 235297 Grey Rd. 13

Built in 1889 by George Proctor, a local stonemason, this has always been a private home with several owners. Proctor also built the Jasper Stuart House next door as he wanted something on a grander scale.

6. Union Church (1870) 235310 Grey Rd. 13

Built circa 1870, Union Church opened as Kimberley Memorial hall in 1922. Now the library, it hosts many events.

7. Grist Mill (1877) 235313 Grey Rd. 13

This business was built in 1877 by William Plewes on the site of the burned-out sawmill. Several operators followed in miller Plewes’, including McGowan, Bell, Walter, Bishop, Graham and Ellis until it closed in the 1970s. It is now a private home.

8. Blacksmith Shop (1903) 235319 Grey Rd. 13

Built in 1903 by Tom Reid, William Flood operated it for a number of years, building farm sleighs and shoeing horses. It has been a private residence for many years.

9. School circa (1910) 235325 Grey Rd. 13

This brick school replaced an early frame building. To serve the community and its children. It is now a privately owned home.

10. Church (1885) 235332 Grey Rd. 13

Built in 1885 and bricked in 1886 as a Methodist Church, it became a United Church of Canada in 1925. The church closed in 1970 and became a private home. The original parsonage can still be viewed behind the restaurant next door.

11. Hammond House (1889)235310 Grey Rd. 13

Built in 1889 by Michael R. Hammond, who also built the store next door in 1884. His son Hugh took over the store, but he died prematurely and his wife and five children continued the store.

12. Harris House (1897) 115 Centre St.

This house was built by Melvin Harris who sold it to his brother Bill in 1900, who lived there with his family. His son Ira Harris’ family also lived there. It is still a private family home.

Beaver Valley is in the Niagara Escarpment—a UNESCO World Biosphere. Many looping trails of the Bruce Trail are available for hiking: beavervalleybrucetrail.org

This Village Walking Tour is a project of the Grey Highlands Canada 150 Committee. It was prepared in cooperation with Kimberley Community Association volunteers. A special thanks to Marilyn Hammond for her historical knowledge and use of her image collection.

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