2014 AACC Guide

The History of AngusThe plant employs a total of 16 menand was originally responsible for ahuge reforestation project on the plainsadjoining the village where 19th centurywoodsmen had harvested indiscriminately.ONCE WAS PINE RIVERAlthough its original founder wasone Jonas Tar Bush, who purchased landon which the village now stands in 1852,Angus received its name from SimcoeCounty’s first Member of Parliament,Angus Morrison. Until then it had beenknown as Pine River.Records show the area’s fist lumbermancame looking for masts and spars for sailingvessels for His Majesty’s Royal Navy. Pinelogs 110 feet long were not uncommon andsome required 12 to 15 teams of horses tohaul them to the railway.At the same time choice trees were beingcut for masts and spars, the squared timberindustry was in full swing. Most of it wasshipped to the seaboard eitherby rail or by floating downthe St. Lawrence. Europeanmarkets consumed most ofthe harvest.Simcoe County’s firstwoman ordained minister,Rev. Florence Hunter,described by Angusresidents as “one of themost active ministers we’veever had” has been at Angus’ Wesley UnitedChurch here since early July. Only otherchurch in the village is Zion Presbyterian,at which Rev. Karam Guergis is minister.Each year, Angus’ Horticultural Societysponsors vegetables, flower and bird-housebuilding competition for village children.It is also responsible for the annual springcemetery cleanup and maintaining a cairnto World War I veterans.Wonderful WoodlandsMajestically flanked by rows of talltrees, a bus and a truck are about toenter Camp Borden, just outside ofAngus. Trees like these provided anearly boom; irresponsible lumberingturned Angus into a ghost town. Nowthe forests grow again, a good omen,and a tree seed plant helps Angus tokeep on the map.HOTEL fire Dominion House Hotel was destroyed by fire 1939.Near BarrieJust 67 milesaway• The government ordered the survey of Sunnidale Road from Barrie in1830. For the next 20 years settlement was very slow.• A sawmill began to operate near where Angus now stands. Jonas TarBush purchased land around the sawmill. This land was part of a tractof solid pine, red and white.• The Northwestern Railway had just been completed to Collingwoodin 1855. The route passed a sawmill and a village sprung up and wasnamed Pine River Village.• Jonas Tar Bush and W.M. Proudfoot formed a partnership and in1857 laid out a plan for the town of “Pine River”. Later they renamedit Angus after Angus Morrison, the first MP of Simcoe County.Angus History at-a-glance•Angus was a shipping centre for lumber produced in the local mills.Railways yard was enlarged.• At one time, Angus had 17 sawmills and a population of 2,000.• In 1914, Camp Borden became a training centre and, since Angus wasso close, became alive again.• Today Angus continues to grow in population and thrive withschools, parks, businesses, recreational clubs and facilities and manycommunities. Places such as Peacekeeper’s Park (which honors past,present and future peacekeepers) draws a lot of visitors to the areatoday.Angus & Area Community Guide 2014 - 9