Daytripping Spring 2024

There’s a lot to explore in LEAMINGTON, WHEATLEY, BUXTON & CHATHAM
From Slavery to Freedom...
...Last Stop Buxton
The Buxton museum, officially opened in 1967, was
Raleigh Township’s Centennial Project as a memorial
to the Elgin settlement, a haven for formerly
enslaved people of the American system of slavery.
• EXPLORE THE SITE • HEAR LOCAL STORIES
• VIEW COLLECTIONS • RESEARCH ARCHIVES
MAY, JUNE, SEPT:
Wed-Sun 1-4:30
JULY & AUGUST:
Daily 10-4:30
OCT to APRIL:
Mon-Fri 1-4:30
or by appt
Located on A.D. Shadd Road • 519-352-4799
buxtonhistoricalmuseum@gmail.com
The Museum’s primary goal is to preserve artifacts
of the settlement with special emphasis on the
history & accomplishments of the original settlers
and their descendants. Among other important
artifacts are the diary of Rev. William King, Buxton
founder, personal papers, dresser and bed, a
wedding gift made by formerly enslaved people.
Facilities include picnic, playground, BBQ area
with shelter, washrooms, bus & car parking.
Exit 401 at #81 or #90
South to Eighth Line,
East to A.D. Shadd Rd.
401
Exit 81
North Buxton
Hwy. 3
A.D. Shadd Rd.
Eighth Line
NHS
Museum
um
Chatham
40
Exit
90
101st Annual
Homecoming
Celebration
Aug 30 - Sept 2, 2024
Details on Website
b
buxtonmuseum.com
t
um
c
om
BUXTON
LIBERTY
BELL
Presented in 1850 by the
coloured inhabitants of
Pittsburgh to the Academy
at Raleigh, Canada West.
It rang every time someone
arrived in Buxton.
Hands on displays and
storyboards trace ancestry
and detail the original
settlement.
The last
surviving
Canadian
schoolhouse,
built by
formerly
enslaved
people, in
1861.
Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award Winner 2023 for excellence in conservation.
Experience living history at one of the last Underground Railroad stops!
Road trips can offer up some
unexpected surprises—happy surprises,
such as those experienced by Gordon
Robinson.
Fifty six years ago he was en route
to visit a girlfriend in Mimico, which
most know as the south-east corner of
Etobicoke. It was a rainy night and he
was driving his company car—a large
vehicle with little power and even fewer
options.
“The type of car my grandfather
would have driven,” Gord muses. “The
car had no radio as it was considered a
distraction in the day.”
Right time, right place
A 1964 Ford Thunderbird
Hardtop came down Highway
10 and Gordon fell in love
with the car at first sight. The
driver put his turn signal on
and drove onto a used car lot.
Gord followed him right in.
He asked the driver if he
was trading the car in and he
said he was. With a number of
children at home, the driver
of the Thunderbird was there
to purchase a station wagon
but lamented the fact the
dealership wasn’t giving him
much for the Thunderbird.
Gordon wanted the car.
He asked how much he was
trading it in for and they came
up with a price on the spot.
By Susan Chapman, Stoney Creek
Exploring Unique Destinations in Classic Style:
Gord Robinson, 1964 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop
The next morning they met at the
dealership. Gord handed him the cash
and drove off with the car, excited to
own something a little more flashy than
the company vehicle.
Fun on the run
Months later his workplace
encouraged him to take his vacation
time. As a young man in his twenties,
Gordon wasn’t entirely sure where he
was going to go on his own. He decided
a trip to Eastern Canada, via Quebec,
might suit him.
Expo 67 had generated a lot of
tourism, so Gord headed north of
Montreal to avoid heavy traffic.
On the road he came upon a group
of motorcyclists sitting at the side of
the highway. There were probably fifty
riders, all wearing matching jackets.
Spotting a well-dressed young man in a
nice car, they soon gave chase and tried
to pull the Thunderbird over.
Luckily the car was very powerful and
Gord managed to outrun them, but not
before clocking 120 mph in a radar trap.
Pulling Gord over, a police officer
asked if he knew how fast he was going.
“Fast enough to outrun them. Look
behind you.”
The officer called for reinforcements
and instructed Gord to stay put as there
had been a rash of robberies on the
road. After stopping the motorcycles,
the officers instructed him to drive and
not stop until he was on the other side
of Quebec City. And so he did.
Making space for memories
Gord met and married his wife
and together there were many more
road trips, including a convention in
California. There were 66 Thunderbirds
that travelled Route 66 to the convention
and back but the trip warranted a bit of
a change to the car.
“Anytime we went on these trips, my
wife always managed to bring along
everything but the kitchen sink. So in
2002 I added a Continental Kit on the
back,” Gord explained. The car had a
huge trunk but the added option gave
them even more space.
“I had to have a map to make sure I
could get everything back in the way it
came out.”
New spin on an interesting
destination
Now Gord didn’t have quite so far to
travel on his recent day trip to the Sons
of Kent Brewing Company located at 27
Adelaide Street South in Chatham.
The historic building was actually
the location of the Chatham Motor Car
Company, the first automotive company
in the City of Chatham. From 1907 to
1909, the factory produced 100 luxury
vehicles. Over time other tenants have
included the Hyslop and Ronald Steam
Fire Engine Company, the Chatham
Harvester Company and the Chatham
Cinema 6 Movie Theatre.
The modernized industrial building
now features a vibrant premium craft
beer tasting room, event space, bottle
shop and live entertainment. There
is ample seating in the taproom and
additional space on the patio. The
backyard is the perfect spot for concerts,
markets, shows and festivals.
In addition to seasonal brews and
crowd staples, Sons of Kent Brewing
Company also offers up a variety of
starters, main dishes and snacks.
“It’s doing very well and was the
perfect spot to grab a photo of the
Thunderbird,” Gord added.
A name by any other name
As I usually do, I asked Gordon if the
car had a name.
“No, but my wife had a name for
her,” he laughed.
“My wife would tease there were
times I spent more time with the car
than her. I did tell her that I had the car
longer, so…”
We get it.
Our thanks go to Gordon for sharing his
road trip experiences. If you would like
to see your classic vehicle featured with
one of the unique destinations appearing
in Daytripping in Southwestern Ontario,
please contact Susan Chapman at
susanchapmanwrites@gmail.com.
Spring 2024 Charity sees the need not the cause. - German Proverb
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