Mount Forest Ontario in Colour Photos: Saving Our History One Photo at a Time

Mount ForestMount Forest is located at the junction of Highways 6 and 89 on a height of land near the headwaters of the Saugeen River. In 1871, eighteen years after the town was surveyed, it had ten hotels, eight churches and eighteen stores; the first train came into Mount Forest later that year.Prior to European settlement, present day Mount Forest was prime hunting ground for the Saugeen Ojibway peoples due to its location on the Saugeen River. Originally known as Maitland Hills, its name was changed to Mount Forest in 1853. The name change came about because it was discovered that the village was actually on the Saugeen River system not on the Maitland River as had previously been supposed.The village was surveyed into lots in 1853. By 1864, the population had grown to 1185 so that it qualified to be incorporated as a village. By 1879 it had become an incorporated town. The 1871 town directory stated that Mount Forest had ten hotels, eight churches and eighteen stores. Later that year the railway was completed and the first train entered Mount Forest pulled by a wood-burning engine.A local newspaper, the Mount Forest Confederate, was first printed in 1867. For the first year, the newspaper was sent to village residents free of charge, but the second year it began charging 50 cents per year.The first public school was built in 1856. The first high school was originally in the Old Drill Hall, but was an unsuitable location because it was beside the Market Square where livestock sales were held monthly. The new high school was built in 1878. A third high school was founded in 2004 with the combination of the Mount Forest District High school and the neighboring Town of Arthur.GoblesGobles is located on concession 1 of Blenheim Township about two miles west of Princeton. In 1855 Gobles Corners was named after the late William L. Goble, son of Rev. Jacob Goble, who came to Canada from New York State in 1811 and settled on Concession 1 of Blenheim Township about 1816. Jacob Goble was elected first Deacon of the Blenheim Free Communion Church (Baptist) in 1822. He kept the office in his general store on the west side of the Blenheim Township three quarter town line near the G.W.R. tracks at Gobles. He held the position until December 19, 1873 when he resigned. When the railway was built the station bore the name ＂Gobles＂. A post office was established at Gobles on July 1, 1855, with William L. Goble as postmaster with a mail route begun between Gobles Corners and Princeton. Alex Milmine made one trip per week for two months between July and September 1855. This route was continued by W. L. Goble until September 30, 1858. Two trips per week were made by horse or vehicle. Between September 30, 1858 and September 30, 1863, the pay was ＄50.00 per year for two trips per week. William L. Goble also had the contract for mail conveying from Gobles Corners post office to the railway station. Twelve trips per week were made for two months in 1859 and 1860 and again in September 1863 in connection with the travelling post office. For nine months commencing October 1, 1863, Jasper G. Goble carried mail on foot six times per week from the Gobles Corners post office to the railway station for which he received ＄37.00. He continued this for four years until 1867. Jasper G. Goble was the son of William L. Goble. He became postmaster on April 1, 1874 and resigned on August 15, 1896. The population in 1875 was 50. The name of the post office was changed to Gobles on November 1, 1895. All of the postmasters kept the post office in the same general store started by W. L. Goble. The last postmaster at Gobles was B. J. Force, farmer, thresher, storekeeper, from April 23, 1912 to May 1, 1940, when the office was closed. Gobles then became part of the rural mail delivery on R.R. No. 1 Princeton.