ACTON, ONTARIO PAST TO PRESENT

Acton, Ontario from Past to Present

By Lia and Bill McNally

In 1844 Acton was a settlement originally known as both Danville and Adamville. When Acton was amalgamated in 1873 into a village, it was home to a little over 700 residents. The Adam's brothers were the founding settlers and they named many of the town's streets after members of their family. In fact, Zenas Adam's home, which is now over 150 years old, still stands on the corner of Main and Church Street East.

Back then the largest employer in Acton was the Beardmore Tannery which opened its doors for business in 1865. At the beginning of the 20^th century it had a combined floor space of almost a million square feet.

Today, Acton pays tribute to its rich heritage by taking the name Leathertown, made known by its famous retailer, The Olde Hide House. The old building, which is home to the store, was originally used as a warehouse to store Beardmore tannery's tanned hides waiting to be shipped out, by train.

The Olde Hide House's famous advertising tagline "It's worth the drive to Acton" may elicit exasperation from Acton residents simply due to its repetition, but one step inside the grand building and its hard to deny how true it rings. The massive brick and beamed building has been thoughtfully restored to reflect a century of history. An impressive selection of leather goods including high quality furniture and garments draws visitors from all over Ontario.

Now home to 8000 residents, Acton offers numerous annual events that celebrate small town living. The widely attended Acton Fall Fair has been a September tradition for more than 93 years. Church Bazaars are also customary in the fall and the downtown Leathertown Festival is celebrating its 14^th year in August. The Leathertown festival offers a taste of what Acton has to offer by way of culinary delights, various groups and businesses, and even local talent. The Truck Sale, basically a community garage sale, runs every Saturday morning from May to October.

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