Glen Williams

"Beautiful spot! A perfect oasis in the leafy desert...." Such were the first impressions of a traveller who arrived in the Glen in 1847. Glen Williams is a tiny village, a hamlet, in the Credit River valley just north of Georgetown, a 45 minute drive west of Toronto. The Glen is part of Halton Hills in the Halton Regional Municipality.

Today the "perfect oasis" takes considerable pride in its legacy of well-constructed buildings, its long manufacturing history and its sense of community (an irreplaceable commodity these days).

If you like art, crafts, antiques, and well-preserved heritage buildings, then you’re going to love this place. In the Glen you can visit artists' studios at the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre, housed in former grist and sawmills, and shop for antiques in the Beaumont Mill, another industrial heritage building. You can go for a hike. You can watch artists at work, see glass blown, take a class, have a beer in the pub. You can build a canoe (really!)

Throw in some charming rural scenery and a few tasty, cosy country places to eat, and you’re all set for a perfect girlfriend getaway or a great romantic weekend retreat.

Origins
The Glen has nestled at this quiet place in the Credit River Valley since 1825. Founded by hardworking Loyalists who harnessed the power of the local stream to run saw and flour mills. They kept at it, built bobbin mills, grist mills, woollen mills, knitting mills. They build beautiful brick homes for their families out of locally made brick. They built a Town Hall, churches, shops, stores, a tannery, a post office. They built a community.

By car
From Georgetown, Ontario: Glen Williams is north of Georgetown which is on Highway 7. From Highway 7, turn northwest onto Mountainview Rd N. Continue 2.0 km. onto Confederation St. and on to Main Street in the Glen.

From Highway 401: Hwy 401 west to Winston Churchill Blvd. N. 15 km north (just past Mayfield Rd) to left turn at Old School Road (22nd Side Road). Follow into Glen Williams.

By train
VIA Rail stops in Georgetown.

GO Transit provides rail service between Georgetown and Toronto.

By bus
GO Transit also provides bus service between Georgetown and Toronto.

Get around
Walking is convenient around the village core and parking is easily available.

Self-guided Walking tours
Several self-guided walking tours of Glen Williams are offered by the town of Halton Hills. These tours are available online and can be used from your mobile phone:
 * | Glen Williams: Heritage Tour
 * | Glen Williams: Half Day Hiking & Heritage (Pilot Tour)
 * | Glen Williams: Full Day Hiking & Heritage (Pilot Tour)]

Below is a description and directions for a self-guided walking tour. This tour includes the hamlet's Listed and Designated Heritage Properties:

You may park your vehicle at the Glen Williams Park, 509 Main Street. Start your tour at Main Street, at the entrance to the park. Most of these properties are still private homes so please respect the homeowners:


 * Williams-Holt House (Williams Chair Factory) - 504 Main Street: Designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Built as a cabinet and chair factory by Issac Williams, son of the Glen Williams founder Benajah Williams. Associated with the neighboring tool factory since both buildings are the same size and have identical facades.  Good example of the Georgian style.
 * Williams Edge Tool Factory - 508 Main Street: It was used as a the “Edge Tool Factory” until 1870; associated with the neighboring cabinet and chair factory since both buildings are the same size and have identical facades; good example of the Georgian style.
 * Williams House - 510 Main Street: Built and occupied by Dr. Moffatt Forester who married Charles Williams' daughter Elizabeth; the Williams Family ran the cabinet and tool factories at 504 and 508 Main Street; good example of the Georgian style of architecture.
 * Joseph Williams House - 511 Main Street: Residence was built for Joseph Williams when he was the manager of the Williams Mill; Joseph was the third generation of Williams.
 * Charles Williams House - 514 Main Street: Built for Charles Williams, patriarch of the second generation of the Williams who founded the village; home of Joseph Beaumont, owner of the Beaumont Knitting Mills; excellent example of a Gothic Revival style residence.
 * Williams Mill - 515 Main Street: c. 1852/1901; Designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Village sawmill built by Williams family and first hydro-electric plant.
 * General Store and Post Office (Copper Kettle) - 517 Main Street: Built by Charles Williams, of the Williams family that founded the village, as a general store; served as the local general store and post office until 1972; good example of a commercial building with excellent decorative brickwork.

Here, keep to the right and head up Prince Street:


 * Glen Williams Town Hall - 1 Prince Street: 1871 - Designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.  Built of local brick in a Colonial Cape Cod style.  It has been central to the history of the Village & associated with Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the Anne Shirley books including Anne of Green Gables.
 * Schenk House/Blacksmith Shop - 3 Prince Street: Good example of brick industrial building from the 1870s; owned by William Tost, a local blacksmith who operated a carriage works out of a two-storey residence and owned the patent for the “iron beam harrow”; the building was later used by William Schenk who operated an Orange Crush bottling business.
 * Alexander House - 6 Prince Street: Good example of Georgian architectural style; the property was first owned by William Alexander, owner of the Glen hotel; the barn on the property is thought to be the first Glen Williams School House.
 * Hawkins Shop - 7 Prince Street: One of the original store buildings from the Village’s core.
 * Norton House - 9 Prince Street: Owned by school teacher Theophilus Norton; Good example of a two-storey Gothic Revival home.
 * School House - 15 Prince Street: Served as a two-room school house for 75 years; land donated by mill owner Charles Williams.

Here you have the choice to continue a short distance further up Prince Street to the Glen Williams Cemetery and its commanding view of the hamlet in the valley below.

Retrace your steps back down Prince Street to Main:


 * Laidlaw House and the Frazier Shop (Reeve & Clarke Fine & Rare Books) - 519 and 521 Main Street: Designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Laidlaw House was built in 1858 by James S. Laidlaw. The Frazier Shop, built in 1847 by Thomas Frazier, is an excellent preserved example of an early Victorian commercial building. Also associated with Timothy Eaton (future founder of the T. Eaton commercial empire) who was hired to serve as a clerk and bookkeeper.
 * 524 Main Street: Associated with Mr. William Alexander, a local innkeeper and Thomas Jefferson Hill, the father of the first mayor of Halton Hills. The hotel provided rooms and meals for salesmen, farmers and merchants who had business in Glen Williams.
 * Beaumont Duplex - 526 & 528 Main Street: Associated with Joseph Beaumont, owner of Beaumont Knitting Mills who likely built the building as worker housing. Good example of Gothic Revival architecture used in row housing.
 * Logan Cottage - 530 Main Street: Unique stone addition built on original stone cottage (rear).
 * 531 Main Street: Associated with James Laidlaw who built the house; built very similar to the frame house at 532 Main Street; Early Village vernacular residence.
 * 532 Main Street: Associated with John Rutledge, a local butcher, who owned the building; good example of an early Vernacular building in the Village of Glen Williams.
 * St. John’s United Church - 533 Main Street: Unique wood-frame Methodist church built 1840 and bricked over in 1903. Has functioned as a church since 1840; in the heart of Glen Williams next to the Credit River.
 * Tannery - 536 Main Street: Associated with Thomas Board, owner of the Dominion Glove Works as a tannery; Purchased by Joseph Beaumont in 1906 as a complement to his Beaumont Knitting Mills.
 * St. Alban’s Anglican Church - 537 & 539 Main Street: Associated with Rose Ann McMaster, a prominent local who donated land for the church; has functioned as a church since 1902; designed by architect F.S. Baker.

Cross the street to climb Mountain Street:


 * Barraclough House - 25 Mountain Street: The home was built for John Sykes the owner of Sykes and Ainley Manufacturing Company and later resided in by E.Y. Barraclough, General Manager of the Glen Woolen Mills Company. Located on an embankment overlooking the Credit River; unusual example of Edwardian style of architecture including a unique stain glass window.
 * 28 Mountain Street: The home was built for Norman Ainley, owner of the Sykes and Ainley Manufacturing Company.
 * Mino Cottage - 24 Mountain Street: Good example of a 1850s cottage; built by George Mino, a local labourer.
 * Francis Williams House - 15 Mountain Street: The house was built for Woolen Mills Company owner Jacob William's widow; It later served as Thompson and Wilson Ginger Beer Bottling Facility; Good example of Georgian style architecture with Gothic Revival tail.

Come back down Mountain and turn left onto Tweedle Street:


 * David Williams House - 3 Tweedle Street: Owned by Benajah Williams and the Woollen Mill Company.
 * Woollen Mills Housing – 5, 7 & 9 Tweedle Street: Glen Woollen Mills Company had storage sheds on the site until the early 20th century; 5, 7 and 9 Tweedle Street were built as worker housing for the mill employees; used from 1964-1981 as housing for Sheridan Nurseries.
 * Labourers Cottage - 11 Tweedle Street: Owned by one of the first property owners in Glen Williams, John Rutledge, who was also a butcher.
 * 14 Tweedle Street - Excellent example of the Gothic Revival style; built by Sykes and Ainsley Woollen Mills as a worker’s home.
 * Mino House - 22 Tweedle Street: Good example of the Gothic Revival style; built by George Mino, a local labourer.

Backtrack slightly and follow Forster Street to return to Main Street. This short hill you are descending is the subject of a painting by Group of Seven artist A.J. Casson, "Village Street October". At the bottom of the hill you can choose to turn left on Main and continue a short distance to another bridge again crossing the Credit River. If you continue beyond the bridge you will shortly enter the area of the village which is the subject of Casson's 1938 oil on canvas, "Street in Glen Williams", a leafy, autumnal portrait of a quiet road in the hamlet, which sold at auction in Toronto in 2010 for a record $542,800, including buyer's premium, the highest such valuation ever accorded a Casson canvas. Mr. Casson, who joined the Group of Seven in 1926, "recorded small towns in every season," Canadian art critic and historian Paul Duval wrote in 1980, "and Street in Glen Williams is unquestionably his key autumn portrayal."

Now backtrack along Main Street to:


 * 554 Main Street: The house is of a pattern similar to several others in the Village which provided comfortable family homes for factory workers.
 * Holdroyd House - 552 Main Street: Owned by the bookkeeper for the Sykes and Ainley Mills Harry Holdroyd on a large prominent corner lot.
 * Isaac Cook House - 549 Main Street: Owned by William Alexander who owned the Glen Hotel and later his son Thomas Alexander, the Village’s blacksmith.
 * 541 Main Street: Typical example of a frame residence from the 1850s.
 * 548 Main Street: Good example of an early Village vernacular residence; may have been constructed for mill employees.
 * Murray House - 543 Main Street: Owned by John Murray a local carpenter; Three generations of Murrays lived in the home. Early example board and batten frame house.