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Monuments, Cairns and Signs

Monuments, cairns, plaques and signs throughout the Municipality commemorate buildings, places and people that make up our local heritage. This is an ongoing process on the part of the Carman/Dufferin Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (C/D MHAC) and members of the community.

Communities Cairns/Signs

Many early settlements consisted of a post office located in the postmaster’s home with perhaps a store, school, or church and forming a focal point for settlers in the nearby catchment area. When the railway came through the area, some settlements moved to closer proximity with the new lifeline; others slowly vanished from all but local memory.

The following ‘lost’ communities have been commemorated by signs and cairns erected by the CD MHAC or by local residents:


Schools Cairns/Signs

As settlers took up land across the district, one of their first requirements was for schools to teach their children. The ideal was that no child should have to travel more than four miles to school. The local school became the focal point of most communities, for meetings, picnics, dances and other social activities. In many communities, church services were held in there on Sundays. As transportation improved and school districts consolidated, small one-room country schools disappeared from the local landscape.

See map for locations of Schools

The following former schools are commemorated with a cairn or other marker:


Church Cairns/Signs

Along with schools, one of the first priorities in early communities was for a place of worship. The majority of the early churches continue to serve in Carman/Dufferin; a few of those that closed have been commemorated by cairns, plaques or signs.

See also: Churches for map of active churches and information on congregations


Business Signs

Many of the buildings that house our local businesses have been in use for several decades. Owners have changed over the years and few still serve their original purpose. The CD MHAC is placing signs on local businesses that represent an important connection with our past.

This is an ongoing process. To date, the following signs are in place:


War Memorials

Each November 11, members of the Carman/Dufferin community join the rest of the country in a minute of silence to remember the men and women who served our country in time of war. Our own quiet, agricultural lands have never been scarred by anything more hostile than the plough. However, there are few in the community whose hearts and minds have not been touched by wars abroad—many through their own service or that of a family member, friend or neighbour, others whose arrival in our community came in the wake of destruction in their own homeland.

The local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and its Auxiliary do much through annual poppy sales and other fund-raising ventures, through broad community service, maintenance of memorial sites and presence at local events, to keep alive the memory of those who served. In addition, two permanent monuments give recognition to those who were willing to risk their lives and their immortal souls to help protect their allies and ensure peace at home.

 

Other Special Places