Postcard Memories is a series of historic views, stories and photos of Bradford West Gwillimbury, a trip down memory lane on a Saturday morning.
Winter storms just don’t seem to have the punch they used to. There are photos in the archives of snow banks reaching the eaves of homes, and towering over roadways.
In mid-January of 1943, The Bradford Witness reported, “A terrific blizzard filled in every roadway in this part of the country and piled them high with drifts with the result that by early afternoon all traffic of any kind was an impossibility.”
Stranded high school students, and farmers in Bradford to attend a local Seed Fair, ended up taking shelter with local families.
It was common in those days for farmers to leave their gates open: it was often easier to head across wind-blown fields with a horse and sleigh, than to try to navigate the roads blocked with drifts.
West Gwillimbury Township purchased its first snowplow and wing for its road “maintainer” in 1941. In 1945, it bought a 4-wheel drive truck with plow, and a new maintainer and plow, to try to keep the roads open in winter.
Details from the Archives at the BWG Public Library, and Governor Simcoe Slept Here: The legacy of West Gwillimbury.
