The Old Town Hall

Oral history tells us that J.R. Smith built the town hall in Baysville, and later sold it to the local government. Over the years it became the centre of culture for the region as well as serving as a meeting palace for Council. Since W.H. Brown served as Warden of Victoria County, it is likely some of the meetings were held in Baysville. So the Town Hall is deep in Baysville and McLean Township history.

The Town Hall went beyond politics. During the Baysville Fair, tables and window ledges in the Hall were lined with fair entries such as potatoes, pumpkins and sundry other vegetables and crops and crafts. The annual autumn Fair was a big event for everyone in the village. School plays were offered on the raised stage in the Hall. I recall one play in which every student participated under the direction of John Butler, assisted, no doubt by downstairs teacher Annie Francey. I believe the play was called " The parade of the Wooden Soldiers" or some similar name. It was not exactly a Hollywood production, but was certainly a big deal for many of us, even those without lines. Indeed parents were proud of the event.

The Library operated in the Town Hall under the supervision of Mary Roberts after whom one of the streets in east Baysville is named. I remember on Library nights, my mother who was an avid reader returned home with an armful of books some of which we, the children, even ventured to read. It was a treat to spend time in the Library area, browsing through the shelves, while observing the no talking rule.

Euchre sessions occurred on a regular basis. There was square dancing nearly every Saturday night in the summer and from the second storey of our house just across the road, as curious kids, we watched the comings and goings, and tapped our feet to the music, listening to the tunes and the "caller " long into the night.

The Town Hall also served as a movie theatre, I saw my first silent movie there, even though I cannot recall its name. The motion picture was a miracle of technology! And when sound arrived, everyone was astounded. No one seemed to care about rating the movies. One picture involving murders by a werewolf traumatized the children of Baysville, who suffered all that summer from nightmares related to the horror movie. 

Other special events occurred in the Town Hall-Baysville's cultural centre. We watched in awe one time when a strong many lay on a mat and local men placed a large rock on his chest. Then with sledge hammers, the men smashed at the stone over and over again. At the end of the performance, the strong man jumped to his feet, apparently unhurt, to the thunderous applause of the gathered audience. That huge stone remained outside near the from of the Town Hall for years.

One of the more righteous events happened on certain Sundays, when the Peck family sponsored a religious service. It was well attended by the young people of the village, not necessarily because of their religious fervor, but because Eskimo Pies were handed out at the end of the service. Once, small bibles were distributed as well and I remember reading it that summer from cover to cover. I often wonder if that extra dose of religion helped some of us through those teen years.

The Town Hall also housed the local jail. It was said only two persons were ever incarcerated there overnight, but for the sake of the families and in the interest of fairness and truth their names shall remain anonymous. ( But we all know who they were.)

It was a sad day when the Township sold the Town Hall and it was torn down. What a place it would have made for a family museum! Some towns in Ontario use their old jails as a main magnet to attract tourists," locking up" the visitors and issuing certificates to those who want to " Go to jail." The abandonment and destruction of the Town Hall was just another indication of the short-sighted policies in relation to the restoration of historic buildings.

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