History HistoryThe Village dates back before the mid-point of the 19th century. Eldridge Robinson Irish, born in 1805 in Northumberland County near Ottawa, came to the area in 1832 with his new wife Margaret Jane, bought Lot 1 Con. 3 in Eldon Township and constructed the first house in the area.
Mr. Irish was a man of many trades; he was justice of the peace, Clerk of town meetings for Colborne District, and innkeeper. It was not long until the area near his house was called Irish Corners. This was the original name of the Village of Woodville. In 1884 the Municipality of Woodville was incorporated.
John Harrington, a curling enthusiast, encouraged the formation of a curling club in Woodville. It was housed in the old skating rink with three sheets of ice laid out. Curling and hockey shared the same facility for six years, then the first curling rink was built in January 1929. A Woodville ladies curling club was organized; one of the first ladies club in the district. In 1938 a severe wind storm damaged the rink and it had to be reconstructed. In 1959, with growing membership and cramped facilities, a new rink was built with artificial ice. By November 1960 the rink was in operation.
In 1846, The Old Presbyterian Church was built in the Presbyterian Cemetery. On October 21, 1877, a new church was built for the congregation of Woodville. Reverend J. L. Murray was the pastor. Services were well attended by locals and surrounding areas. The church was destroyed by fire on December 17, 1919 and reopened September 4, 1922.
This church was once known as the Methodist Church. In 1874, Eldridge Robinson Irish donanted lot 10 on King Street East on the south side to the church. During that spring a red brick house was built. Later, in 1885, due to the rapid increase in members, the church decided that a larger building was needed, and in January 1886, the land was purchased for the church where it still stands at the corner of King and Nappadale. On June 10, 1925, the church changed due to the formation of the United Church of Canada. In 1955, renovations were made, including the addition of new, comfortable pews. The original brick house was sold to CIBC for a bank. Later, stained glass windows were dedicated in October 1962 by Mr and Mrs. Howard Hancock, former residents of Woodville.
Early Catholic services were held at the farm of Arnold and Marguerite Canning one mile west of Woodville and after 1947, they were moved into the village of Woodville.
On February 18, 1949, the grand opening of the Woodville and District Memorial Arena took place. In 1976, the Ministry of Labour declared it unsafe, and the Woodville and District Recreation Centre was constructed and officially opened November 4, 1978. Today, it is called the Woodville Eldon Community Centre.
Woodville Elementary School was started in 1923, with the opening of the original four classroom brick school was opened. By 1973, the first addition was completed, and in 1998, a 20,000 square ft. addition was completed, replacing nine portables.
It was built in 1863, on the Eldon side of the townline 4th concession of Eldon. The facility was used for only 11 years before it became over crowded.
It was built in 1874, on the same lot and concession about a quarter mile closer to the village lot 27. The building stood two storeys high.
In 1921, Woodville got a fire engine. The fire hall was built beside the Town Hall at the east side of Church Street. In 1959, the Village council provided for the establishment and regulation of a fire department, known as the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department. In 1990, a new fire hall was built between the Elementary School and the Curling Club.
The Old Town Hall was built on Lot 4 on Nappadale Street north in 1857. The lock up or "Stone Jug" as it was known continued to be in use until the new Town Hall opened in 1904. Today the facility is used for many functions, including craft shows, Woodville Boys and Girls Club recreation programs for summer and winter break, Aerobic classes, jazz, tap and ballet. The Lion's Club holds bi-weekly meetings. The Woodville Senior Citizens club is located in the basement, offering card parties, Woman Institute meetings and kitchen facilities.
On October 29, 1930, a number of war veterans living in Woodville and District held meetings in the Town Hall to organize a Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. On November 6, 1930, a motion was made and passed that the Branch be known as the Woodville Branch, with charter number 184. The first meeting in the new Legion Hall was held on July 7, 1953. Today dances, wedding receptions, bingo nights are held in the building.
The Woodville Cenotaph was built in memory of the men and women from Woodville and District who made the ultimate sacrifice. The WWI War Memorial was made in October 1919 on the corner of the Town Hall lot.
The first hotel was built by E.R. Irish on the lot west of the Masonic Lodge building around 1854. In early years the hotel was was named after the owners. Wood was the last in 1861, In 1879, it was called the "Northern", after the original hotel Royal/Northern Hotel that burned. The hotel was suited for commercial men and the traveling public. The bar supplied the best liquors and cigars, but the Village wanted prohibition, so a group of businessmen took over the hotel, formed a stock company and changed the name to the Woodville Hotel Company.
The Royal Hotel, orginally called the Northern Hotel and later the Temperance House burned from a fire in the attic and was never rebuilt.
It was a two storey structure containing 15 rooms, built in 1876 at the corner of King and the road leading to the junction. A fire broke out in September 1910, damaging the upper portion of the building. Mr. McRae, the owner, decided not to rebuild as the Village had too many building restrictions.
It was built at the railway tracks on the south side of the street in 1872, and used mainly as a dwelling place for station agents.
The first railway in Eldon Township was built in 1871 from Port Hope. A line was already completed to Lindsay in 1857, and was completed through Woodville to Coboconk by November 1872. The Toronto and Nippissing Railway was chartered in 1876. T Lorneville was originally referred to as Woodville Junction. The Grand Trunk Railway took over the line in 1882, and changed the name to Lorneville Junction. Woodville Station was built in 1872. Railway access caused the Village to grow and prosper. Coal was brought in by train to fuel homes with furnaces; furniture could be purchased in Lindsay or Toronto and shipped to the village; travellers arrived by train and stayed in the local hotels. In January 1899, the station house was rejuevenated with new paint and remodeled.
By 1964, the line between Coboconk and Lorneville was abandoned. In 1965, the track between Woodville and Lorneville was closed and by 1967, the track and the Woodville station was removed.The Woodville Grist Mill was built in 1871, reaching four storeys high and fitted with the latest and most improved machinery. It had the amazing the capacity of 50 barrels of flour per day. On March 17 1912, the grist mill caught fire in the engine room and burned down.