In honour of Oshawa’s 100th Anniversary on March 8, let’s reflect back to March 1924, the month that Oshawa was declared a City. This post has been updated from what was originally posted in March 2014.
Whitby Gazette and Chronicle, 6 March 1924, 3
Thornton’s Corners
The mild weather will thaw much of the snow and as Spring is so near we expect a few days of muddy weather and bad roads.
Our well known Choral Society will soon give a musical Concert and Drama. The date will soon be out. Watch for it or you will miss the wonderful treat of the season.
Page 4
Editorial notes
Whitby as Oshawa’s nearest neighbor, congratulates that municipality on its erection into a city, which takes place at noon on Saturday of this week. Appropriate ceremonies will be observed, but it is understood the real celebration will be deferred until Oshawa holds its Old Boys’ Reunion next summer.
Canadian Statesman, 6 Mar 1924, p. 8
Good Wishes for Oshawa City
Bowmanville correspondent to Orono News speaks thus kindly to Oshawa’s becoming a city: There will be doings in Oshawa next month when that town puts on its city clothing and becomes a full fledged citified chap. Well it deserves all it can get in that way, it is certainly a go-ahead business spot, and we are pleased to see it in a flourishing condition. Just the same it has been in the past and now is considerable of a factor so far as our town is concerned in giving employment to quite a number of our citizens, over thirty going up every morning, which is no small number and when the electric road isin operation there will be a vast increase in that number that will get work in that place. So far as Oshawa itself is concerned the business part of the place has not kept pace with the residential section. The stores of Oshawa are of the old Oshawa pattern of years ago. They do not compare with the shops in this town, but the private residences and the fine streets would be a credit to any city. Just the same we are pleased to notice the growth of our western neighbor and wish it to continue.
Oshawa Daily Telegram, 8 Mar 1924
Hopes Realized
Today is a day that the citizens of Oshawa for several succeeding generations have been looking forward to – the day when Oshawa would become a city.
Oshawa enters into that new relationship and experience today, with a population of nearly 16,000 souls…
Much more is expected of a city, than of a town or village but all are expected to be along.
A city takes upon itself tremendous responsibilities. It is expected to be a leader; always out to the front in every line of thought and action that human beings are interested in.
To be a first class city, implies industrial activities; modern educational institutions with qualified and efficient teachers; church buildings that express their design and construction the spiritual as well as the artistic sense of the people; homes that indicate comfort and happiness; parks and pavements and playgrounds and public utilities in keeping with civic progress, pride and high intellectual and moral purpose.
Route of Tonight’s Big Parade
The following is the route of the big parade which will take place this evening, starting off at 7:30 sharp from the Armouries
From Armouries west on Duke to Church street; south on Church to King street; east on King to Albert street; south on Albert to Bruce street; west on Bruce to Simcoe street and then north to the Armouries
Chief of Police Friend announced this morning that no parking of cars would be allowed on any of the streets through which the parade will pass, during the time of the procession.
Ontario Reformer, 8 Mar 1924, p. 2
Oshawa – the Motor City
To-day Oshawa becomes the twenty-fifth city in Ontario – the ‘Baby’ City of the Dominion. Elsewhere in this issue appears a series of very excellent articles giving historical sketches of the growth and development of Oshawa from its earliest days. These are written from many angles, and contain a great deal of valuable information…
Like all other centres Oshawa has had its share of ups and downs, but in spite of occasional set backs it has marched steadily forward and today is one of the brightest, most progressive and most go-ahead centres in the Dominion. Much of the success of Oshawa is due to the fact that it has been favored with men of vision, who gave generously of their time and money to make Oshawa a desirable place in which to live and work.
Canadian Statesman, 13 Mar 1924, p. 7
Funeral of Mrs. Truscott
Elizabeth Martin, beloved with of Rev. W.H. Truscott, Napanee, was laid to rest on Saturday, March 1… A letter from South Oshawa Church was read by Rev. A.J. Tirrell, BA, BD, pastor of Grace Church…
Many beautiful floral tributes, four from Oshawa Ladies’ Aid, Golden Links Class, Mrs. Roope, and one from three other ladies of South Oshawa Church of which Rev. Mr. Truscott was the beloved pastor for 9 years. Mr. Truscott and three children are left to mourn her death.
Whitby Gazette and Chronicle, 20 Mar 1924, p. 6
Election Contest in One Ward Only in Oshawa
With just four minutes to go before the time for qualifying had elapsed, John Stacey, veteran councilman and Mayor of Oshawa for four years, signed his name to the qualification papers in the presence of City Clerk Fred Hare at 11:56 on Monday morning and precipitated an election in ward two in Oshawa.
Although there were nine nominated for the Mayoralty, W.J. Trick, present mayor, was the only nominee to enter qualification papers, and was therefore returned to the Chief Magistrate’s chair by acclamation. The nominees in all except ward two, were also returned by acclamation… The election takes place next Saturday from nine in the morning until five in the evening…
The inaugural meeting of the City Council will be held early next week.
The Globe, 26 Mar 1924, p. 12
First Stone Arrives For Oshawa Memorial
Oshawa, March 25 – City Council at the first regular meeting tonight, struck the 1924 tax rate at 43 mills. The Council authorized the purchase of a high powered car for the Police Department…
The stone for the Oshawa War Memorial, sent under instruction from the late Woodrow Wilson as contribution from the United States, landed in Oshawa this morning. The stone is of grey granite, quarried from near Richmond, Virginia, the native state of the late Woodrow Wilson. This is the first of the collection of stones to arrive in the city for the memorial, which has created such world-wide interest.
Canadian Statesman, 27 Mar 1924, p. 5
Local and Otherwise
Lakeview Park, Oshawa, is receiving three buffaloes from Wainwright, Alberta.
Ontario Reformer is carrying on a vigorous propaganda for pasturization of milk sold in Oshawa City.
Election Saturday in Oshawa to complete the City Council resulted in election of Ex-Mayor John Stacey, Alfred J. Graves and Orme R. Burns.
Statistics show that crime is decreasing in Oshawa.
Oshawa and Lindsay are holding Old Home Week this year.
(continued on page 7)
Several streets are receiving new names in Oshawa.
Oshawa had $26,050 worth of building in February, compared with $12,200 in February last year.
Oshawa Museum Blog 