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Castleton, Ontario

Castleton is a small town in Cramahe Township located in Southern Ontario, Canada. The town was founded in 1806 by Joseph Keeler, a local settler. It is situated approximately 11 kilometers North of the Highway 401 in Colborne.

Church

The Castleton United Church was built in December 1865. The congregation was formed in 1853 and acquired the deed for the property on Percy Street in 1863.

The church holds several events every year for the people of Castleton. Among these are:

-      Roast beef dinner (March)

-      Roast pork supper (October)

-      Christmas bazaar (November)

There are worship services for Good Friday, the Sunday before Christmas, as well as the Church’s anniversary in September.

In June 2015, the church invited members of the community to celebrate its 150^th birthday with tea and cake. At the event there were also displays of historical artifacts, including antique clothing and pins.

General Store

The General Store in Castleton is located at the corner of the only intersection in town. Built around the mid 19^th century, the building has had several owners, the longest being the Newman family who owned the store from 1891 to 1976. The building now belongs to the Kim family who bought it in 2005.

The old architecture still remains, including wood doors and floors as well as old-fashioned wooden drawers like those seen in hardware stores.

Today, the store has metal mailboxes available for community members to rent as well as an LCBO.

The Hotel

The hotel in Castleton is located at the only intersection in town, across from the General Store. Built in the 1890s by Timothy S Giroux, the hotel has gone by many names over the years including the Union, Temperance, and Oriental Hotel.

The hotel had eight guest rooms on the upper floor. The balcony later became enclosed as a sun room for guests. Guests consisted mostly of traveling salesmen.

From 1903 to 1986, the hotel was owned by the Wolfraim family and today is a private residence.

Kokimo Candleland

Kokimo Candleland is a candle shop located on the outer edges of Castleton. The business, Kokimo Candles LTD., was founded by Adrian Quinn in 1995 with his creation of the “Candy Candle.”

Today, the company sells its candles to thousands of retailers across Canada as well as internationally.

The Purdy Mill

The grist mill is located on the Purdy property on Percy street in Castleton. The approximately 6000 square foot building was built about 180 years ago.

The mill had changed purposes several times over its years of operation. In 1900 it turned into a feed mill, after that a millstone. In 1906, it became a steel grinder. The mill closed in 1968.

In 1986, the mill suffered a flood that damaged the foundations of the building.

The mill still contains much of the original equipment inside including, “an enormous 1935 Ruston and Hornsby Diesel Engine (rated 38hp/300rpm), which replaced the water from Piper Creek as a means of turning the wheels in the mid 1930’s.”

In 2011, the building began undergoing renovations by the Cox family who have been working on restoring the building in the hopes of turning it into, “a resource for the entire community, and in particular for performers and visual artists.”

Schools

Castleton Public School

Castleton Public School opened in September 1930 and contained both high school and elementary school students in the two-storey building. Building began in 1929 and was paid for by the entire village at that time.

From 1950 on, the school was used only for elementary students and underwent several renovations including the renovation of the basement to include three new classrooms and a mini-gym.

In 2010, the school was torn down and replaced by Northumberland Hills Public School for the following school year.

Northumberland Hills Public School

Northumberland Hills Public School was built in 2010. The school was built to combine students from Castleton Public School and South Cramahe Public School.

The three floor building includes an elevator, two-storey gymnasium, a science lab, and other features accessible to students.

Town Hall 

The Town Hall was built in 1893 by George Crowe from Trenton, Ontario. In the basement of the building was the municipal office, a jail cell, as well as a vault and council chambers. Upstairs contained a concert hall with a balcony where events could be held.

The basement of the town hall was greatly damaged after a fire started in the jail cell during the 1970s. The basement now functions as Castleton’s library and contains the archive of the Heritage Cramahe Committee.