Dollartown gets its due with signs recognizing historic Midland district

Once upon a time, Dollartown existed. Then it became part of Midland, but its story continues.

At the recent committee of the whole meeting, approval was given to purchase 77 historic Dollartown street signs as part of a heritage committee recommendation in the works since 2015.

Mill houses were constructed just outside Midland’s 1875 boundaries by the industry-driven Dollar brothers John and Robert, with the border between the two towns at Russell Street.

Dollartown’s boundaries extended to Midland Bay Landing, but kept along Gloucester Street at the north and Yonge Street to the south, with its eastern edge extended out into Georgian Bay; annexation in 1904 absorbed Dollartown.

While the heritage committee initiated recognition of that area years ago, various reasons kept the street sign project dormant until efforts resumed, and a resolution for five boundary location signs was presented in June; 77 interior signs for each intersection were also suggested as per a staff recommendation.

The cost of the project for 77 signs was estimated at roughly $7,300, with $4,500 in funds reallocated from the heritage committee’s 2024 budget, and just over $2,800 funded from heritage reserves.

With an example of the signs put on display for council and audience members, heritage committee chair René Hackstetter was asked to explain the justification for Dollartown’s prominence.

“In Toronto, back in the late 1960s, they did historic Cabbagetown, which was the eastern part of Toronto around Parliament Street,” said Hackstetter. “Their heritage committee had the same thing, done signs like that, and it had tremendous traction. It garnered a lot of questions. This will obviously garner questions: what's this all about? 

“We hope that this will stimulate a number of things: one of them is of course town pride or pride of an area. This is not a defined heritage district; it's actually just a recognition of an historic district that has always been there.”

Members of council praised the appearance of the sign and supported Hackstetter’s suggestion on locations where a placard with town-linked QR code could be stationed for further information on the Dollartown designation.

From the committee of the whole, approval was given to the sign project with an estimated installation date over the spring and summer season of 2025.

The heritage street signage report for Dollartown, including historic background information and street sign locations, is available in the council agenda on the town of Midland website.

Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53 when available, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.