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Many of the villages, towns, and cities in Ontario are named after places in other countries, are named in honour of royalty, or are variations of the Native place-name. Few are given as a result of a gunshot wound to the leg.

Prior to the arrival of settlers, the Mississauga Nation in the mid-1700s camped at East Cross Creek. An Irishman named Patrick O’Connell was the first white settler to take up residence, on Lot 7, Concession 2, on the west shore of Scugog River, in 1825. Close behind O’Connell came William Purdy and his two sons, Jesse and Hazard, in 1827. This family left much for history!

The Purdys had entered into a contract with the Canadian government to build a sawmill and a ten-foot dam on the Scugog River by the year 1828. A gristmill was to be completed by the following year. For this they were to receive 400 acres and a bonus of $600.

The dam and sawmill were completed in September 1828. The townspeople waited expectantly for the millpond to fill up. Some thought it would do so within 24 hours, but the water failed to reach the top of the dam until the following April. Then, during the spring, pressure on the dam was too great, the centre timbers shifted on the rocky bottom of the river, and the dam was swept away. The Purdys required a time extension from the government and it was granted. Not until April, 1830, was the dam rebuilt and the gristmill completed.

In the early 1830s, William Purdy took a stand against the Family Compact, the small group of wealthy Loyalists who comprised the governing class at that time. This led to William’s arrest and transport to the Cobourg jail. After several days he was released and told to mind his own business. Shortly thereafter, in 1837, William Purdy and his son Jesse moved to Bath and left Hazard Purdy in charge of the mill. In 1844 Hazard sold the mill and the 400-acre Purdy tract of land to Hiram Bigelow.

Before Hazard left Lindsay, he was confronted with a series of problems resulting from the dam his family had constructed. Apparently, the Purdy dam had altered the geography of the land. It was responsible for the flooding of approximately 60,000 acres. Most of the forest and surrounding vegetation turned to swamp and a plague of swamp fever resulted. The flooding was blamed for many deaths. Hostility mounted, and a determined group of farmers from adjacent townships, armed with flintlocks, pitchforks, and axes, marched to Purdy Mills and hacked away a portion of the dam. Hazard did rebuild it, but at a lower level. The year after he left, 1844, the Purdy dam was torn down and replaced by a new dam and a lock to facilitate the navigation between Sturgeon Lake and Scugog Lake. At that point the settlement was called Purdy Mills.

The originally surveyed townsite was covered in greater part by a dense cedar swamp. In 1835 Jeremiah Britton came, together with his sons Charles and Wellington, from Port Hope to settle on 100 acres of land at what is now the foot of Kent Street. There, he built a log structure and opened a tavern. A notice posted over his bar read, KEEP SOBER OR KEEP AWAY. James Hutton arrived in 1837 and opened the first store in town.

In 1834 John Houston of Cavan, and a small party of men, arrived at Lots 20 and 21 in the 5th Concession of Ops Township to plot out a town. One of Houston’s assistants, a man named Lindsay, was accidentally wounded in the leg by a gunshot. Unfortunately for him, infection set in and he died. The survey crew buried Lindsay on the bank of the Scugog River at what is now MacDonnell Park. The name Lindsay was marked on the plan and was later adopted as the official town name.

Virgin wilderness still surrounded the tiny settlement; sometimes deer were seen drinking from the river in the heart of the village or running from wolves up Kent Street. The village grew slowly but steadily. Kent Street was chopped out of the swamp in 1840, and other streets followed. By the year 1851, about 300 settlers called Lindsay their home.

Every community had at least one colourful character who attracted a great deal of attention in his or her day. Lindsay resident Dan MacDonald was such a person. Dan was a storekeeper who operated a business on Kent Street. His claim to fame was physical strength — enough to lift a 272-kilogram (600 pound) barrel of flour. He also fascinated folks by juggling a 45-kilogram (100 pound) dumbbell. As fate would have it, poor Dan overestimated his ability. He attempted to lift a 727-kilogram (1,600 pound) piece of machinery; he broke a blood vessel in the process and it did him in. The citizens, not wanting to forget this daring and colourful man, inscribed the following on his tombstone:

“Ye weak beware!

There lies the strong

A victim to his strength

He lifted sixteen hundred pounds

And here he lies at length.”

In 1854 a charter had been granted for the construction of a railway from Port Hope to Lindsay. By 1857 the railway had reached town. It was later extended to Beaverton and eventually Midland. With the coming of the railway, the town entered a period of rapid expansion, and an application was made to the legislature to incorporate the town. Lindsay became an incorporated town on June 10, 1857. The population at this time was 1,100.

Few towns escape the harsh reality of fire. Lindsay experienced such a fate in 1861, when fire swept through the town destroying four hotels, two mills, the post office, and 83 other buildings. The Purdy homestead, built in 1830, was one of the buildings lost. The homeless numbered 400. Despite the hardships, the town remained without adequate fire protection until 1892, when the Waterworks Company was formed.

In those days the townsfolk loved to attend the opera house for a night of gaiety and relaxation. For years the opera house was situated on the upper floor of the town hall, which had been constructed in 1863. The town and its citizens wanted a new opera house, and in 1892 began construction of one at the end of the main street. The famous Canadian actress, Marie Dressler, made her debut at age five, right there at the Lindsay Opera House. She later achieved fame as a much-loved character actress and played the role of Tugboat Annie in a series of movies. Today the Academy Theatre is a beautifully preserved building and is still a cornerstone for live entertainment.

In 1901 Lindsay was blessed by a generous contribution from millionaire James Ross for the construction of a hospital. He did this in memory of his parents, who had been residents of Lindsay.

Here is a strange and little-known tale about our town of Lindsay. There was a bullfight — right here. Imagine the excitement! Apparently, the promoters of the event went to great lengths to ensure an authentic Mexican fight. They even imported the bulls from Mexico. Many shocked citizens openly opposed the fight and loudly protested their concerns across the country. Nevertheless, the promoters continued, promising this affair to be a bloodless fight, and they went to great lengths to ensure this. It was assured that the matadors would use only wooden swords. In August 1958 people flocked to Lindsay to watch their first, and perhaps only, bullfight. The event began with disappointment: the first bull refused to fight, and had to be lured out of the arena by a heifer. The other bulls did, however, put on a spectacular show. There was even an enraged bull, who charged the town’s chief of police when he strode into the arena for a symbolic “kill.” The chief ran to safety just in the nick of time!

Although spectators appeared to enjoy the day, the promoters reported they lost money because hundreds of people crashed the gate.

Lindsay today is often frequented by boaters. It is the “Gateway to the Kawarthas,” in close proximity to Sturgeon Lake, Pigeon Lake, Lake Scugog, and the Scugog River, which is a vital link to the Trent Waterway Systems. Towns like Lindsay will continue to be viable because of their attraction to outdoor enthusiasts. Their state of the art fall fair, live theatre, historic past, and scenic downtown all foretell a strong and rosy future. Gunshot wounds and bullfights will remain tales for this town to tell.