HISTORIC COMMUNITY SIGNS INITIATIVE
RICHWOOD
This historic community, is situated on Township Road 5, just east of Drumbo. The town once boasted three general stores, a grocery store, two shoe stores, two blacksmith shops, a hotel, one good school and three churches.
It was a post village and station on the Buffalo Goderich Railway. The map below, from 1851, shows the hamlet of Richwood. |
Richwood (1851).
A resident claimed that the name is supposed to be derived from rich and wood, in allusion to the spot selected for the site of the village. There is also the probable story that it was named by a man named Rockwood, one of the pioneer storekeepers, who gave his own name to the place, but owing to the fact that the name had already been appropriated by another village, it was changed to Richwood. |
MOSCOW
Moscow (1867). It is scarcely necessary to say that it was called after the Russian city of Moscow, which was so named because it is built on the river Moscowa. And for those who are curious to know what Moscowa means, will find that it is assumed "The name of the river is probably Finnic, signifying a place of washing. The name has also been referred to the Slavonic 'mokschow' meaning wet or marsh." The map to the right, from 1852, shows the hamlet of Moscow. |
This historic hamlet is situated on the 6th concession, just east of Drumbo. Moscow was also called Howell's Mills, because the local flour mill was owned by Wesley Howell. The town also boasted a grist, post office, residences and saw mill.
The grist mill was a frame building, three stories high, and has three run of stone, which are propelled by water - Smith's Creek (now known as the Nith River) furnishing the power. Enjoying many natural advantages, the place seemed destined to become a flourishing hive of industry; but after the founding of Drumbo, which afterward also became the railway station, Moscow's prosperity gradually began to wane. The high steep hill, east of Drumbo, is still called "Moscow Hill," but in time even that name has been forgotten. |
WINDFALL
Windfall, has historically had a church, cemetery, three schools, a sawmill, houses and farms over the years.
Once known as Wind Fall Mills, it is situated on the 7th concession, just West of Drumbo. During the early history of Oxford County, Drumbo was known as Windfall. When the name Drumbo was adopted for the village the congregation of this church kept the name of Windfall. It is located on the Drumbo-Innerkip Road. |
BLANDFORD STATION
Built at the townline on Lot 1, Concession 6, which was operated largely as a flag station of the Great Western Railway and called, by the settlers in the area, "Blandford Station." Blandford Station had a population about 30 people, made up of a grocer, cheese company, post master and a saw mill. It was named after the township "Blandford" in 1883.
For a period of time in the early years, a small cheese factory operated at Blandford Station serving a community comprised of parts of both Blandford and Blenheim. Named Famers' Cheese Factory (1887 - 1906). A large sawmill was also operated in Blandford Station which was powered by a large steam engine. |