Matthew Wilkinson

Following on the theme of New Year's wishes, we spent a bit of time perusing old newspapers to see how the new year sentiments were shared in the past.

Hard to imagine Robin Hood in the wilds of historic Mississauga, so what on earth are those name references doing here?

Cody's Tavern was located on Lot 10, Concession 1, SDS. The property was first patented by The Crown to Sarah Grant on May 19, 1807 – one of the earliest land grants here in historic Mississauga. On May 27, 1807, Amasa Grant, Sarah's husband, sold the 200-acre property to Philip Cody. In modern terms Cody's property was located on the south side of Dundas Street and just east of

, and the family story of Lt. Andrew Robertson Gordon. A recent drive (and road closure) along The Queensway had me divert my route of travel to Gordon Drive, and subsequently to Isabella Avenue. I paused at the intersection of Isabella Avenue and Parker Drive and recounted what I knew of the history of the Parker-Gordon families and the development of the Gordon Woods subdivision beginning in the 1920s. As mentioned, the origins of the road names for Harborn, Gordon and Parker are known, but who was Isabella?

When German troops invaded Belgium in 1914, Marie Therese was a beautiful, dark-eyed girl in her early 20s.

You would be forgiven if, while zooming along the QEW past Winston Churchill Boulevard today (on a good traffic flow day), you did not recognize the few physical reminders that remain on the landscape from the historic crossroads hamlet of Sheridan.

Malton is a fascinating part of Mississauga – it truly has some stories that make it unique amongst the founding villages of Mississauga.

A new subdivision plan, Plan 366, was registered in 1949, by Martha and Morley McMullen. This plan opened several building lots along a road that ran through the McMullen's property. The road was simply referred to as the “Road Allowance Between Lots 8 and 9” in Range 2, in the Racey Tract, Credit Reserve. It doesn't quite roll off the tongue.

Agricultural Fair in the 1920s. Then today, responding to an inquiry, I inadvertently opened a book to a chapter of the Cooksville Fair where it highlighted a story about the “Auto Polo Contest” in 1922. Thank of a combination of polo, car racing, and a demolition derby!

The news is tragic. The deaths of two police officers with local connections. Our community and our province is in mourning as we reflect on the lives lost in the service of others.