The George Bolton Commemorative Plaque
ALBION BOLTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY has unveiled a bronze plaque commemorating GEORGE BOLTON as part of its 50thAnniversary events. This is the first memorial within our community to the man who founded Bolton Ontario. The unveiling took place on October 5th, 2024 in Bolton Mill Park which forms part of George Bolton’s two-hundred-acre land purchase in 1821.
Unveiling the plaque were Bolton family descendants Darlene Moffatt and Fiona Barrie, 7th generation nieces who are part of George’s extended family, from his brother James Bolton and sisters Maria Bolton Fuller and Rachel Bolton Godbolt, all three of whom settled in Albion Township. They were joined at the event by several members of Council: Mario Russo, Cosimo Napoli, Tony Rosa and Doug Maskell.
The plaque is mounted on the Bolton Bicentennial Rock which marks the position of George Bolton’s original 1822 mill dam.
The earthen dam which stretched from the valley wall across the Humber River to Mill Street was heavily reinforced with timber beams. The dam allowed George to harness the water power provided by the Humber which, in turn, drove the wheel in his grist mill which sat at the bend in Mill Street. The mill was grinding grain into flour by 1824, marking the beginning of Bolton’s industrial origins. It was also the first mill in the Town of Caledon. By then, George was 25.Other notable firsts to George’s credit include providing the area’s first school in 1830, building the first general store in 1831 and running the first post
office within Caledon in 1832. But George’s perseverance in creating ‘forced roads’ into the river valley so farmers could gain access to his mill is his most enduring contribution: King Street to the east, Glasgow Road to the west, Centennial Drive to the north.
Creation of this bronze plaque has been made possible by the support of James Dick Construction, a Caledon Council Community Golf Tournament Grant and donations from individual Albion Bolton Historical Society members.