STEVENSVILLE

Village’s Identity Intact

Transcribed from a newspaper article reproduced in an Elaine Winger local-history volume. Original wording, including “Peter Write,” “planning mills,” and “built in 1872 and Ott Road,” has been retained. Punctuation and paragraph breaks have been regularized for readability.

When regional government was thrust into being, the name Stevensville was theoretically wiped off the map. The tiny hamlet was absorbed into Greater Fort Erie.

Technically, the village is part of Fort Erie, but ask area residents where they live and they’ll tell you “Stevensville.” Twelve years of amalgamation with Fort Erie have not soured the flavor of a small community.

Nestled on the Black Creek, between two busy railway lines, Stevensville was a prosperous centre.

In the middle 1800s, the village enjoyed a thriving lumber trade. Forest abounded in all directions. Then Peter Write was Stevensville’s prime businessman. He owned the flour, saw and planning mills, a blacksmith’s shop and some stores, which all attracted a large trade from the surrounding Welland County.

At times the lumber trade was so brisk, the roads were almost blocked with logs and the mills were pushed to their fullest capacity.

Another thriving entrepreneur was Peter Hendershot, who ran one of the leading business houses in the county.

Store Burned

In February of 1860, however, his store fell prey to fire. Hendershot had no insurance and his loss was heavy. The Hendershot fire was an omen. In the next month, the mills, store and shops of Peter Wright were destroyed by flames.

It was believed the mill fire was the work of an arsonist. One arrest was made, but after a formal hearing the accused was discharged and the matter was dropped. In the meantime, Mr. Hendershot had placed a stock of goods rescued from his fire, in one of Mr. Wright’s buildings—and for the second time he was the victim of fire.

Years later, William Cropley’s tannery was also burned, thus wiping out the main businesses of the village. With the exception of Hendershot’s store, which was built on the opposite side of the street and occupied by F. H. Allen, none of these businesses were revived for many years and the Stevensville economy suffered greatly.

Stevensville, however, pulled itself up by its own boot-straps. Grist and saw mills again made their appearance. Handsome homes were built and the village began to prosper again.

Businesses included a cider mill, three saw mills, a veterinary office and even two halls where plays were performed.

The growth of Stevensville included construction of a small brick school house around 1868. The remains of the building on Stevensville Road can still be seen. This school, however, was too small to meet the village’s needs.

In 1879, a larger school was built on Airline Street. The street, incidentally, took its name from the Airline Railway, but at one time had the nickname “hot alley” as it was the route farmers used to ship their pigs to market by railway.

The Airline Street school still stands. It is vacant and for sale. Its original cost was only about $2,200.

In 1921 a small frame building was erected on the school’s grounds to be used as an additional classroom.

By 1926, however, the board had thoughts of building a larger and more modern continuation school. The ratepayers gave the idea approval and construction began at East Main Street and East Avenue. The school cost a mere $26,000 and was started in the fall of 1927. The school was completed in the spring and on June 2, 1928 was opened.

Carman Sauer became the school’s first graduate in 1929. He still lives in the area and operates a farm with his son.

The continuation school became the present public school when the use of the Airline Street facility was discontinued.

Stevensville’s first church, the United Brethren was built in the early 1860’s. It was a frame building that Chester Beam added a block front to and used as a feed mill in later years.

The second church was a block building on a lot west of the present Stevensville Grocery Store. It fell prey to fire between 1911 and 1913. The present church building on Stevensville Road was built in 1914.

The Mennonite Church was built in 1872 and Ott Road and the Methodist Church was constructed in 1885.

In 1880, the Gabrielite Church was built. After discontinuation of service it later became known as the Church of God. Part of this building still remains as part of the present Stevensville Planning Mill.

Among other historic buildings in the village is the Hutcheon House, constructed by J. H. Haun in 1884. Today the tavern is known as the Stevensville Hotel.

Stevensville stepped into the modern age in 1899, when telephone service was introduced. It wasn’t until 1960 that dial phone service was available. Electricity didn’t come to the village until more than 16 years after the turn of the century.