Cityview

Schools
S.S. #12 City View School opened in 1845-46.[1]  Despite the progression of education in the surrounding areas, school facilities were often inadequate. Cityview was more fortunate than other areas; in 1851 Jockvale and Cityview were the only schools that had blackboards! In 1858 the township’s first stone schoolhouse was built. In 1886 this school was replaced by another one room stone schoolhouse.[2]

Farming
Lois Henry grew up on the farm that once belonged to her great grandfather, William Henry. The fire of 1870 destroyed the entire Henry farm, fortunately the family was able to escape. William Henry loaded his wife and three young children into an express wagon and drove to the Ottawa and submerging it and the occupants in the river. Following the fire, William Henry started a seed business to earn money to rebuild his farm. Eventually, the farm was passed down to Lois Henry’s grandfather, Ralph Henry and then to Lois’ father, William Henry.  The Henry’s became well known for their livestock, especially Clydesdales.

Lois Henry’s maternal great grandfather, George Bayne, also had a farm in Cityview. Upon arriving in Canada, he took up a land grant of 50 acres and became a farmer. In 1826, Bayne built a log cabin on his property. Two years later, he replaced the cabin with a stone house as a reminder of his native Scotland. Bayne’s dairy farm became one of the most successful in Upper Canada. As a result of this success, he was able to enlarge the house.[3]

Development

Lois Henry remembers watching the area develop. She recalls that the City View post office existed in a frame house, with Mrs. Sheridan as the first post mistress, circa 1940. Also, at Cityview corner, where Merivale and Baseline meet, there were three stores. The Hoppers had a general store in a brick house, the Hills who later took over the post office ran a small store and further down Merivale there was another general store run by Mr. Leaver.[4]

Footnotes:
1. Bruce Elliott, The City Beyond (Nepean: City of Nepean, 1991) 56.
2. Elliott, The City Beyond, p. 59.
3. Lois Henry, Personal Interview, 2010.
4. Henry, 2010.