In 1849, the town of London, Ontario was a small community of just 5,000 people. Roads were unpaved, sidewalks were made of wood as were the majority of buildings. A local entrepreneur named William Sutherland founded a newspaper named The Canadian Free Press.The Canadian Free Press was printed weekly with publication beginning on January 2nd, 1849. The paper’s competitors were Joseph Cowley’s London Times, George Brown’s Western Globe and Reverend James Inglis’s Evangelical Pioneer. A centennial book published in 1949 described the printing process as, “By a diamond-paned window at the back of the building stands a big, burly man. Methodically, unhurriedly,he turns the…

The Bowlerama Royale, nestled along Dundas Street in London, Ontario, was a vibrant 32-lane bowling alley. In 2015, the building, previously known as the London Furniture building, was purchased by Mark Decman and Brenda Dotterman.According to a former employee, Brenda and Mark purchased Bowlerama from Jack Fine’s son-in-law. Jack passed away in 2013/2014 and his son-in-law inherited the business but didn’t want it. The revamped establishment boasted 32 ten-pin lanes, a bar area, indoor golf facilities, escape room, and a sporting goods store named “Bowlers on a Roll.” Here, bowling enthusiasts could purchase bowling gear and accessories. Embracing both recreation…

The Midland Drive In opened in 1953. There was a single screen to show movies on.The early management was James Wilson in 1953 and Allan W. Perkins (1955-1956). In 1956 the theatre was acquired by Odeon. Sometimes women were offered free admission on Mondays & Tuesdays if they were the driver.In 1982, brothers Dave and Paul Babcock purchased the Midland Drive In. They were already owners of Penetanguishene’s Pen Theatre. After the brothers passed away, ownership went to their wives Teresa and Heather. Dave’s children Mark and Stacey also assisted with operations.At some point the wired speakers that patrons would…

Castle Village was located in Midland, Ontario. It closed prior to the Covid pandemic and never reopened. The owner,  Paul des Roches, passed away in December of 2022. The property was put up for sale and in April of 2023 it was announced that it had been sold.There’s no word on what the location will be used for. The full write up on this location is found here. Goldilocks and the Three Bears Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Video

I have very little information on this location except that it’s being used for storage by MarineLand in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The warehouse is located on the grounds of a chemical production company which produces products for refineries and industrial factories. In one section of the warehouse are enclosed hot dog carts which are on wheels. These were most likely in use at various spots in MarineLand. There’s also an ice cream cart. Going back to 2022, there were coin operated arcade games which would have been part of King Waldorf’s Palace. After the location became well known to explorers,…

Private Eyes Gentleman’s Club Note: I attempted to visit this location shortly after Private Eyes closed but was unsuccessful. I returned after it transitioned to Club 55. While this article covers the history of both businesses, my visit and photos are solely of Club 55. This location began as the Rainbow Inn, located at 3 Niagara Stone Road. The inn was situated at the southernmost point of Highway 55, which meant that tourists on their way to Niagara on the Lake would pass by it. The location was ideal for people on their way north.Later, the inn closed and a…

This amusement park was built in 1972. It began as a single castle built by Mr. Paul Des Roches. Mr. Des Roches built the castle intending to sell his handmade crafts and woodworking. He produced birdhouses, candlesticks, and other wooden products on his lathe. The business was so successful that he was selling his products as fast as he was producing them.His gift shop offered nearly 10,000 items such as souvenir spoons.The castle was designed with thirty towers, a water spewing dragon, and a moat guarded by creatures of the underworld. In the castle’s basement, a showroom was added to…

Nighswander Equestrian was the business venture of Gloria and Jim Nighswander who lived in Aurora, Ontario. For over five decades Gloria and her staff taught students saddle seat riding techniques, provided riding lessons, and offered education on the variety of horse breeds. Nighswander Equestrian also offered indoor and outdoor boarding at their year-round operation. They also bred horses and sold horses. The facility was located in Aurora Ontario upon 100 acres of land. The property featured large paddocks, an indoor and outdoor arena, heated tack rooms and wash stall. Gloria herself has been riding horses since the 1970’s. She would often…

The Eatonville Roadhouse began as a business venture of J.A. Eaton to operate a hotel and roundhouse in Ontario. Eaton already owned a hotel in Chicago and wanted to expand his business to offer accommodations to people needing a place to stay while travelling from Detroit to Buffalo or Niagara Falls. Mr. Eaton chose a location where he could also attract locals heading to Rondeau Park for dances and concerts.  By 1926 Eaton had constructed a two-storey garage, two-storey hotel and in between the buildings, a drive-thru hot dog stand. The hotel was built with a lobby, fireplace, dance floor,…

Closed in 2010. The plant was located on Centre Street in Thorold.