Two Milton streets have unexpectedly natural origins.
On a weekly basis, we speak with Milton Historical Society President John Challinor II to gather information and details about the namesakes of our roads. If you weren’t aware, he and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, writing Milton Streets back in 2007.
Recently, we covered Pollock Gate and Weller Crossing in honour of Remembrance Day. This week, we’re focusing on Bergamot Avenue and Tamarack Point.
Starting alphabetically with Bergamot, Challinor notes the streets namesake is rather tangy and tart.
Noting the randomness of a Milton street being named after an Italian fruit, Challinor suggests it was likely a community recommendation. With Milton having a prominent Italian community, it’s possible the recommendation came from there.
Our second street is Tamarack Point. Challinor says residents have likely come across its namesake if they headed north.
He adds that one thing that people will use tamarack trees for is making snowshoes. The wood is very sturdy and reacts well to the harsher elements. Many people will use it to help them get around in areas with lots of snowfall.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets are named, you should check out the book written by Challinor and Dills. Published by the Milton Historical Society back in 2007, it sold out in about six weeks and has since been long out of print. That said, according to Challinor, you can still find a copy at the Milton Public Library. With nearly 15-years having passed since the initial publication, and the extensive town growth in that time, an updated book is likely to come.
You can also take a walk with the late Jim Dills down Milton’s Main Street in 2002.
Have a suggestion on what you’d like to learn about next week? Let us know! We’re currently working on names that we find interesting. You can message our X account or email us at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that we find interesting.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
