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We A Preston resident, Mrs. Reta Armstrong, recalls living in this tline when _ her _ granmifather, lames Barclay, was owner. At iba: time the long attached hbinkdâ€" nâ€" was used as a kitchen, woodâ€" hod. and a carpentry shop. imch walls which has withstood the ravages of time in excellent onder. Ts fime example of dcoi. ~mination to defeat te n‘ss and establish a en‘ monument to their Mo i Jacob and Isaac Bechtel, who built the first house in this counâ€" 1®, built solidly. Their desire to make this area their permanent _Ine _ mam house has nme rooms, some of them quite huge. A long walk which ran behind the bunkling gave entrance through wulividual doors into each room ug that side. Portions of the old house were built of wood but have ‘)nn;: since been bricked over. The stonework is plastered on each side and was once whiteâ€" waished as was the practice in ly»‘s gone by. Ts fime example of proneers‘ S1\+ SOJN+ a&‘h* altre she says, was cram me! full of antiques at that time there was also a milk ceMar and washrooms there. The thick valls made this home one of the teliest in the county. Lie hmise built by the Bechtel *.thers was sold to James Barâ€" vlay un 1883. He died in 1912 and Sesquicentennial Home Still Standing V( ly le THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN about 75 years located next to Ed Bergman Jewellers Ltd. on Koehler homestead where he operated an ice Koehler is third from left. More recent renov; where centre doors are shown, which closed the floor. From that time the upstairs area has bee conviction has bect _ rnenovated over 1} cars and is now quile /. however, there of the original w are â€" still work manâ€" the permanâ€" courage io extenâ€" the wilâ€" eâ€" passâ€" modern t was passed on to his daughter, Roberta Barclay. She sold it to the Wikes estate which owns practicaly all of the river flats in the Blair area, Stretching over to Preston. James â€" Johannes, â€" wellâ€"known county auctioneer, purchased the property from the Wikkes estate some 30 years ago and is in the REN about (5 years ago and shows the building, in Jewellers Ltd. on King St., which was the Hy he operated an ice cream parlor till 1905. Henry . More recent renovations founded a small shop EvoRm e m us Cnluk wl C W Bs P a, "ie : . ©, & dfi .. ... 5 k. " es * m ’ A C x 3 '», 2 :_::» »M';; wil l/{ ' " 3 »3 e hn _ e Harold Beaupre The staff at that time numbered 2, Lou and Harold Beaupre, and the work involved mainly painting. The business has expanded greatly and today a complete painting and decorating service is offered for your home and office. T he staff has increased to 15, 6!, times the complement of 1946. Our fully experienced consultants are available to help you solve any interior decorating or color problem. The stock at Beaupres includes 1350 colors of paint, wallpaper, broadloom, floor coverings, customâ€"made draperies as well as a wide range of and employed numerous painters throughout the years _ 1896 â€" . . wos the beginning of a complete decorating service closed the stairway ]eading: tofitheseco;na a has been completely blocked off. AVAV AV?VA 1867 | 1967 process of selling it because his wife, who suffers from rheamaâ€" tiom, has trowble climbing the stairs. This home, buitt by men who helped make this area the thrivâ€" mg centre it is today, wil doubtâ€" less stand for many. many mare generations as a hving momâ€" ment to their faith in the future. (3 Lou Beaupre ‘"The town by its petition has represented that its population is now upward of 10,000 and is increasing rapidly, that it has many large manufactories located within its limits and that it is an important insurance centre Preamble to this historic doeâ€" ument tells of its outstanding position for a centre of its size and interest of leading citizens in achieving cityhood: Waterloo, they ‘pointed out, while not having the population of 15,000 normally required for incorporation as a city, merited cityhood because of its outstandâ€" ing position in the worla of in surance, manufacturing and ‘fiâ€" nance. The committee left no stone unturned in an effort to prove to provincial authorities that Waterloo naC all the maturity required for cityhood, and so deserved special consideration. When, on Dec. 9, 1946, counâ€" cil asked the electors if they favored incorporation as a city, 2,673 of 2836 who voted answerâ€" ed yes. On April.3, 1947, a special act was passed by the Ontario legisâ€" lature authorizing cityhood for Waterloo. For some time prior to this action, however, merits of a proâ€" posal to withdraw from the counâ€" ty corporation had been discussâ€" ed. A. M. Snider, later chairman of the Ontario water resources commission, was chosen to head the town committee and interâ€" view authorities a Queen‘s Park. It was in 1946 that Waterâ€" loo town council named a specâ€" ial commit‘ee to investigate posâ€" sibilities of cityhood for Waterâ€" loo. Attained Cityhood 1948 ~_ Despite Population Lack Albert Beaupre The Waterioe Chronicle, Wednesday, Sentember 27, 1967.. 22 .. In He started as a painting contractor «h: lack of foresight by the then council (1911) caused this fine central square to be lost to this city forever. Mr. Snider was no fool though, he then purchased the adjoinâ€" ing property and sold a large p. rt of the whole to Molson‘s Bank for $10,000. Council _ refused _ acceptance with one member of council statâ€" ing that they would compel Mr. Snider to pay the frontage taxes. We Lost the Town Square 95 years later, William Snider who owned the square and the mill realizing that he could be charged frontage taxes (though it nad been used as public square in all that time) tried to deed it o the city. Early in the planning of this community, (about 1816) Abraâ€" ham Erb wisely laid out . generâ€" ous sized square in the heart of the then vill:ge, however, about Waterloo formally became a city Jan. 1, 1948. large ins urance companies, whereas many of the. business men, _ manufacturers, _ residents anc the board of trade have urâ€" ged the council thereof to apply to have the lown erected into a city." Members of the cityhood comâ€" mittee included Mr. Snider, Reeve Wilfrid Hilliard, Vernon Snider, H. E. Ratz, Wilfred Carâ€" lisle and R. G. Given as secre lary.