In 1885, a store and several buildings were erected. Other businesses, such as butcher, smoke houses, gristmills and stores, sprung up around the lighthouse. In addition, there was a saw mill, flour mill, hotel, lime kiln and a Dr. Offices but Point Clark. The flour mill was located 200 feet from the Lighthouse where Gordon Fishers cottage was located in the 1920s. The flour mill burned down in the 1860s. The hotel was built where Cyril Brown’s cottage was built in the 1920s. The hotel could not be seen from the beach because of trees, they used to hang a banner usually a Union Jack on a post at beach to tell people there was a hotel. In early 1860’s and 1870s, there was a Dr. Greenham who lived at the Point and his home and office were located in the hotel. The lime kiln was located at the Barr’s cottage is today. It was started to make lime for the building of Lighthouse but soon ceased operations as all the material had to be brought in from Inverhuron.
The first school in Huron Township was built at the foot of the sixth concession in 1856 and was built of logs. When a French school was built at the bottom of 10th Concession on the Shore Road, it was decided to move the first school south of the Pine River. In 1869, a flood washed out the no 1 school and a new school was built on the foot of the fourth concession, which is a present day cottage.
The building of the lighthouse gave rise to expectations that flourishing community would be developed. Peoples hopes were dashed as the area did not develop into an important port as the landing was unsafe and the road along the lake was impassable. With the construction of the highway between Goderich and Kincardine inland Point Clark became a backwater early in its history and Point Clark did not experience any serious growth. Eventually, some of the buildings were moved to other lots of land to be used as farmhouses.
Mail was delivered by horseback and later a stage coach delivered the mail from Goderich and Kincardine in the 1880s – 1910. The first mailman who carried mail on horseback from Goderich to Kincardine three times a week via a bush trail along the lakeshore was Alex Ross. He left the mail at Lurgan with John Gamble, who was the first Post Master. The second Postmaster was James McCrindle, who lived 300 at the end of corduroy road now present day Victoria Street. After Mr. Ross retired from delivering mail, the next mailman was found frozen to death sitting on his horse 1/4 of a mile from McCrindle’s post office. In later years mail was carried by stage coach along the Saugeen Highway now Highway 21. Mr. Gamble who assumed the post office the second time used to meet at Rieds Corners (present day Pine River Church) to get the mail from the stage coach from Mr. Corbett who drove the stage coach. Mr. Corbett drove the stage coach for years and you could set your watch by him as he arrived at the 4th Concession at 11:20pm every day.
Keeper Young was placed on pension at the end of 1882, and David Small was appointed in his stead. The life of a keeper must not have been to Small’s liking as he soon resigned, and John Rae was appointed keeper on June 4, 1883. Charges of drunkenness were brought against Keeper Rae in 1891, and the collector of customs at Kincardine was appointed to investigate the matter. These charges were deemed false at the time, but perhaps there was some truth to them, as on November 27, 1896, Keeper Rae was dismissed after it was established that “owing to drinking habits” he had “not given proper attention to the care of the light.”
If you have any questions about the PCBA, you can click here to go our convenient “Contact us” page.