Palmerston Ontario Visited
~ A Moment in Time ~
by Gary McWilliams (aka Festival Nomad)
Our visit to Palmerston brought back memories of my “youth“!
Entering Palmerston, no, it wasn’t all the snow.
And, it wasn’t their Farmers’ Market.
I’ll tell you what it was shortly. In the meantime, we reached the downtown area.
Like most rural communities, Palmerston’s downtown caters to local residents and the surrounding farm community.
Shops and restaurants lined the main street.
Soon other buildings came into view.
And then, there it was! No, not the Palmerston Water Tower that was almost hidden by a huge snow pile!
It was “old Number 81” chugging down the track!
That was when my “youthful” memories click in!
You see, I grew up in Toronto when “Steam Engines” were still running.
There were a large number of railway tracks leading in and out of downtown Toronto (there still are!).
Trains, pulling by steam engines, travel along these tracks.
My father use to take me to the Bathurst Street bridge, where the trains passed under.
We’d stand on the bridge for long periods waiting for a train to pass.
When the train did pass under, the smoke (steam) would come up and encase us for a few moments. The experience for a young man was very exciting!
Palmerston is the home of the Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum.
The Museum is housed in the only original railway station left in Wellington County.
It is a tribute to both the Grand Trunk Railway and the Canadian National Railway.
In fact, there is a whole Heritage Park dedicated to the preservation of “Railway History“.
It is a wonderful tribute to the town of Palmerston and its residents that they are maintaining this part of Canada’s amazing railway history!
I can’t wait to return to Palmerston to explore more of Canada’s rail history. Perhaps I’ll hear the “far off” whistle of “old Number 81” as it chugs off to some “exciting Canadian adventure“
Exploring Ontario
Ontario Visited is Ontario’s premier information hub, promoting Ontario’s tourism and communities since 2007. With our websites and apps, we invite you to explore the captivating beauty, culture, and events that define this incredible province. Join us in celebrating all that Ontario has to offer!
Find Your Next Adventure with our Ontario Event Directory website and APP, Keep Informed by logging onto either our Ontario Event News website or APP and share a Moment in Time through our Ontario Videos and Stories website.
It’s time to experience and enjoy Palmerston!
For more Exploring Ontario, “Moments in Time”, go to https://ontariovisited.ca/videos-and-stories/
