Local history organization Vintage Acton is once again stepping back in time to the town of yesteryear and is inviting the public along for the ride.
This time, founder Scott Brooks will educate history lovers about Acton’s many former buildings in an event titled Gone, But Not Forgotten, set for Sunday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.
Roughly 15 sites will be part of the walk, including the famous W. H. Storey and Son Glove Works and the home of the town’s earliest known photographer, A.T. Brown.
Brooks will be setting up signs along the route with photos of what the buildings looked like back in the day.
Buildings have been part of the local history buff's past tours, however, this is the first time he has put together an event where local structures are the main theme. The walk’s path will mostly go east on Mill Street, with a small detour along Bower Street to where the post office is now. This is the spot where the glove works used to be.
“A lot of people find it hard to imagine that such a well-renowned industry at the time - one of the largest glove manufacturers in Canada - used to just be on that lot,” Brooks said, noting both regular consumers and the RCMP were customers of the facility.
He added: “We hear about Beardmore Tannery, but the W.H. Storey Glove Factory also played a huge role in making Acton well-renowned for using leather and making gloves.”
The historical trek will step off from the Mill and Main Street parkette. As many people may have been around at the time some of the sites existed, Brooks encourages discussion during his tours.
Participation is free and no registration is required. Donations are welcome to cover some overhead costs.
The walk is weather permitting, so keep an eye on the tour’s event page on Facebook for updates. The excursion will be postponed to Aug. 18 in such a case.
For more information on Brooks and his historical work, visit Facebook.com/VintageActon.
