Heritage sites open their doors in Caledon Sept. 9 & 10

Drop by the Alexander Smith House during the heritage open house tour.

Did you know that Disney manufactured balloons in Caledon? Do you wonder what's behind

the bright blue door of the True Blue Masonic Lodge in Bolton? Or where to find the last octagonal barn in Peel Region?

You can find the answers to these questions this weekend when 17 designated properties in Caledon will be open to the public free as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of Heritage Caledon.

"Caledon is full of architectural gems," said Andy Priede, chair of Heritage Caledon. "So, to celebrate our 30th anniversary we decided to show some of them off."

He and his volunteer committee hope that you'll get out to visit these heritage sites Sept. 9 and 10 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. You can read about them and other heritage activities in the 30th anniversary booklet available at the Town of Caledon, through Headwaters Tourism, and other sites throughout the town. The booklet contains a detailed map to assist you on your self-conducted tour of these interesting heritage landmarks.

Erica Pratt, a member of the Friends of St. Andrew's Church, is excited to be part of the open house. "Since undertaking the restoration of the church six years ago, we have uncovered treasures in the church, we've collected photographs from 50 and 60 years ago, and we've played detectives to determine what changes the church has undergone since 1853. All of this will be on display and volunteers will be happy to talk to anyone dropping by."

St. Andrew's Stone Church is one of the churhes on the heritage tour this weekend.

Other landmarks open this weekend are the Old Caledon Township Hall and Claude Presbyterian Church on Highway 10, the Alton Mill, the Riverdale Mill in Inglewood, the Rosehill Schoolhouse on Kennedy Road, Boston Mills Cemetery and Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bolton.

Visit www.caledon.ca for more details.

The complete list of sites on the open house tour are:

Alton Mill, off Amelia Street, Alton; Melville White Church, 15962 Mississauga Road; Boston Mills Cemetery, 1942 Boston Mills Road; Terra Cotta Community Hall, 18 High Street, Terra Cotta; The Riverdale Woolen Mill, 100 Maple Avenue, Inglewood; Claude

Presbyterian Church, 15175 Hurontario Street; Old Caledon Township Hall, 18365 Hurontario Street, Caledon Village; Rosehill Schoolhouse, 20386 Kennedy Road; St. Andrew's Stone Church & Cemetery, 17621 St. Andrew's Road; Blackburn Farm Complex, 5294 The Grange Sideroad, Caledon East; former Knox Presbyterian Church, 16078 Airport Road, Caledon East; Alexander Smith Farm Complex, 14650 Heart Lake Road; Salem United Church, 12348 Innis Lake Road; Steel Truss Bridge Over the Humber River, Glasgow Road, Bolton; Steel Truss Bridge Over the Humber River, Sneath Road, Bolton; True Blue Masonic Lodge, 16 Nancy Street, Bolton; Laurel Hill Cemetery, 389 Centennial Drive, Bolton.