The following article was published in our NCGS April 1984 Newsletter. It was summarizing what was learned from a program meeting that they had with the Historian of the Town of Wilson being the presenter.

“At the May meeting, Mrs. Myers, Historian of the Town of Wilson, presented a talk and slides on the town. The personal touch and interest was evident by the additional information she had that is not found in the history book. In 1810, Reuben Wilson, John Eastman and Gilbert Purdy in two large open boats, one loaded with freight and the other with passengers, rowed around the head of Lake Ontario, camping on shore at night. A mile and a half east of Twelve Mile Creek, they landed and using the boats for shelter by putting them bottom side up on stakes with boughs and bark for sides, lived there for three months. Wilson and Eastman erected two large log houses. They had some of the finest material to build their houses with, having slab floors and bark on the roofs.

In 1846, permission was granted to build two piers, extending 200 ft. into Lake Ontario on either side of Twelve Mile Creek. A large warehouse was built for fruit and grains. By 1868, twelve to thirteen thousand barrels of apples were being shipped from Wilson. Ship-building had been established and about 15 ships were built at Wilson Shipyards. An important date regarding Twelve Mile Creek took place in 1867 when an act of Legislature made Wilson a port of entry. The next year the duties amounted to three thousand and the export to nearly seventy thousand.

The Twelve Mile Creek Harbor of great importance to business also provided a great deal of pleasure as well. The Lake Island Park where the farmers’ picnic was held also offered baseball, water slides into the creek, a bowling alley and bowling on the green. Sunset Island was a popular summer resort with many people coming from Toronto and Pittsburg.

Mrs. Myers slides included many old historic buildings: the Wilson House which at one time house the Post Office; the Wilson boat house and harbor at Twelve Mile Creek; Hubb Hotel; Huntington Lodge, owned by Mr. Pool and Taggart and Stevens Warehouse.

The Wilson Museum is open on Sundays from 2 – 4 P.M. Wilson holds their county fair May 28th this year. Come on out and visit!”