Fergus was founded in October
of 1833 when Adam Fergusson and
James Webster purchased 7,300 acres
of land and settled the area. Fergusson's
writings describe his contentment
with the area..."The land
is of the best description and
I was altogether entirely satisfied
with soil and situation..."
The Fergus Marketplace is housed
in the historic Beatty Brothers
Farm Implement Manufacturing building
overlooking the Beatty Dam (circa
1833). The foundry was the first
industrial location in Fergus,
and was built in the early 1870's
by James Grindley. The building
was taken over in 1876 by George
and Matthew Beatty who operated
a foundry and machine shop on St.
Andrew Street at the time.
Finding a steady market for their
plows, mowers and reapers, the
Beatty Brothers began a three-storey
addition to the factory in 1880.
This portion along St. David Street
forms the front of the Fergus Marketplace
complex today.
After Matthew Beatty's death in
1886, George Beatty struggled to
keep the business going. Wife Martha
Beatty soon refocused their business
to concentrate on hay carriers
and barn stabling equipment; she
was joined by sons William and
Milton in 1901. Expanding aggressively
and on the forefront of Canadian
industry, the Beatty Brothers expanded
the Fergus plant with a one-story
extension featuring a unique saw-tooth
roof line that provided both natural
light and air to the building. |
