Bolton Township Development Timeline

1736: Birth of Nicholas Austin in Summersworth, New Hampshire

1768: Marriage of Phoebe Chesley and Nicholas Austin outside the Quaker sect

1780: Arrival of the first Loyalists in the region

1782: Birth of Nicholas Jr. in New Hampshire

1783: Exploration of Nicholas Austin in Bolton

1789: Settlement of Nicholas Austin near Vale Perkins

1793: Settlement of Nicholas Austin and his family at Point Gibraltar

1795: Amos Lay is made a Freemason in Frelighsburg

1796: First gristmill at Thompson's Mill

1797: Nicholas Austin receives the land grant for the newly created Township of Bolton

1797: Creation of a landing at Knowlton Landing by Nicholas Austin and Moses Copp

1802 Amos Lay in Ely Township (now Valcourt)

1803 The population was 373 according to the first census.

1808 Construction of a sawmill in Bolton Centre by Joseph Buzzel.

1808 A large portion of Nicholas Austin's property was sold to pay off his debts.

1809 Construction of a brick kiln at Point Gibraltar (Brick Kiln Landing).

1812 The population was estimated at 800.

1814 Richard Holland at Head of the Bay.

1815 First settler, Brooks Davis, in South Bolton.

1817 Construction of mills in South Bolton - Holland Mills.

1818 Nahan Hanson built a public house in South Bolton.

1820 Marc Randall built a gristmill in Bolton Centre. A millpond is built.

1820 Bolton Pass becomes passable.

1820 A cemetery is built in South Bolton.

1821 Death of Nicholas Austin, buried at Point Gibraltar.

1825 Alexander Thompson builds the township's first church, the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

1825 Dr. Amos Winnet Lay, son of Amos, settles in South Bolton.

1826 Construction of a brickyard at Knowlton Landing.

1826 Construction of a school at Thompson's Mill.

1827 James Kimball builds a public house at Bolton Centre, which becomes KimBolton.

1827 Construction of a school in South Bolton.

1828 Knowlton builds the Pine Lodge (Aubergine) at Knowlton Landing.

1829 Dr. Amos Winnet Lay becomes the first teacher at the South Bolton school.

1830 Rexfords settle in in South Bolton, which became Rexford Corner

1831 First post office in Magog

1834 In May, a meeting was held in South Bolton to support the 92 resolutions that the House of Assembly sent to London

1837 Meeting in South Bolton to denounce London's rejection of the 92 resolutions (Russell Resolution),

creation of the Hunter's Lodge, Vigilance Committee (the 12 leaders)

1838 Hunters' Revolt, martial law, defeat of the Patriots, arrest of Dr. Amos Lay, leader of the rebellion in South Bolton

1841 Death of Phoebe Austin, burial in Millington Cemetery (missing)

1844 Dr. Amos Winnet Lay and his family moved to South Ely.

1845 Two leaders of the 1834 Rebellion, William Greene and Loved Huntley, became mayor and secretary-treasurer, respectively, of the first municipality in Bolton Township. 1848 Dr. Amos Winnet Lay is appointed Justice of the Peace

1849 Magog Township is created from parts of Bolton and Hatley Townships

1850 Population reaches 2,000

1851 Creation of the parish of Saint-Étienne-de-Bolton

1851 Opening of a post office at Head of the Bay

1852 Opening of a post office in South Bolton

1855 Creation of the Municipality of the Township of Bolton

1855 Two large blocks of soapstone, from Bolton and/or Potton, are presented at the Paris Exposition.

1860 Construction of an Anglican church in South Bolton (Holy Trinity)

1862 Meeting of Nicholas Jr. and Catherine Day

1865 Construction of the New Connexion Methodist Church in Peasley Corner

1865 Construction of the Anglican Church of the Atonement at Peasly Corner

1865 Discovery of a significant copper vein and establishment of the Huntingdon Mine

1865 Creation of Dillonton, an incorporated village

1865 Construction of the Holland General Store at the intersection of Nicholas-Austin

1865 Opening of a post office in Bolton Forest (Eastman)

1867 Construction of the town hall in Bolton Centre

1867 The township minister moves to Bolton Centre

1867 Opening of a post office in Bolton Centre (Kimbolton) in the Holland General Store.

The building will eventually be moved to its current location.

1872 Opening of a post office in Dillonton

1873 Construction of the Anglican Church in Bolton Centre, now St. Patrick's Centre

1876 Separation and creation of West Bolton, the rest of the township becomes East Bolton

1877 The railway line along the Missisquoi to Mansonville, passing through Bolton Centre and South Bolton, is inaugurated.

1877 Thomson's Mill becomes Millington, the first post office opens

1878 Visit of Governor General Lord Dufferin to the summer residence of Lucius Huntingdon,

owner of the Huntingdon Mine, at Long Pond in Dillonton.

1879 Construction of a Methodist church in Bolton Center

1883 Closure of the Huntingdon Mine

1888 Separation and creation of the municipality of Eastman

1893 Temporary reopening of the Huntingdon Mine

1897 Construction of the Saint-Luc-de-Millington Catholic Church, North and 10th Range corners

1905 Construction of the Cottage Hotel, which would become the Bolton Centre Hotel, a nightlife hotspot.

1905 Closure of the Dillonton Post Office.

1912 Temporary reopening of the Huntingdon Mine.

1919 Temporary reopening of the Huntingdon Mine.

1927 The Church of the Atonement is sold to the Benedictines of Saint Benedict.

1929 Purchase of a large lot on the shore of Sargeant Bay by Wilder Graves Penfield.

1929 Settlement of Lily Butler and her family.

1936 Closure of the railway line.

1936 Demolition of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

1938 Creation of the Municipality of Austin.

1939 Creation of the Municipality of Saint-Benoit-du-Lac.

1939 Creation of the Municipality of Saint-Étienne-de-Bolton, founded in 1851.

1954 Québec Copper Mine operates. Huntingdon Mine until 1958

1954 Construction of the South Bolton Catholic Church

1956 Fire at the Brick Store, located at the intersection of Baker Pond in Bolton Centre

1965 Opening of Highway 10 or the Eastern Townships Autoroute

1968 The name Bolton-Est is officially adopted

1969 Holy Trinity Church is closed and vandalized

1974 Fire at the Bolton Centre Hotel

1976 Roger Nicolet becomes mayor of Austin

1978 Creation of the Austin Volunteer Fire Department

1983 The name Bolton Centre is officially adopted

1984 Designation of the East Bolton Town Hall as a National Historic Site of Canada

1986 The name South Bolton is officially adopted

2002 Restoration of the Huntingdon Mine site and Long Lake (over several years)

2009 Holy Trinity Church is put up for sale

2009: Creation of the citizens' association, Patrimoine Bolton Heritage

2012: Citation of heritage buildings, including the East Bolton Town Hall and Holy Trinity Church

2015: Creation of the WBAG (West Bolton Agriculture Group), which became the Bolton-Ouest Collective

2018: Creation of the Bolton Historical Society

2022: Creation of this web site