Bushfield

Introduction

Bushfield began as a small postal hamlet, located in Huron County. John Kelly, a settler who arrived from Ireland in the 1850s, established the small community.

Bushfield was distinct in one respect. It was the first community in the township with a Roman Catholic Church. Consequently, a travelling priest visited Bushfield monthly to hold mass. As a result, Roman Catholic residents from all the nearby communities flocked to Bushfield regularly to attend mass.

In addition to the small log church, Bushfield contained a general store, hotel, and a postal outlet.

As long as Bushfield had the Catholic Church, it had a reason for being. After the church moved to a larger centre, Bushfield’s traffic declined. It was therefore not a surprise that the hotel, store and post office eventually closed. Unfortunately, Bushfield was never large and Its average population hovered at around 20.

Although the community of Bushfield virtually disappeared by 1910, John Kelly left a lasting legacy. The church he established thrived until 2005 and the cemetery, located on lands he donated, remained in use for many generations. Learn more