Millbridge Station (Hogan)

History

The Central Ontario Railway (COR) arrived in 1885 and established a small station village a few kilometres east of Millbridge. The railway named the tiny community Millbridge Station after the larger community nearby. Most likely it was a busy place during the popular Millbridge fairs.

Millbridge Station was situated near a popular pre-railway hotel, known as Hogan’s Hotel. Located on Stoney Settlement Road, across the highway from Millbridge, it contained the station, a store, a few cabins and the still grand looking, red brick hotel, built in the 1860s.

After Hogan opened a post office in 1900, the community took on the name of “Hogan” after the hotel and post office. It was certainly much less of a mouthful. The post office operated until his death in 1908. Hogan’s daughter, Miss Ella Hogan, reopened the post office in 1925 and remained in business until 1940. Postal authorities later renamed the tiny settlement “Hogan” after the popular business. Road maps were also changed to identify it as such.

The COR was eventually taken over by the Canadian Northern Railway which in turn ended up in the hands of Canadian National (CN). The railway was later abandoned, Portions of the former rail-bed have been converted to a recreational trail.

As for the little station village, almost nothing remains. The turnaround for the trains can be easily seen. There is no explanation for the small wooden grave marker near the location of the former tracks. Luckily Hogan’s Hotel still stands. Although it’s now a private residence, the owners have retained the unusual hand-painted Victorian signs.