Chronological history

 

Picture

Samuel R. Calvin purchases a piece of property from the Crown at what is now known as Trim Road and Smith Road.

 

1808
Picture

Settler Michael O’Meara arrives.

1840
Picture

Other settlers arrive including the Dunnings, the Daggs, Shaws, McFaddens, Wilson, Lancasters.

1846
Picture

Navan’s first church was built, originally Presbyterian, later Methodist.

1862
Picture

The year of Navan’s birth, when Michael O’Meara opened the first post office. Navan is named after the Town of Navan, in the County of Meath, Ireland.

A one-room log school house built.

1861
Picture

The first St. Mary’s Anglican Church built.

1867
Picture

This first post office was then relocated in 1871 to its own location in the village.

1871
Picture

The Shaw House built, the white house on the northwest corner of Trim and Smith.

1876
Picture

First mill starts up to thresh, grind, and saw shingles.

1884
Picture

Navan Public School, SS#3, replaces an earlier one-room log building.

1896
Picture

Railway station built on Smith Road near Milton, remaining in use until 1974.

1898
Picture

Bradley's general store opens.

1898
Picture

Grinding mill opens by local blacksmith and carriage maker on Colonial Road.

1904
Picture

Cheese factory opens on Colonial.

1907
Picture

Navan’s first outdoor rink is fashioned.

1910
Picture

First telephone installed in Navan.

1911
Picture

Grist mill opens.

1912
Picture

Navan Continuation School built.

1915
Picture

Royal Bank opens in Navan.

1921
Picture

Navan-Vars United Church replaces the Methodist Church.

1926
Picture

Electricity comes to the village.

Navan Women’s Institute organized.

1931
Picture

First street lights installed.

1936
Picture

Navan’s first murder, with the shooting of Constable Harold Dent, at the Navan railway station.

1940
Picture

First Navan Fair held.

1946
Picture

Bradley’s store burns down. The store, complete with apartments, was re-built the following year.

1948
Picture

Navan’s first indoor hockey rink opens, along with a community centre.

Navan Lion’s Club chartered

1952
Picture

Community Centre burns down.

1954
Picture

New arena and community centre built.

1955
Picture

The Domes installed in the fairgrounds. The Domes were originally used for the Papal Mass when Pope John Paul XXIII visited Canada.

1984
Picture

Navan Curling Club established.

1990
Picture

Fifty-Horse Hitch held, putting Navan in the Guinness Book of World Records.

1995
Picture

First meeting held to form the Navan Community Association.

1996
Picture

International Plowing Match hosted.

2001
Picture

150th anniversary kicked off by Gerry Calver, as town crier, and Sheila-Minogue-Calver, during the New Year’s Eve celebration December 31, 2010.

2010

 

Chronological history compiled compliments of the Navan Women’s Institute.