Mount Forest in Wellington North in Wellington County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Mount Forest Heritage Building 178 Main Street

1881

— William Gibson. Cabinet Maker/Undertaker —

Mount Forest Heritage Building 178 Main Street Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, September 25, 2026

1. Mount Forest Heritage Building 178 Main Street Marker

Inscription. William Gibson came to Mount Forest in 1868 establishing his furniture business. By 1881, as a qualified Undertaker, he expanded his business to include casket manufacturing in his new building. His sons John, Albert and Frank apprenticed in the shop and in 1903 Albert established his own business at 135 Main Street, building a new show room there in 1906. Frank Gibson carried on the furniture trade here from 1923 to 1936 when ownership was transferred to his wife Mary. John Hiller purchased the building in 1943 for a Bicycle Shop carried on by his son Robert W. Hiller in 1947. Jim Hiller's Ambulance Service also operated here from 1979 to 1987. In the next decade it was occupied by Arnie Feairs Record Store, the Bargain Barn and Rajan's Pharmacy. Brian Plume's Colour Your World operated until 2010 when he sold the building to Dr. Christopher Rowley.

Erected 2022 by Mount Forest Museum & Archives.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.

Location. 43° 58.954′ N, 80° 44.192′ W. Marker is in Wellington North, Ontario, in Wellington

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County. It is in Mount Forest. It is on Main Street North (Highway 6) 0.1 kilometers north of Wellington Street East, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 178 Main Street N, Wellington North ON N0G 2L2, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Huron-Perth-Waterloo-Wellington Area

and in Southwestern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mount Forest Heritage Building. 181 & 189 Main Street North (within shouting distance of this marker); Former Post Office Bell (within shouting distance of this marker); Mount Forest Heritage Building 112 Main Street East (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Mount Forest Heritage Building 110 Main Street North (about 120 meters away); The Mount Forest Post Office

Photographed by Tim Boyd, September 25, 2026

2. Mount Forest Heritage Building 178 Main Street Marker

Centre of photo

(about 120 meters away); Mount Forest Heritage Building 101 Main Street South (about 150 meters away); Mount Forest Heritage Building 106 Main Street (about 150 meters away); Mount Forest Heritage Building 114 Main Street South (about 150 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wellington North.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 9, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.