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The History of Gartmore -
19th Century
 Gartmore, with its farming community,
continued to thrive although, from the beginning of the 19th century,
there was a marked decline in population. Small-holdings were created by
the enclosure of improved land, resulting in poor grazing on remaining
land. The introduction of agricultural machinery also contributed to
people moving away from Gartmore to seek employment in industrial towns.
The remaining villagers continued to depend on Gartmore House for
employment with many workers living in tied houses linked to their jobs.
There were also tradesmen and merchants in the village who had acquired
land by long-term tacks or leases; these included a blacksmith, five boot
and shoe makers, a cattle dealer, two grocers, ajoiner/cartwright, a
tailor and a vintner.
Until the middle of the 19th Century,
the main road from Aberfoyle to Glasgow followed a route through the hills
to the north and west of the village. The present Glasgow road, the A81,
follows a route east of the village. It was built in 1849 using
construction techniques that made road building possible on the poorly
drained carse land. Similar techniques were used in the construction of
the railway-line across the Carse from Buchlyvie to
Aberfoyle in the mid 1880’s. With the coming of the railway, and the
opening of Gartmore station one mile from the village, the life-style of
the community began to change. Glasgow and Stirling became even more
accessible and younger people were able to move away from the village to
seek employment elsewhere. 
The village water supply was drawn
from pumps, fed by natural springs or wells In 1882 the first gravitation
water supply to the village was gifted by a former native of Gartmore, Sir
William McOnie, who became Lord Provost of Glasgow. Refuse was taken to
the local midden which was located below the slaughterhouse, at the bottom
of the track that is now known as Park Avenue.
By
the late 19th century Gartmore had
become an attractive village with white-washed cottages built either side
of an unpaved, tree-lined street.
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