Wingham, Ontario
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Wingham (2016 census population 2,934) is a community located in the municipality of
Wingham is located at the intersection of County Roads 4 and 86. Most of Wingham is located between County Road 86 to the south and the Maitland River to the north.
History
The original survey for Wingham was conducted in 1854, with 1,000 acres dedicated to the community north of what is now Highway 86 and Highway 4. The initial townsite was oriented around the Maitland River, with the assumption that its
Indeed, when Wingham was incorporated as a village in 1874, its boundaries only included Upper Wingham, whose population at the time was 726; Lower Wingham, whose population was around 500, remained a part of the Township of Turnberry.[3] The community was incorporated as a town in 1879,[4] and the town hall was constructed and opened in 1890. The community's post office was built across the street and opened in 1907. Multiple-unit business buildings were constructed from 1878 to 1892, lining the town's main street.[4] The community's hospital, serving Wingham and surrounding areas, dates back to 1906.[4]
Well-known products created from Wingham businesses included:
- Hardwood chairs manufactured by Conestoga Chair Company, which opened in 1898[4]
- Wooden doors, constructed by Lloyd-Truax. Doormaking began in Wingham in 1888 by Charles Lloyd[4]
- Milk, processed by Sunrise Dairy, which opened in 1928[4]
By 1910, the town's population was 2,500.[2] Furniture manufacturing had become the town's primary export industry. This would last through much of the 20th century, with furniture, prefabricated housing, and other skilled woodworking remaining significant.[2] There was a "brief flurry of development" in the 1950s and 1960s, and in 1981 the population stood at 2,897.[2] The end of rail freight service to the town spelled the end for much of its woodworking industry, with many of its furniture factories closing following the end of service.[2]
Railway history
Wingham has a "complex railway history" as noted in a
The second railway to arrive in Wingham was the
The third and final railway to arrive was the
In 1941, the London, Huron and Bruce line was abandoned north of Clinton Junction on the CN Goderich Subdivision,[10] cutting off Wingham's southern connection to London. CN passenger service to the town ended in 1973.[2] This was soon followed by the end of activity on the Canadian Pacific line, which was built with lightweight rail and had suffered washouts in the 1950s; the last CP freight customer, Wingham's Premium Forest Products, switched to CN in 1983 after CP built an industrial spur to connect it to CN's Kincardine Subdivision. In the same year, CN abandoned the section of its only remaining line from Wingham to Kincardine, leaving Wingham as the terminus.[9] The Canadian Pacific line was finally formally abandoned in 1988,[11] and the CN line was abandoned in 1991,[9] almost 120 years after it had first arrived and transformed the area.
Business and industry
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Wingham_Ontario_2011_3.jpg/220px-Wingham_Ontario_2011_3.jpg)
Wingham has a number of manufacturing businesses, and a variety of retail and service businesses. Wingham supports two grocery stores, and a main street with retail stores and restaurants. The town has branches of the
The industries with a presence in the town include:
- Wescast Industries, three manufacturing facilities for this auto-part producer.
- BI-AX International produces plastic film for use in food packaging and industry.
- Royal Homes is a manufacturer of pre-fabricated homes.
- Britespan Building Systems Inc. is a manufacturer of fabric covered steel structure buildings.
Radio and television
Wingham was one of the first towns in Ontario to have a community radio station, with W.T. Cruickshank founding CKNX Broadcasting Ltd in 1926.[4]
Wingham has three radio stations:
On April 9, 2007, it was announced that
Wingham was also served by a CBC English TV station (Channel 45), which re-transmitted CBLT-TV Toronto via CBLN-TV London. This transmitter, along with CBC/Radio-Canada's other remaining analog transmitters, was shut down permanently on July 31, 2012, leaving over-the-air viewers in the area with no free CBC television service.
Education
Public education is managed by the Avon Maitland District School Board, which oversees the following schools:
- F. E. Madill Secondary School is located in Wingham. Approximately 800 students from grades 7-12 attend; most are bused in from the surrounding area. Madill is known for its Senior Boys' Basketball team and its Track and Field team.
- Maitland River Elementary School is located in Wingham beside F.E. Madill Secondary School. Approximately 400-500 students attend from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6.
The former Wingham Public School educated thousands of children on John Street, but was closed in 2013.
Catholic education is managed by the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board. It has one elementary school, Sacred Heart School, located in the town's east end.
Transportation
Wingham is located to the north of County Road 86 which connects to Kitchener-Waterloo to the east. The main thoroughfare is County Road 4, called Josephine Street within Wingham, which connects to London, Ontario to the south.
Wingham/Richard W. LeVan Aerodrome is a general aviation airport to the southeast of Wingham with fuel services and private hangars.
Wingham was served by scheduled bus service to
Attractions
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Wingham_Ontario_2011_2.jpg/220px-Wingham_Ontario_2011_2.jpg)
The North Huron Museum provides an overview of the history of the Township of North Huron beginning in the Paleolithic era and continuing into modern times. North Wingham Museum
Notable people
- Dave Farrish - NHL hockey player and current assistant coach of the Colorado Avalanche
- Honoré Jackson - A leader of the North-West Rebellion
- Andrew Kaufman - Writer/film director, raised in Wingham
- Bob McDonald - Science journalist; Officer of the Order of Canada, raised in Wingham
- Alice Munro - 2013 Nobel Prize laureate for literature, born in Wingham, author of short stories set in fictional small towns akin to Wingham
- George Agnew Reid - Artist, raised near Wingham.[16]
- Caroline Wellwood, nurse missionary in China, raised in Wingham
- Doug Wood- Canadian record holder in pole vault, raised in Wingham
Politicians
- William Aberhart - Premier of Alberta, 1935-1943. Taught public school in Wingham.
- Murray Elston - Ontario MPP, 1981-1994. Born in Wingham.
- George Johnston - Alberta MLA and Speaker, 1921-1936. Born in Wingham.
- Robert Mooney - Manitoba MLA, 1922-1953. Born in Wingham.
- George Spotton - MP, 1927-1935. Wingham businessman.
- Robert Weir - MP, Minister of Agriculture, 1930-. Born in Wingham.
Notes
- ^ Both the Canadian Pacific junction to the northeast and the Grand Trunk junction to the southeast of the town were called "Wingham Junction" within their respective systems.[2][9]
- ^ The 1906 Grand Trunk station was constructed by local builders who departed from the standard Grand Trunk "Design A" layout with the addition of two large towers, which were similar to other added towers at stations in Fergus, Mount Forest, Harriston, and Palmerston in a form of "tower competition". Grand Trunk officials rejected the towers at Wingham, which were subsequently removed.[2]
References
- ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Wingham, Ontario". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
- ^ Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
- ^ a b c Riggs, Jackie (6 April 2018). "The beginning of Wingham's main streets". Toronto.com. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0-9692120-0-3.
- ^ ISSN 0822-9503.
- ^ a b "Kelly's Railway". North Huron Citizen. Blyth, Ontario: North Huron Publishing. 21 March 2015.
- ^ a b Kennedy, R. L. "Toronto, Grey & Bruce".
- ^ Innis, Harold A. (1923). A History of the Canadian Pacific Railway. McClelland & Stewart. p. 142.
- ^ a b c Smith, Jeffrey P. (2014-10-11). "C.N.Rys. Kincardine Subdivision". CNR-in-Ontario.com. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ Smith, Jeffrey P. (2014-10-11). "C.N.Rys. Exeter Subdivision". CNR-in-Ontario.com. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ Kennedy, R. L. "Canadian Pacific Railway Bruce Division Branches". Old Time Trains. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ Friend, David (February 25, 2009). "CTV shutting two Ontario stations". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
- ^ Robertson, Grant (May 1, 2009). "Shaw wins three CTV stations - for $1 each". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009.
- ^ "Shaw cancels purchase of 3 CTV stations". The Star. Toronto. July 1, 2009.
- ^ "Windsor Station to Remain Open". CTVglobemedia. July 8, 2009.
- ^ "George Agnew Reid". Museum London. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
External links
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