Uxbridge, Ontario (town)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uxbridge was a town in Ontario County in Ontario, Canada. Situated in a valley on the northern slope of the Oak Ridges Moraine, about forty miles northeast of Toronto, Ontario, it was incorporated in 1885, and became part of Uxbridge Township, within the Regional Municipality of Durham, in 1973.
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[edit] History
The first settlers in the Uxbridge area were Quakers who arrived in 1806 from the Catawissa area of Pennsylvania. These two municipalities, which share a Quaker heritage, were twinned in 1982, and ongoing friendships have developed.
The Uxbridge Friends Meeting House which overlooks the town from Quaker Hill, a mile to the west, was built in 1820, and is the community's oldest building. The Toronto and Nipissing Railroad was built in Uxbridge in 1871, and for over a decade Uxbridge was the headquarters of the railway. Uxbridge became a village in 1872, and reached town status in 1885.
The Uxbridge Public Library was erected in 1887 from funds provided by entrepreneur, politician, and businessman, Joseph Gould. Its centennial in 1987 was celebrated with the opening of a large addition.
In 1954, Uxbridge became the second town in Canada to receive an official coat-of-arms, which is currently displayed on the front of the Uxbridge Music Hall. This building has been restored, and is a centre for drama and musical performances.
In 1973, the town of Uxbridge became part of Uxbridge Township, along with the former Scott Township, in the new Region of Durham.
The Uxbridge-Scott Museum provides a focal point for the Township's history. Dorothy Brown's Country Heritage Museum is also a popular place for visitors.
[edit] Things to do
There is an Annual Uxbridge Fall Fair in September in Elgin Park, which is situated alongside of Elgin Pond. Seeking re-election, Sir John A. Macdonald held the first of his many picnics at this fair.
The Uxbridge Arena and Recreation Centre, built in 1978, with a second ice pad added in 1997, is always a hive of activity, and Uxpool provides a host of events for swimmers.
The Town's population of over 5,000 supports seven very active churches, and has been served by the Uxbridge Cottage Hospital for over forty years.
The Thomas Foster Memorial Temple, erected in 1935-36 by the former mayor of Toronto, is situated a short distance north of town, as is the former home of L. M. Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables. She lived in the area from 1911 to 1926, as her husband was minister at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Leaskdale and wrote half of her books at the manse there, now preserved into a museum.
The surrounding township contains the hamlets of Zephyr, Sandford, Udora, Leaskdale, Sandy Hook, Siloam, Goodwood, Coppins Corners, Glen Major, Glasgow, and Altona.
Uxbridge is now the home of Koch-Glitsch Canada, a chemical company.
