Blenheim, Ontario

Last updated

Blenheim
Unincorporated community
Coast of Southern Ontario (51156477747).jpg
Aerial view of Blenheim (top center)
Nickname: 
Heart of the Golden Acres
Chatham-Kent locator map 2021.svg
Red pog.svg
Blenheim
Canada Southern Ontario location map 2.png
Red pog.svg
Blenheim
Coordinates: 42°20′0″N81°59′55″W / 42.33333°N 81.99861°W / 42.33333; -81.99861
Country Canada
Province Ontario
Municipality Chatham-Kent
Settled1825
Incorporated (town)1885
Area
[1]
 • Total
4.60 km2 (1.78 sq mi)
Population
 (2021) [1]
 • Total
4,487
 • Density974.5/km2 (2,524/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Canadian postal code
N0P 1A0
Area codes 519 and 226
NTS Map040J08
GNBC CodeFAJXB
Website www.blenheimontario.com

Blenheim /ˈblɪnəm/ is a community in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada.

Contents

History

The Chatham-Kent region was settled as a British colony following Alexander McKee's acquisition of land under Treaty #2 (McKee's Purchase) in 1790. Treaty #2 negotiations took place in Detroit and involved Pottowatomie, Wendat, Ojibwe, and Odtawa leaders.

18th Century: Survey & Settlement

Land in Harwich Township including present-day Blenheim was first surveyed in 1791 by British settlers Lt.-Col. John Graves-Simcoe and Thomas Talbot. The area was a dense Carolinian forest with wild elk, bears, wolves, and eagles. [2] Blenheim initially sat amidst 10 miles (16 km) of dense forest. However, the region became a "patchwork quilt of farms" when the forests were cut down. [3] Historically, the area was used to grow sugar beet, tomatoes, tobacco, and corn. Early settlers built roads to connect the area with nearby Detroit.

19th Century: Development & Incorporation

Settlement of the area increased after the War of 1812. Land near Blenheim was purchased by Albert Robertson, and later, Harvey Halstead, Thomas Lynch, and George Hughson were recorded as the first three lot-tenants who built homes in Blenheim. In 1837, James W. Little, a militia officer and land speculator of neighbouring Raleigh Township, purchased land at the intersection of Ridge Road and Communication Road, the latter planned by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe to connect the town of Chatham with Lake Erie. By 1845, the first general store opened, followed by a town hall in 1866. By 1874, Blenheim was home to dentists and carpenters.

Whilst settled between 1825–1850, Blenheim was not incorporated until 1885. Historians Dr. Fred Landon and Alvin Armstrong state that the town got its name after resident Mungo Samson recited "The Battle of Blenheim" poem at the Samuel Brundage Inn. [4]

Bell introduced the telephone in 1885, followed three years later by electricity and a Methodist church. A fire department was established in 1891 and three years later was followed by railway that traveled through Blenheim to Windsor. The first high school was built in 1900.

20th Century: Prohibition and Redevelopment

Blenheim paved its first street in 1920. Blenheim grew during the Prohibition as men were involved in illegal rum-running operations. In 1924, W.G. Thompson opened a grain mill for local farmers.

Blenheim became a part of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent during the 1998 amalgamation of Kent County and its municipalities. Up until 1988, Blenheim had its own elected officials with a mayor, two reeves, and six councillors. [5] The current mayor of Chatham-Kent is Darrin Canniff. In the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Blenheim is a part of the South-Kent region which is represented by 3 councillors: Anthony Ceccacci, Mary Clare Latimer, and Trevor Thompson. [6]

Blenheim received regional media attention in 2019 when councillor Trevor Thompson refused to remove an image of a toy car with the Confederate flag on it, which he had shared via social media. [7]

Economy and industry

Blenheim is home to Rol-land Farms, Platinum Produce and Thompsons Ltd. Blenheim's Industrial Park and surrounding area house many employers. Major employers in the area include:

Blenheim and its surrounding region are home to a number of family farms, many being fruit farms. These include:

The Ridge Landfill, owned by Waste Connections of Canada, is located in Blenheim. [17]

Tourism

Blenheim's slogan is "Experience Unique Shopping", referring to its selection of boutiques and specialty stores.

In July, downtown businesses offer discounts during Ontario's longest running carnival-sidewalk sale, the Cherry Fest and Sidewalk Days. [18] [19] The Cherry Fest has been held annually since 1963 with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when it can cancelled due to COVID-19. [18] The Cherry Fest includes a cherry pit spitting contest. [20] Since 1981 it has been the site of the Canadian National Pit Spit Championship. Longtime organizer of the Cherry Fest, J.P. Huggins, was named Citizen of the Year by the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce in 2021. [21]

Another tourist attraction in Blenheim is the RM Classic Car Exhibit. A guided tour gives a close-up view of more than 50 classic automobiles from the past century. Blenheim also hosts the Father's Day weekend for the Blenheim Classics Auto-show. [22]

Blenheim is home to two golf courses: Willow Ridge Golf & Country Club and Deer Run. You can also visit Giffin's Maple Syrup Farm. Blenheim also offers a variety of parks and trails including the Talbot Trail place. [23] Other outdoor recreation opportunities can be found in Rondeau Provincial Park, or C.M. Wilson Conservation area. [20]

Demographics

The population of Blenheim is 4,487. In 2021 27.6% of the resident population in Blenheim were 65 or over compared with 19% in Canada. The median age was 50.4 years compared to 41.1 for all of Canada.

Indigenous Population

Citizenship and Immigration

Language Spoken Most Often at Home

Religion

Education

Labour Force

[24]

Education

Blenheim's elementary and secondary schools are under the control of two school boards, the Lambton Kent District School Board and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.

Elementary schools

Secondary school

Media

Sports

Blenheim Memorial Arena Blenheim Memorial Arena - Blenheim, ON.jpg
Blenheim Memorial Arena

Blenheim is home to a strong sports community. It is known for its high school sports teams from Blenheim District High School, which are particularly known for their football and rugby programs. [29] The most popular sports team in Blenheim is the ice hockey team the Blenheim Blades.

Blenheim also offers a variety of minor and competitive sports including:

Prominent athletes from Blenheim include hockey player Todd Warriner. [29]

Southern Ontario Motor Speedway(South Buxton Raceway) which features a dirt track for auto racing, is located southwest of Blenheim in South Buxton Ont

Notable people

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 "Blenheim Ontario (Population Centre)". Census Profile, 2021 Canadian census . Statistics Canada. April 27, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  2. ↑ Hamil, Fred Coyne. (1951).The Valley of the Lower Thames: 1640 to 1850.Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 15, 258, 310.
  3. ↑ Armstrong, Alvin. (1985).The First 200 Years of Blenheim and South Harwich. Blenheim: Blenheim News Tribune. 10.
  4. ↑ Armstrong, Alvin. (1985).The First 200 Years of Blenheim and South Harwich. Blenheim: Blenheim News Tribune. 38.
  5. ↑ Municipal directory: County of Kent 1988. Chatham, Ontario: County of Kent. 1988. p. 7.
  6. ↑ "Council Members". www.chatham-kent.ca. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Photo of General Lee car on CK councillor's Facebook page causes a stir | CBC News".
  8. ↑ "Apollo General Contracting" . Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Gin-Cor acquires southern Ontario trailer company". Northern Ontario Business Ltd. December 8, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  10. ↑ "The Andersons and Lansing Trade Group Acquire Thompsons Limited".
  11. ↑ "Sylvite Purchases Thompsons Farm Services". December 4, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Hopkins Canada". www.hopkinscanada.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Resistance Welding Products" . Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce honours Delhaven Orchards". www.onapples.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Manitree – Nutrients for Life Canada". nutrientsforlife.ca. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Our Story – Wildflower Bee Farm" . Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Zoning to come forward for landfill expansion".
  18. 1 2 "Cherry Fest crushed by COVID-19". BlackburnNews.com. April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Blenheim, Ontario, Canada". www.soto.on.ca. Archived from the original on November 3, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  20. 1 2 "BLENHEIM | Chatham-Kent Travel Guide | Things to do and see in Chatham-Kent". chathamkenttravelguide.com. May 5, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Citizen of the Year finds joy and happiness in serving others". chathamdailynews. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  22. ↑ Shreve, Ellwood (July 5, 2015). "Fifth year for Blenheim Classics Auto Show". Newspaper article. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015– via Chatham Daily News.
  23. ↑ Sherve (June 2, 2015). "Talbot Trail Place ready to officially open". Chatham Daily News. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Blenheim [Population centre], Ontario". February 9, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Harwich Raleigh Public School". harwichraleigh.lkdsb.net. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Home – St. Anne Blenheim". www.st-clair.net. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  27. ↑ "W.J. Baird Public School". wjbaird.lkdsb.net. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  28. ↑ "About Blenheim District High School". bdhs.lkdsb.net. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  29. 1 2 "Sports News in Chatham-Kent by Town". Chatham-Kent Sports Network. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Mission & Vision (South Kent Minor Hockey)". southkentminorhockey.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Sun County Soccer League". www.suncountysoccer.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Blenheim Golden Eagles". blenheimgoldeneagles.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  33. ↑ "Dynasty Martial Arts – Karate in Blenheim, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia". Dynasty Martial Arts – Karate in Blenheim, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Debbie McGonigle School of Dance". danceplace.com. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Erin's Dance Club". erinsdanceclub.ca. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Frederic Lister Burk". Dictionary of American Biography . New York City, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1936.
  37. ↑ "Charles Hefferon". Olympedia. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Pardoville's Ron Pardo stars in new PAW Patrol film". BlackburnNews.com. August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  39. ↑ The Canadian Who's Who. University of Toronto Press. 2001. p. 1320. ISBN   978-0-8020-4959-9.

42°20′0″N81°59′55″W / 42.33333°N 81.99861°W / 42.33333; -81.99861

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