Winchester Township, Ontario
| North Dundas | |
|---|---|
| Township (lower-tier) | |
| Township of North Dundas | |
North Dundas township office in Winchester
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 North Dundas
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| Coordinates: 45°05′N 75°21′W / 45.083°N 75.350°WCoordinates: 45°05′N 75°21′W / 45.083°N 75.350°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Ontario
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| County | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry |
| Formed | January 1, 1998 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Mayor | Eric Duncan |
| • Deputy Mayor | Gerry Boyce |
| • Federal riding | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry |
| • Prov. riding | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry |
| Area | |
| • Land | 503.21 km2 (194.29 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 11,225 |
| • Density | 22.3/km2 (58/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern Daylight (EDT) (UTC-4) |
| Postal code FSA | K0C |
| Area code(s) | 613 |
| Website | www.northdundas.com |
North Dundas is a township in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.
North Dundas is located approximately 50 km south of downtown Ottawa, midway between Ottawa and Morrisburg. It is primarily rural with a few small villages. It is spread across the South Nation River and the East Castor River watersheds.
The township was established in 1998, with the amalgamation of the former Townships of Winchester and Mountain and the Villages of Chesterville and Winchester.
In 1825, two men by the name of Merkley made plans to build a mill, but while returning from Waddington with their supplies, both men drowned after their canoe upset. In the early 1830s, Thomas Armstrong and his son John, both of Edwardsburg, erected a saw mill on the site where the previous mill was supposed to be built. The site was a prime location because it was situated on the Nation River, a major transportation route at the time. After John's death from cholera, Thomas took over and soon had a grist mill in operation as well, and by 1838, these two mills had attracted many settlers to the area. It was because of Thomas and John Armstrong that the area gained the name Armstrong's Mills. In 1845, a post office was erected and the area became known as Winchester. In 1848, the Province of Ontario was divided up into townships, and in 1850, the first Chamber of Council was established in the area. There was much confusion due to their being a Winchester, West Winchester, and North Winchester, so in 1875, Winchester was changed to Chesterville, after Chester T. Casselman, a telegraph operator in the area who eventually became the postmaster. In 1890, Chesterville was incorporated as a village.
The village was originally settled by Ben Bates in 1835 and was first called Bates Corners. During the early years residents traveled to Winchester (Chesterville) for supplies and to pick up their mail they went to Matilda (Iroquois). The Morewood area had swamp like conditions which drew the Irish and Scottish settlers, as water has always been crucial for survival and development. The early Irish settlers in the Ormond area used the Castor River as means of transportation. Business started to evolve and by 1855, Winchester had a general store, blacksmith shop, a carriage maker and a farm produce business. Also in 1855, the first post office was opened and with this the name of Bates Corners was changed to West Winchester. In 1884 with the establishment of the CPR, West Winchester became Winchester. Winchester enjoyed years of growth and, in January 1888, was incorporated as a village and an independent township.
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