433 Norwich Ave. |
Ontario Tourism Region : Southwestern
Description From Owner:
- Pop. 32,347. In Blandford and East Oxford Ts., Oxford C., on the Thames R. at Cedar Cr. and C. Rds. 2, 9 & 59, 2 km. W of Hwys 401 & 403, 43 km. NE of London.
- Rear Admiral Henry Vansittart is considered to be the founder of Woodstock, although most of the work was done by his agent, Capt. Andrew Drew.
- During the 1837 Rebellion, Drew commanded the Canadian force that destroyed the American steamer Caroline.
- Drew went to the area in 1832 and on Vansittart's behalf bought a tract ofland in what is now the east side of the city, surveyed it into lots, and built houses for himself and Vansittart.
- The west side of what is now Woodstock had already been laid out as a town plot by Lt.-Gov. John Graves Simcoe.
- The place was first known as Town Plot; later, one half was called Oxford and the other, Brighton.
- Vansittart arrived in 1834, built a store and a tavern, and fmanced the construction of St. Paul's Church, which was consecrated in 1838 and is still in use.
- The post office opened in 1835, and was called Woodstock after a village in Oxfordshire, England. Woodstock town hall, built in 1852, is now home of the Oxford County Museum.
- A plaque at his former home on Vansittart A venue recalls Thomas 'Carbide' Willson who in 1892 discovered a process for producing calcium carbide, a chemical compound used in the manufacture of acetylene gas.
Map Below gives Canadian Geographical Names
Natural Resources Canada in the County of Oxford.
Natural Resources Canada in the County of Oxford.
Address of this page: http://www.ruralroutes.com/woodstockontario