Haldimand County

Haldimand (2006 population 45,212) is a rural city-status single-tier municipality (but called a county) on the Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie, and on the Grand River. Municipal offices are located in Cayuga.

History
Haldimand's history has been closely associated with that of the neighbouring Norfolk County. Haldimand was first created as a county in 1800, from a portion of Norfolk. It was named after the governor of the Province of Quebec Sir Frederick Haldimand. In 1844 the land was surrendered by Six Nations to the Crown in an agreement that was signed by the vast majority of Chiefs in the Haldimand tract. The two counties were separate until 1974, when they were reunited as the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk.

In 2001, the counties were separated again, but the individual municipalities merged into two single-tier cities. Although they both retained the name "county" for historical reasons, each is governed as a single municipality without a county government, thus neither is a true county, and are legally classified as cities. Haldimand was formed through the amalgamation of the former Towns of Haldimand and Dunnville, and the eastern half of the City of Nanticoke.

Beginning in February 2006, a land dispute by native protesters began near Caledonia over a housing development being built on the outskirts of town, which members of the nearby Mohawk Six Nations people claim is rightfully their land.

Communities
The main centres in Haldimand are Jarvis, Hagersville, Caledonia, Cayuga and Dunnville. Part of the Six Nations Reserve is in Haldimand County, but not within its jurisdiction. Most of Haldimand is agricultural land, although some heavy industry, including the Nanticoke Generating Station, is located here.

Smaller communities within the municipality are Attercliffe Station, Balmoral, Bodri Bay, Brookers Bay, Byng, Canborough, Canfield, Cheapside, Clanbrassil, Cranston, Crescent Bay, Darling Road, Decewsville, Dufferin, Empire Corners, Erie, Eriestone, Featherstone Point, Fisherville, Garnet, Hickory Beach, Hoover Point, Kohler, Lambs Corners, Little Buffalo, Lowbanks, Lythmore, Moulton, Mount Carmel, Mount Healy, Nanticoke, Nelles Corners, Peacock Point, Port Maitland, Rainham Centre, Sandusk, Selkirk, Sims Lock Road, South Cayuga, Springvale, Stromness, Sweets Corners, Townsend, Upper, Varency, Willow Grove, Woodlawn Park and York.

The ghost town of Indiana is also located within Haldimand.

Historic townships
Haldimand County area 284817 acre was formed from part of the land grant to the Six Nations in 1783. The County was purchased by treaty and opened for general settlement in 1832. It was first settled by white veterans of Butler's Rangers established there by Joseph Brant. A large number of Germans were among the first settlers.


 * Canborough, area 21586 acre. Granted in 1794 by Joseph Brant to John Dochstader of Butler's Rangers. Purchased by Benjamin Canby in 1810 for 5,000, he named the village-site "Canborough. Community centre: Canborough, Darling and it touches Dunnville
 * Dunn, area 15122 acre. Opened for settlement in 1833. Community centre: Dunnville
 * Moulton, area 27781 acre. Landowner Henry John Boulton named the township from the Boulton family seat in England.
 * North Cayuga, area 32825 acre.
 * Oneida, area 32598 acre. Joseph Brant granted a 999 year lease of part of Oneida and Seneca townships to Henry Nelles, of Butler's Rangers and his sons, Robert, Abraham, William, Warner and John. Community centres were: Caledonia, Dufferin and Hagersville.
 * Rainham, area 25705 acre Community centres: Balmoral, Selkirk, Rainham Centre and Fisherville.
 * Seneca, area 41721 acre. Community centres: York and Caledonia
 * Sherbrooke, area 5098 acre, the smallest township in Ontario. Opened in 1825 and named from Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, a Governor-General of Canada. The Township was granted by the Indians to William Dickson (a lawyer) as a professional fee. Community centres: Stromness and Port Maitland.
 * South Cayuga, area 13293 acre. Community centre: Cayuga
 * Walpole, area 66213 acre. Community centres were: Hagersville, Jarvis, Selkirk, Cheapside and Nanticoke.

Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto

Demographics

 * N/A=Data Not Available

Population trend:
 * Population in 2006: 45,212
 * Population in 2001: 43,728
 * Population total in 1996: 42,041

Local government
The city is within the federal electoral riding of Haldimand—Norfolk and within provincial electoral riding of Haldimand—Norfolk.

Current Mayor: Ken Hewitt

Previous Mayors:
 * 2004-2010: Marie Trainer
 * 2000-2004: Lorraine Bergstrand

Transportation
Highways that travel through Haldimand include: Ontario Highway 3, and Ontario Highway 6.

Protected areas

 * Haldimand Conservation Area
 * Selkirk Provincial Park
 * Taquanyah Conservation Area
 * Hedley Forest Conservation Area
 * Canborough Conservation Area
 * Ruigrok Tract Conservation Area
 * Oswego Conservation Area
 * Byng Island Conservation Area
 * Rock Point Provincial Park
 * Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area

Attractions

 * Port Maitland Outer Range Lighthouse and Pier
 * Canadian Heritage Grand River
 * Grand Valley Trail
 * Toronto Motorsports Park (Dragway Park)
 * Indiana Ghost Town
 * Ruthven Park National Historic Site Mansion and Park
 * Haldimand County Museum & Archives (Cayuga)
 * Cayuga Speedway
 * Grand River Dinner Cruises
 * Edinburgh Square Heritage Centre (Caledonia)
 * Killman Zoo
 * Cottonwood Mansion
 * Caledonia Grand Trunk Station
 * The Wilson Pugsley MacDonald Museum (c. 1872) is a National Historic Site of Canada on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. The Museum was named in honour of Wilson MacDonald
 * No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum
 * Canadian Drilling Rig Museum
 * Caledonia Old Mill
 * Byng Island Conservation Area and Pool
 * Mohawk Island Lighthouse (abandoned)
 * Townsend Planned Community (1970)
 * Nanticoke Generating Station

Notable people from Haldimand

 * Birthplace of Canadian Olympic high jump medalist Ethel Catherwood.
 * Birthplace of Canadian Women's Hockey Gold Medalist Becky Kellar-Duke

Surrounding Counties

 * Norfolk County
 * County of Brant
 * City of Hamilton
 * Regional Municipality of Niagara