545 Talbot Street City Hall • St. Thomas, Ontario • N5P 3V7
A Brief History of St. Thomas, Ontario
The city, located at the intersection of two historical roads, was first settled in 1810. It was named the seat of the new Elgin County in 1844 and was incorporated as a village in 1852 and as a town in 1861. In 1871, St. Thomas and the nearby village of Millersburg (a village east of the town) amalgamated. In 1881 St. Thomas finally grew to become a city.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, several railways were constructed through the city, and St. Thomas became an important railway junction. A total of 26 railways have passed through the city since the first railway was completed in 1856. In the 1950s and 1960s, with the decline of the railway as a mode of transportation, other industries began to locate in the city, principally primary and secondary automotive manufacturing.
Much of the history of St. Thomas is reflected in its architecture. From churches and homes through to the city's railway history, the city has protected our historic properties.
