Walsh (formerly known as Charlotteville Centre) is a medium-sized
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
in Norfolk County,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada.
Summary
Walsh developed as a township central crossroads gathering point on Young's Creek, in the first quarter of the 19th century. A number of service businesses have come and gone over the years, as road quality improved and practical travel distances increased. No commercial business are remaining in the community, although Walsh is home to two elementary schools, two Christian churches, the township community hall that hosts an annual fall fair and the operating headquarters of a major regional transportation company.
Walsh is located near
stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
s,
valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...
s,
conservation area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
s, and
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...
s.
Notable attractions within a reasonable driving distance of Walsh include the
Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show
Simcoe is an unincorporated community and former town in Southwestern Ontario, Canada near Lake Erie. It is the county seat and largest community of Norfolk County. Simcoe is at the junction of Highway 3, at Highway 24, due south of Brantford, ...
, Turkey Point Beach,
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
, and various rural cemeteries.
During the fall months,
pumpkin
A pumpkin is a vernacular term for mature winter squash of species and varieties in the genus ''Cucurbita'' that has culinary and cultural significance but no agreed upon botanical or scientific meaning. The term ''pumpkin'' is sometimes use ...
s become abundant in the area - especially the rare "dwarf albino" pumpkin.
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
s can be seen strutting through the local gardens for all 12 months of the year.
Maurice Danko Jr., the brother of the late musician
Rick Danko, was last seen residing in the Walsh area. Along the Turkey Point Road, tobacco kilns can be seen in threesomes.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a
wholesaler
Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In g ...
was once stationed here. It had become a private residence by the early 1990s.
A local
businessman by the name of Bruce R. Smith starting hauling
dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on ...
products out of his trucking business in Walsh starting back in 1947.
[''About us''](_blank)
at BRSmith.com, accessed 19 February 2012 His son, John, took over the business in the mid-1970s and expanded the business and slowly recruited the help of 230
power unit
In electricity generation, a generator is a device that converts motive power (mechanical energy) or fuel-based power ( chemical energy) into electric power for use in an external circuit. Sources of mechanical energy include steam turbines, g ...
s and 750
semi-trailer trucks delivering goods throughout
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
over the decades.
Food products in addition to
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
from the
Stelco Lake Erie Works
''Stelco Lake Erie Works'' is a greenfield steel mill located in Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada.
All the employees who work for this operation are unionized by United Steelworkers Local 8782; which is a local that is exclusive to the employees of t ...
greenfield steel mill are delivered with the help of
global positioning system
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
s and a computerized dispatch system that allows for networking over a wide area.
As of 2012, there are 350 rank-and-file employees in addition to 210 professional operators and 50 operators that own their own vehicles.
Most people get their television either through
Shaw Direct,
Bell Satellite TV or
over-the-air. Two channels (
CIII-DT and
CITY-DT) can be picked up reliably using an outdoor antenna while an additional three channels (
WNYB-DT,
CICO-DT, and
CKCO-DT) can be picked up semi-reliably. There are at least 12 channels that can be picked up over-the-air only during sunny days where clouds are absent.
Education
This community is home to two elementary schools: Walsh Public School (within the
Grand Erie District School Board) and St. Michael's Catholic Elementary School (administered by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board).
[''St. Michael’s School''](_blank)
section on the BHNCDSB web site, accessed 18 February 2012 During the peak of local population growth in the mid-19th century, 14 one-room and two-room schools were functioning within the Township of Charlotteville.
Walsh Area Public School was constructed in 1959 on an open-field site along the north side of St. John's Road, between the Turkey Point Road and Young's Creek. It opened in March 1960, a four-room school that culminated a five-year consolidation effort that merged four one- and two-room elementary schools within five miles of the village: Walsh, Tisdale, Elmwood and McKnight.
The guest of honour at the official opening in September 1960 was Education Minister and future Premier
John Robarts. Expansion of the public school came in three phases over the next 15 years to achieve its current configuration. It also had its name shortened to Walsh Public School.
The children of Walsh Public School were involved in an attempt to break the
Guinness Book of Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
for reading on January 26, 2009. A relaxation room (dubbed the ''Snoezelen'' Room from the
Dutch words ''snufflen'' - to seek out - and ''doezelen'' - to snooze) has been installed on the premises to relax
hyperactive children in addition to children on the
autistic spectrum
The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
who unintentionally disrupt their classes. They often return to their classroom after a few minutes of relaxation in this sensation-filled room without having to visit the principal for disciplinary measures. Soft music is constantly played in the room while children with special needs can either touch or hear calming sensations. In September 2013, Walsh Public School started to provide an all-day kindergarten program.
The Grand Erie Board administers four secondary schools to which Walsh graduates can advance:
Simcoe Composite School
Simcoe Composite School is a high school in Simcoe, Ontario, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada.
More than 800 students attend this rural secondary school and courses range from English language, English, French language, French, Art, Music, and Mathemati ...
,
Port Dover Composite School
''Port Dover Composite School (PDCS)'' was a public middle and high school located in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. Shortly after closure, PDCS was converted into an elementary school called ''Lakewood Public School'' Students here typically lived ...
,
Delhi District Secondary School
Delhi District Secondary School is a publicly funded high school that is located near downtown Delhi in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
The rural school had one of the lowest enrollment rates in Norfolk County, and had been considered fo ...
and
Valley Heights Secondary School
Valley Heights Secondary School (in French, "''L'École Secondaire Valley Heights''") is a two-story rural high school located near Walsingham, Ontario, Canada. The official initials for this high school are ''VHSS''.
History
Opened in 1971, Va ...
.
St. Michael's Elementary School was launched in the early 1950s, initially in the basement of St. Michael's Catholic Church next door. The current school was opened in January 1961 as a two-room school and subsequently has been expanded to the present structure. Graduates can advance preferentially to
Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Simcoe.
A local bursary; known as the ''Charlotteville Bursary'' has been traditionally awarded for secondary school graduates from the Walsh area as an incentive to attend either the college or university of their choice.
Nearest communities
Walsh is located near these major communities:
Simcoe Simcoe may refer to:
Geography Canada
* Simcoe, Ontario, a town in southwestern Ontario, near Lake Erie, Canada
* Simcoe County, a county in central Ontario, Canada
* Lake Simcoe, a lake in central Ontario, Canada
* Simcoe North, a federal and pro ...
- ,
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
- ,
Port Dover
Port Dover is an unincorporated community and former town located in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie. It is the site of the recurring Friday the 13th motorcycle rally. Prior to the War of 1812, this community w ...
- ,
Tillsonburg
Tillsonburg is a town in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada with a population of 18,615 located about 50 kilometres southeast of London, on Highway 3 at the junction of Highway 19.
History
Prior to European settlement, the present site of Tillso ...
- ,
Brantford
Brantford (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by County of Brant, Brant County, but is politically separate with ...
- and
Woodstock
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
- .
Mount Forest is located to the north of this community.
[''Walsh''](_blank)
information at TravelingLuck.com, accessed 19 February 2012 It is an unincorporated community located on the junction of Ontario Highways
6 and
89 in the
township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
of
Wellington North
Wellington North was a federal electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1953. It was located in the province of Ontario.
It was created by the British North America Act, 1867 which divided the County of Well ...
.
Places of worship
The first Christian community established in Walsh was the Charlotteville
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
Church, constructed in 1856 and located 1.3 kilometres to the south. That community thrived through the
1925 merger that created the United Church of Canada and beyond but suffered badly from declining membership during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
and it ceased operation in the early 1940s. After being vacant for nearly 20 years, the building was demolished in 1962. A commemorative monument remains, in the northeast corner of the cemetery.
Two churches in the area continue to provide the spiritual and religious needs of the local residents: Walsh
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
Church and St. Michael's Roman
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
Church.
Walsh Baptist Church was established in 1876 and has served a thriving community of worshippers since that time. During the first few decades of the 20th century, a close collaboration developed with the Charlotteville Methodist Church.
When the Walsh United Church dissolved early during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, their remaining members were welcomed into the Baptist community. The Baptist church annex including Sunday school classrooms, church hall, kitchen, and washrooms was constructed during the winter of 1961-62.
The Walsh Baptist Church is led by Pastor Marc Bertrand; who has served the region since 2003.
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/St._Michael_Church_-_Walsh%2C_ON.jpg)
St. Michael's Catholic Church was established in 1947.
Although it functioned as a mission church of St. Cecilia's Parish in Port Dover in earlier years, St. Michael's is now under the care of the Sacred Heart Parish in Langton.
Another church that survived for about 35 years was the independent Faith Baptist Church, which officially broke away from the congregation of the regular Baptist church in 1926. Located in a white frame building on the southeast corner of the main intersection, dwindling membership eventually forced the church to cease operations in the early 1960s. After several years of commercial usage, the building was demolished.
Cemeteries
The Walsh Baptist Cemetery is situated on a sheltered hilltop on the east side of the Turkey Point Road, north of the main intersection. It has the buried remains of at least 133 individuals or families. Common last names of people buried at the Walsh Baptist Cemetery include Atkinson, Bingleman, Bint, Bye, Cope, Ferris, Pepper, and Shepherd. The Walsh Baptist Cemetery is still functional as of 2020 and it was established around 1864.
Walsh's other cemetery is the Walsh United Church Cemetery. It has at least 533 individuals and/or families buried there. People buried there were typically born between the late-19th century to the mid-20th century. Common last names found at the Walsh United Cemetery are Armstong, Anderson, Barker, Becker, Bingleman, and Boughner. The Walsh United Church Cemetery is still functional as of 2020 and it was established around 1830.
History
Pre-20th century
The Walsh area's earliest known inhabitants, from around the year 1000 until approximately 300–350 years later, were the
Algonquin nation. They were noted flint-workers and evidence of their skill in crafting arrowheads is still to be found in open worked field areas surrounding the village. The next wave of inhabitants were the
Attawandaron
The Neutral Confederacy (also Neutral Nation, Neutral people, or ''Attawandaron'' by neighbouring tribes) were an Iroquoian people who lived in what is now southwestern and south-central Ontario in Canada, North America. They lived throughout t ...
nation, the Neutrals, who occupied the region from about 1350 until their absorption by the
Iroquois
The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
in the year 1651. The last significant native nation to occupy the area was the
Mississaugas
The Mississauga are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations peoples located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwe. The name "Mississauga" comes from the Anishinaabe word ''Misi-zaagiing'', meaning "hose ...
.
The first Caucasian settlers in Charlotteville were the
United Empire Loyalist
United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...
settlers from just prior to the year 1800. Charlotteville was named after
Queen Charlotte, wife of
King George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...
, the ruling monarch at the time. Charlotteville, roughly 100 square miles was surveyed by the Walsh/Welch family, with the work completed by 1805. The township was laid out, nine miles wide, back from the nominal shoreline of
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
. On a 180-
chain
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...
spacing (about four kilometres) between the two town lines roads were the two quarter line roads and the centre line road, now known as the Turkey Point road, running northwards, from Turkey Point, through Charlotteville Centre and beyond. Perpendicular to the line roads was a series of twelve concession roads, spaced 70 chains apart (about 1.5 kilometres), from the Lake Erie shore, back to the north boundary. The Township of Charlotteville became an incorporated municipality within the
County of Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nort ...
, in 1850.
Because of its convenient central location, Charlotteville Centre, now known as Walsh, was designated the administrative centre. The Township Hall building, constructed at a cost of $700 in 1868 still stands. In later years, the township seat administrative function was relocated to the larger village of
Vittoria, four miles to the southeast. Walsh developed as a community centre and gathering place during the first half of the nineteenth century after Charlotteville Township was surveyed. Located at the intersection of the middle of five north-south "line roads" and the sixth of twelve west-east concession roads made it a logical central focus point for the growing township.
Railway service once provided freight and passenger service at a railway junction, three concessions to the south, known as Walsh Station () from its inception in 1886 by the
South Norfolk Railway
The South Norfolk Railway was incorporated in 1886, to construct a railway from Simcoe, Ontario to Port Rowan, Ontario.
Summary
In 1887, the station was acquired by Grand Trunk Railway and was absorbed into their railway network.
Simcoe was ...
until all service was terminated in 1962 by the
Canadian National Railways
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...
. Canadian National removed the railway tracks three years later in 1965.
The proximity to Young's Creek with a water flow to power
flour
Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...
and
lumber mills was an added advantage favouring the location. From a geographical perspective, Young's Creek originates about four kilometers northwest of the village and passes through Walsh, and then Vittoria, before discharging into Lake Erie, away in Port Ryerse. This creek would eventually provide water to nearby Vitorria in addition to Greens Corners, Port Ryerse, Normandale, Turkey Point, St. Williams and Port Rowan.
20th century
With the escalation of gasoline consumption after the Great Depression, the number of low volume rural gasoline retailers peaked in the late 1950s. Gas prices reached 5.5 cents a litre by 1959 due to the low fuel taxes and surplus of oil from the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
during that era. At that time, Walsh had three such businesses. Colwell, General Merchant, described more fully below, was located on the northwest corner of the main intersection and sold Supertest products. Facing them, across the road, on the northeast corner was another general store, Earle's Grocery, that sold Reliance products. Ironically, Supertest and Reliance were of the same corporate ownership but operated as separate companies. Half a block to the south of Earle's was the village's only full scope service station, Engell's Walsh Garage that sold
Texaco
Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American Petroleum, oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its Gasoline, fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an Indepe ...
products. At Walsh Station located five kilometers to the south, Cherwaty's Service sold
Fina products
during the early years of his business. He would keep the business selling Petro-Canada products before passing away in 2008 at the Leisure World in Brantford.
Unfortunately, the local gasoline retailers have all gone out of business.
The gas station at the general store belonging to the parents of local
petroliana
Petroliana is a category of collectibles that is related to gas stations or the petroleum industry. Petroliana memorabilia include items such as old gas pumps, fuel advertisements, enamel or tin signs, oil cans and tins, and road maps.
See als ...
collector Alex Colwell handled
Supertest products for oil and automobile gasoline.
[''About Alex Colwell from Walsh, Ontario''](_blank)
at BritishAmericanOil.com, accessed 19 February 2012 Supertest was an all-Canadian company that operated until being bought out by
BP Canada
BP Canada was a Canadian petroleum company and subsidiary of BP, British Petroleum that operated between 1955 and 1992. The name refers to a group of companies that engaged in various segments of the petroleum industry lifecycle. BP entered the Ca ...
in the 1970s (which was bought out by
Petro-Canada
Petro-Canada is a retail and wholesale marketing brand subsidiary of Suncor Energy. Until 1991, it was a federal Crown corporation (a state-owned enterprise). In August 2009, Petro-Canada merged with Suncor Energy, with Suncor shareholders rece ...
in 1983).
Natural gas
Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
production is found throughout the Walsh area; this production spreads as fast east as Vittoria and as far west as Jericho and Silver Hill. More than of petroleum and mineral leases are within the boundaries of Walsh along with the nearby communities of Walsingham and Houghton. Approximately 85 businesses and residences are served by this company through a special agreement with
Union Gas
Union Gas was a major Canadian natural gas company based in Ontario. Its distribution arm serviced approximately 1.5 million customers in northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. Union Gas has been a subsidiary of Enbridge since February 2017 ...
.
In 2001, Haldimand-Norfolk was dissolved into two separate single-tier counties. Walsh became part of the newly formed County of Norfolk.
Donnybrook Fair
An annual fair held in the hamlet called the Donnybrook Fair attracts kids and adults from the area in the middle of September.
[''Donnybrook Fair''](_blank)
information at DonnybrookFair.ca, accessed 19 February 2012
It has been held since 1857, with the fair growing in size and quality every year. Children who attend school within the immediate vicinity are allowed to enter any artwork that they produced themselves in addition to their own crafts and
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
-related artifacts. They are typically between the ages of 5 and 13. Homeschooled children may also enter the contests. In the 2011 edition of the Donnybrook Fair, these local students have managed to win $1346 in tax-free cash. This monetary award encourages children to save up for
higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
opportunities. The short-term effects of the award system encourages children to work on their innovative spirit and improve their work ethics. Although the winner of the Donnybrook Fair demolition derby is no longer assured a spot in the Norfolk County Fair version of the event, the prize money keeps increasing and the event is done over a traditional dirt track. Fundraising for the Donnybrook Fair involves a
Victoria Day
Victoria Day (french: Fête de la Reine, lit=Celebration of the Queen) is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25. Initially in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday, it has since been celebrated as the offi ...
brunch, an annual spring barbecue, and numerous raffles.
Notable people
*
Annaleise Carr
Annaleise Carr (born March 12, 1998) of Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada, was the youngest person to swim across Lake Ontario by the "traditional route" on Sunday, August 19, 2012 at the age of 14.
Annaleise had to qualify for this swim which wa ...
, the youngest person to swim across Lake Ontario
*
Egerton Ryerson
Adolphus Egerton Ryerson (24 March 1803 – 19 February 1882) was a Canadian educator, author, editor, and Methodist minister who was a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system.
A renowned advocate against Christ ...
, Methodist minister, educator, politician, and public education advocate in early Ontario history
*
Joseph Ryerson
Joseph Ryerson (28 February 1761 – 9 August 1854) was a United Empire Loyalist, Lieutenant in the Prince of Wales American Volunteers in the American Revolutionary War, a Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding the First Regiments of the Norfolk Mili ...
, soldier,
United Empire Loyalist
United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...
and father of Egerton
*
David Tisdale, Canadian politician
*
Aquila Walsh, Canadian civil engineer, politician, and civil servant
*
William L. Walsh
William Legh Walsh (January 28, 1857 – January 13, 1938) was a Canadian lawyer and judge. He served as the List of lieutenant governors of Alberta, fourth lieutenant governor of Alberta from 1931 to 1936.
Walsh was born in that portion of th ...
, Canadian lawyer and judge
Climate
Throughout the history of the hamlet, Walsh has seen temperatures as cold as and as hot as . Summers have typically been around for most of Walsh's history. Winter activities are possible between the months of December and March; although recent years have made March and sometimes December too mild for the snow to form. Even during the coldest years, no snow-related activities are possible between April and November.
The winter of 1975 was the only unusually mild winter in the region from 1897 to 1977. From the late 1990s onwards, winters became more mild due to changes in climate brought on by global warming. Walsh traditionally belongs to the
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
zone, even with the recent mild winters and warmer dry summers. As in all communities, towns and cities throughout the world,
global warming
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
due to human industrial activity has drastically altered the climate of Walsh over the decades.
The warmest summers that Walsh has witnessed occurred in 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 (with the exception of the month of July), 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Should the sea levels rise by , Walsh is not located close enough to salt water to be affected directly by flooding.
However, it would suffer indirectly from droughts due to the displacement of available freshwater resources and would have to rely on
desalinated salt water piped in from hundreds of miles away. Many major cities near salt water already pipe in their water from freshwater sources hundreds of miles away like
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
; which is located in the middle of a desert.
See also
*
List of townships in Ontario
This is a list of townships in the Canadian province of Ontario. Townships are listed by census division.
Northern Ontario Northeastern Ontario Algoma District
Historical/Geographic Townships
*Abbott
*Aberdeen Additional
*Abigo
*Abotossaway
* ...
References
{{authority control
Communities in Norfolk County, Ontario
Populated places established in 1850