History
Caledonia was once a small strip of land between Seneca and Oneida villages. The Oneida village was started by the Grand River Navigation Company, which laid out the village of Oneida on the south side of the Grand River. The Oneida village plot originally contained 16 acres and was named after the township where it began. In 1835, the same company started the village of Seneca about a mile down the river from Oneida on the opposite side of the Grand River. It was named "Seneca Village" after the township in which it began. The Grand River passed through Caledonia, dividing it into two sides, North and South. In 1834, Ranald McKinnon was hired by the Grand River Navigation Company to build a dam in Seneca and a dam in Caledonia. Completed in 1835, the dams made water power available with the accompanying lock, and excavation finished early in the following year. Mills sprung up all over Seneca village, and five mills were built in Caledonia by 1850. One was renamed Caledonia Mill, which has been rebuilt and is now used for office space. In 1835, William Bryant was the first to own a tavern in town. Official deeds to the lands early settlers occupied were not provided until 1850; however, they did have bills of sale. There was a high concentration of Scottish immigrants, and as such, many of Caledonia's streets are named in honour of this. Most notably, the main street is named "Argyle" after the example of Glasgow in Scotland. The Hamilton to Port Dover plank road was brought through Caledonia in 1838. A bridge was built across the river in Caledonia and Seneca in 1842. When first constructed, a stagecoach travelled to both Hamilton and Port Dover daily. These wooden bridges lasted around 19 years before the ice on the river swept them away. The Seneca Bridge was never rebuilt. As of 2011, the Grand River Bridge built in 1927 serves Caledonia's traffic. In 1846, David Thompson of Ruthven became the first Member of Parliament for Haldimand County and died in office five years later in 1851. In the succeeding by-election, Ranald McKinnon ran for office but was ultimately defeated byRanald McKinnon
McKinnon was born in Ardelum, Scotland, on September 11, 1801. He came to Masonville, New York with his paternal grandparents, Malcolm McKinnon, his wife and a number of siblings. He worked in Virginia and Kentucky until 1820, when the family moved to Trafalgar, Esquesing andDemographics
Ethnicity
Only those populations which compose more than 1% of the population have been included.Language
As of the 2021 census, 11,510 citizens spoke English only, 10 spoke only French, 595 spoke both official languages, and 60 spoke neither.Religion
As of the 2021 census, 6,725 citizens were identified as Christian, 405 people identified as Muslim and 4,695 as non-religious and secular perspectives. Religious buildings in Caledonia include: *Gateway Church *St. Paul's Anglican Church *Caledonia Presbyterian Church *Caledonia Congregational Church *Grace United Church *St. Patrick's Catholic Church *Caledonia Baptist ChurchGovernment
The first Reeve of the village of Caledonia was Ranald McKinnon in 1853, and theEducation
Public education in Caledonia is administered by the Grand Erie District School Board and the Catholic schools by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board. Schools located in Caledonia include: * Caledonia Centennial Public School *Oneida Central Public School *River Heights Public School Students eligible to attend secondary school in Caledonia have two significant options. They can attend McKinnon Park Secondary School within the town or take a bus to the neighbouring Cayuga Secondary School.Catholic Education
*Notre Dame Catholic School *St. Patrick's Catholic School Students eligible to attend secondary school in Caledonia have only one option if they are seeking a Catholic education: Assumption College School inAttractions
*Haldimand County Caledonia Centre **Caledonia Public LibraryHeritage
* Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre * Grand River Bridge * Grand River Dam * Haldimand House ** Oasis Drive-In * Grand Trunk Railway Station *Caledonia Toll House * Caledonia Mill * Caledonia Opera HouseEdinburgh Square (Old Caledonia Town Hall)
Previous to the town hall's construction, council meetings were held at the house of John Campbell (the local inn) and in other makeshift quarters. The first mention of a town hall was made in 1854 and was discussed for several months until over a year later the council decided to spend a "sum of Eight hundred pounds to build a Town Hall and public Lockup house." The town hall was built in 1857 and officially opened on January 18, 1858. At the time of its completion, John Scott was the Reeve of Caledonia, James Aldridge was the town clerk, and Thomas Belford was the constable and keeper. Edinburgh Square was designed as a town hall with jail cells in the basement. The town hall was also intended to house a meat market in the basement. In addition, the second-floor hall was used for various purposes, from public events to Boy Scout meetings. In 1914 the library books had all been stored in the basement and the library was only reestablished in 1935 through the hard work of Laura and Harold Senn. When the library was reestablished, it remained within the town hall until the new Caledonia Public Library was opened in 1967. The town hall was built by Mr. John Turner, a British immigrant who was residing in Brantford at the time. Mr. Turner also designed the courthouses in St. Thomas and Simcoe, St. Basil's Roman Catholic Church and Park Baptist Church in Brantford. On January 25, 1982, the Town of Haldimand designated the Caledonia Town Hall as a heritage building. The building currently houses the Edinburgh Square Heritage and Culture Centre, a museum preserving the local area's history. The museum holds events throughout the year in partnership with the other county museums, Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum and Haldimand County Heritage Centre, in addition to summer camps.Toll House
The Caledonia Toll House is the second oldest building in Caledonia, Ontario, still standing; the first being Haldimand House. The toll house was there when the original iron bridge collapsed and the new concrete one (still used today) was built. With the historic Caledonia Bridge in need of complete replacement, the beautiful historic toll house, which is currently a home and business, has been appropriated as part of the Ministry of Transportation's plan to replace it. The toll house is presently a private residence.Parks
*Seneca Park **Rotary Riverside Trail *Haller Heights Park *Twin Heights Park *Williamson Woods Park *Haldimand County Ramsey Park *McKinnon Park *Kinsmen Park **Caledonia Lions PoolAnnual
*Caledonia Fair - Fourth weekend after Labour Day *Light Up Night - Later Half of November *Santa Claus Parade *Yard Sale Day - First Saturday of June *Canada Day Festival and Parade - July 1Caledonia Fair
The Caledonia Fair takes place on the fourth weekend after Labour Day at the Caledonia Fair Grounds at 151 Caithness St. E., Caledonia, ON. At the Fair, one can find a collection of farm animals, local art pieces and cooking all on display. There are also several events during the duration, including a demolition derby, many magic shows and small concerts, rides for people of all ages, an event where local high schools compete for school spirit called 'High School Challenge', Touch-a-Truck, a display of classic cars, and more.Light Up Night
The night, typically in the later half of November, is when the town's Christmas lights are turned on and celebrated in the Caledonia fair grounds where the children meet Santa Claus.Sports
Hockey
The Caledonia Corvairs are aSoccer
Located opposite the Avalon development at 62 McClung Rd is the Caledonia Soccer Complex where the local Haldimand Soccer Club operates its youth soccer programs.Baseball
There are two public baseball diamonds located in Caledonia, Ontario, that are not on school property. The first is located within kinsmen park, next to the Caledonia Lions Pool. The second is located next to the local hockey arena, the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre. There is also a park featuring six baseball diamonds at 161 Greens Road, Caledonia, ON called Henning Park.Basketball
There is a public basketball court located in McKinnon Park next to the Caledonia Skate Park. Additionally, a youth basketball league, Haldimand Huskies, operates using the McKinnon Park Secondary School gym.Skateboard & BMX
A public skate park is located within McKinnon Park across the street from McKinnon Park Secondary School.Tennis
Public tennis courts are located within the Caledonia Kinsmen Park.Golf
The only place for golf in Caledonia is the MontHill Golf & Country Club, which replaced the previous Hagan farm. It currently features 3, 9-hole courses for a total of 27 holes of varying difficulties and can be found at 4925 Highway 6, Caledonia, ON.Gymnastics
Caledonia & Grand River Gymmise Gymnastics & Trampoline Club, locally referred to as 'Gymmies,' is the only facility operating in Caledonia that offers a suitable environment for gymnastics. It can be found behind the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre at 10 Kinross Street, Caledonia, ON.Cemeteries
Cemeteries in Caledonia include: *Caledonia Cemetery *Saint Patrick's Cemetery *Caledonia Methodist Cemetery *Saint Paul's Anglican CemeteryNotable people
*Birthplace of Byron Edmund Walker (1848–1924), banker and patron of the arts * William Winegard (1924–2019), educator and politician *Birthplace of Isaac Kragten (2002–), actor * Dr. Arnold T. Anderson, worked on theSports
*Birthplace of Andrew Campbell (1988–), former defenseman for theSee also
* List of unincorporated communities in Ontario * Communities of Haldimand County * Haldimand County * Grand River * Six Nations of the Grand RiverNotes
References
{{authority control Communities in Haldimand County Populated places on the Grand River (Ontario)