Visit & Tour 2008 - (Page 18) 18 Tourism Services & St. Thomas Times-Journal, February 2008 • www.elgintourist.com Elgin County Incredible Elgin County on Ontario’s South Coast “As Warden of Elgin County, I welcome you on behalf of our staff and residents. Museums, libraries, wineries, orchards, beaches, lighthouses and conservation areas, as well as many other unique attractions await you as you cycle or drive along our picturesque roadways.” The County of Elgin strives to provide a safe, pleasant community for all citizens through a variety of services designed to promote quality of life and our rich historical and agricultural heritage. The County of Elgin is situated in the heart of southwestern Ontario along the north shore of Lake Erie and due south of Highway 401 in what can be best described as a rich agricultural zone complimented by a strong and developing industrial base. The County is an upper-tier municipality comprised of seven local municipalities covering a sprawling area of 460,000 acres, with a population of approximately 46,000 people. Since the establishment of the Talbot settlement in 1803, the County has had an interesting and colourful history largely based on the development of lumbering, agriculture and tourism.The railways played an important role in the County’s economic development due to the County’s prime location in a major transportation corridor, employing many people and stimulating industrial development in the City of St.Thomas and adjacent areas.This industrial development continues to this day, with the County now boasting several large manufacturing and service industries [such as Ford of Canada]. At the time of the County’s incorporation in 1852, the original municipalities included the Townships of Aldborough, Dunwich, Southwold, Yarmouth, Malahide, Bayham and South Dorchester and the Village of St. Thomas which also served as the County Seat. While the boundaries of the County have remained unchanged to this day, there have been a number of changes to local governments over time, with the emergence of new towns and villages and the departure of others. The most significant change occurred in 1998 when the County restructured into seven local municipalities. Local information can be found at any of the County’s eleven libraries Aylmer – 519-773-2439, Belmont – 519-633-1560, Dutton –519-762-2780, Port Burwell – 519-866-4754, Port Stanley – 519-782-4241, Rodney – 519-785-2100, Shedden – 519-764-2081, Springfield – 519-765-4515, Straffordville – 519-866-3584, Vienna – 519-874-4118, West Lorne – 519-768-1150, and Elgin County Public Library Administration is located in the County building on Sunset Drive. Please visit the web site at www. library.elgin-county.on.ca for more information. Of special importance is the Elgin County Archives. The Archives is the official repository of records of the County of Elgin since its incorporation in 1852 as well as those of its current and former constituent municipalities. The Archives also houses a number of private collections documenting the County's history and its citizens. The mandate of the Archives was established by County Council through a by-law passed in June 2001. Should you require any assistance while visiting Elgin County, please contact our offices on Sunset Drive in St. Thomas by calling 519-6311460 or by visiting the web site at www.elgin-county. on.ca for information regarding Administrative Services; Engineering Services; Financial Services; Homes and Seniors Services; Human Resources, Information Technology and Library Services. For a complete listing of all Elgin County services and contacts please visit our web site and click on Links on the left hand side menu, then ELGIN COUNTY - A Guide to Your Farm & Rural Community. We hope you will enjoy your stay in Elgin County and come back to visit us often. Sylvia Hofhuis, Warden Inc. 1852 WELCOME TO ELGIN COUNTY As Warden of Elgin County, I would like to invite you to discover our beautiful Community. Strategically located along the north shore of Lake Erie, in close proximity to the 401 corridor, Elgin County enjoys a rich agricultural heritage, a skilled workforce, and a strong and developing industrial base. The County is composed of 7 municipalities with a total population of 45,000 citizens. Museums, libraries, wineries, orchards, beaches, lighthouses, and conservation areas, as well as many other unique attractions await you as you cycle or drive along our picturesque roadways. www.elgin-county.on.ca to find out more. Come and explore what Elgin County has to offer! Warden Sylvia Hofhuis Please visit our website at http://www.elgintourist.com http://www.library.elgin-county.on.ca http://www.library.elgin-county.on.ca http://www.elgin-county.on.ca http://www.elgin-county.on.ca http://www.elgin-county.on.ca http://www.elgin-county.on.ca
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.