Glen Williams, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Glen Williams is a hamlet in the Credit River
valley in the province of Ontario
, Canada
. It is part of Halton Hills
in the Halton Regional Municipality. The Credit River extends over 1500 km from the Niagara Escarpment, emptying into Lake Ontario
at Port Credit, Mississauga. Glen Williams is also home to many species of birds, mammals and fish, with the river providing an exemplary habitat for them.
In 1825, Benajah Williams, a United Empire Loyalist of Welsh
stock, purchased a 200 acre (0.8 km²) parcel of land in Esquesing township, on the Credit River
. There he settled with his third wife and children.
By 1833, he had purchased another 200 acre (0.8 km²) parcel, giving him the 400 acres (1.6 km²) that became Glen Williams. The Williams' Mill is where the first industry stood, a saw mill built by Benajah and sons Joel and Charles in 1825. In the years to come, Benajah's son Charles became the leading figure in the community. Charles owned and operated the sawmill, and eventually he also owned the grist and woolen mills in the small community of Williamsburg, as it was then known.
A new industry was welcomed to the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre; art. Since 1989, artists have dwelled in Glen Williams; some are jewellers, sculptors, potters and glassblowers.
In 1878 Joseph Beaumont built the Beaumont Knitting Mill which is now the Beaumont Mill Antiques & Collectibles market. The Beaumonts produced socks, blankets and mittens in this mill for over 100 years. Visitors can see the ongoing restoration work of the mill from the inside as they hunt for treasures in the diverse market.
Reeve & Clarke Fine & Rare Books are located in the restored storefront in which Timothy Eaton first worked in retail. The Glen Oven Bakery Cafe and The Copper Kettle Pub are also located in heritage storefronts. St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church and St. John's United Church are historic buildings still used for worship, and are located on either side of the Credit River on Main Street.
Credit River
The Credit River is a river in southern Ontario which flows from headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment to empty into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. It drains an area of approximately 1,000 km²...
valley in the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is part of Halton Hills
Halton Hills, Ontario
Halton Hills is a town in the Regional Municipality of Halton, west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located within the Greater Toronto Area....
in the Halton Regional Municipality. The Credit River extends over 1500 km from the Niagara Escarpment, emptying into Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
at Port Credit, Mississauga. Glen Williams is also home to many species of birds, mammals and fish, with the river providing an exemplary habitat for them.
In 1825, Benajah Williams, a United Empire Loyalist of Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
stock, purchased a 200 acre (0.8 km²) parcel of land in Esquesing township, on the Credit River
Credit River
The Credit River is a river in southern Ontario which flows from headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment to empty into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. It drains an area of approximately 1,000 km²...
. There he settled with his third wife and children.
By 1833, he had purchased another 200 acre (0.8 km²) parcel, giving him the 400 acres (1.6 km²) that became Glen Williams. The Williams' Mill is where the first industry stood, a saw mill built by Benajah and sons Joel and Charles in 1825. In the years to come, Benajah's son Charles became the leading figure in the community. Charles owned and operated the sawmill, and eventually he also owned the grist and woolen mills in the small community of Williamsburg, as it was then known.
A new industry was welcomed to the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre; art. Since 1989, artists have dwelled in Glen Williams; some are jewellers, sculptors, potters and glassblowers.
In 1878 Joseph Beaumont built the Beaumont Knitting Mill which is now the Beaumont Mill Antiques & Collectibles market. The Beaumonts produced socks, blankets and mittens in this mill for over 100 years. Visitors can see the ongoing restoration work of the mill from the inside as they hunt for treasures in the diverse market.
Reeve & Clarke Fine & Rare Books are located in the restored storefront in which Timothy Eaton first worked in retail. The Glen Oven Bakery Cafe and The Copper Kettle Pub are also located in heritage storefronts. St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church and St. John's United Church are historic buildings still used for worship, and are located on either side of the Credit River on Main Street.
External links
- Halton Hills Public Library
- LetsVote.ca Information on Halton Hills (Glen Williams) Municipal Election
- http://www.thehaltonherald.ca www.theHaltonHerald.ca a Local Online Newspaper.
- Growth Issues Local Community information on Halton Hills
- Glen Williams at Geographical Names of Canada
- http://townholler.blogspot.com/ Glen Williams Town Hall Board Blog