Georgetown, Ontario, a large unincorporated community in the town of Halton Hills, Canada, is a charming blend of history and modernity. Nestled on the banks of the Credit River, approximately 40 km west of Toronto, Georgetown is part of the Greater Toronto Area. The town is home to several small villages or settlements such as Norval, Limehouse, Stewarttown, and Glen Williams. As of 2016, Georgetown boasted a population of 42,123.
Georgetown's history dates back to 1650 when the region was inhabited by the Algonquian Ojibwa, also known as Mississauga. By 1850, the remaining Mississauga natives were relocated to the Six Nations Reserve, where the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation Reserve was established.
The British government began purchasing blocks of land from the Mississauga Nation in 1781. In 1818, they acquired land that later became the townships of Esquesing and Nassagaweya. The task of laying out the townships fell to Timothy Street and Abraham Nelles. Charles Kennedy, hired by Nelles to survey the northern part of Esquesing Township in 1819, received a significant parcel of land as payment for his work. His brothers, John, Morris, Samuel, and George, all acquired land close to each other in the Silver Creek Valley.
George Kennedy capitalized on the Silver Creek in the early 1820s to power a sawmill, gristmill, foundry, and later a woolen mill. A small settlement, often called "Hungry Hollow," formed around these mills. In 1828, John Galt of the Canada Company opened the York to Guelph Road (now Highway 7), connecting the settlement around George Kennedy's Mill with other settlements in the area. The road also extended to Galt, Guelph, and Goderich.
In 1837, the Barber brothers, including William and James, purchased land and the woolen mill and foundry from Kennedy, renaming the settlement Georgetown. The brothers initiated the paper-making industry in 1854, using electricity produced by a dynamo at the Credit River. Their products included large volumes of wallpaper. John R. Barber's home, Berwick Hall, still stands at Main and Park Streets. The business thrived for over 100 years.
Georgetown grew as new neighborhoods were added. The oldest section is around Main Street and Church Street. The arrival of the railway produced a new section — around King Street and Queen Street. The Delrex subdivision was the third part of the town that was added. Shortly after Delrex, Moore Park was developed. In 1989, the Georgetown South development began, and the town has grown considerably since that point.
The population at the time of the 2016 census was 42,123 (an increase of 4.8% over 2011) in the 24 km² of the community. There were 14,679 private dwellings at that time. Data from previous years indicates steady growth.
Georgetown hosts a variety of events, including the Georgetown Highland Games, Farmers' market, Georgetown Fall Fair, Georgetown Santa Claus Parade, and Georgetown Craft Beer Festival.
Major industries with head offices and facilities in Georgetown include Mold Masters Limited, CPI Canada, Eastwood Guitars, and Saputo. Other major industrial concerns include Cooper Standard, ADM Archer Daniels Midland Cocoa (was Ambrosia Chocolate), Howmet Georgetown Casting, a division of Alcoa Power and Propulsion and Kingsbury Technologies (Canada) Inc.
Georgetown offers a variety of recreational activities, including hiking trails, Georgetown Skate Park, Gellert Community Centre, and the Halton Hills Public Library.
Georgetown is served by GO Transit and Via Rail at the Georgetown Station. The town is also linked to the Provincial Highway network by Highway 7, and to Highway 401 by Trafalgar Road (Halton Regional Road 3), Mountainview Road/9th Line (Halton Regional Road 13) and Winston Churchill Boulevard (Halton Regional Road 19).
