Ingersoll, Ontario, a town nestled in Oxford County on the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, Canada, is a place where history and tourism blend seamlessly. The town is conveniently located north of Highway 401, with the nearest cities being Woodstock to the east and London to the west.
Ingersoll's founder, Thomas Ingersoll, was a native of Westfield, Massachusetts who moved to Great Barrington, Massachusetts in the early 1770s. He later moved to Queenston in the Niagara District, Upper Canada in 1795, where he operated an inn while organizing his grand venture to create a new settlement deep in the Upper Canadian wilderness.
In 1793, he and his associates received a grant of Oxford township, which became the site of the community of Oxford-on-the-Thames. Here, he opened roads, established a farm for his family, and settled dozens of other families on their own farms nearby.
The hamlet of Ingersoll was proclaimed a village in 1852 and a town in 1865. By the 1860s, dairying was an emerging industry, sparked by farm-wife production of cheese and butter, and then by the introduction of the factory system of cheese production in 1864.
Ingersoll is home to several annual events, including the fall fair of the Ingersoll, North and West Oxford Agricultural Society, the Ingersoll Cheese and Wine Festival, Harvest Fest, Pumpkin Fest, and Kiwanis Rural Urban Dinner Night events. The Canterbury Folk Festival, a free folk festival launched in 1999, continues each July.
Ingersoll boasts a variety of attractions, including the Cheese and Agriculture Museum, Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre (ICAC), Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts (ITOPA), Elm Hurst Inn and Spa, Ingersoll Golf Course, Ingersoll Curling Rink, Ingersoll Lanes Bowling, Ingersoll Farmers' Market, Leaping Deer Adventure Farm and Market, Jakeman's Maple Farm, and Lawson Nature Reserve Trail.
The Fusion Youth Centre, developed by the town in a former elementary school property on Thames Street, offers after-school and weekend programs and special events for youth between ages 12 and 18.
Ingersoll Services for Seniors operates from a former residential and recreation complex built for Suzuki employees involved in management in the early years at the CAMI auto plant, organizing a full calendar of social programs.
The museum showcases the town's unique history, including its distinction of having been Oxford County's cheese capital from the mid-1800s to early 1900s.
Started in 1972, this active arts centre features an exhibit gallery and offers classes in a variety of arts and crafts in pottery, painting, and fibre arts studios.
The Ingersoll Pipe Band, Canada's Oldest, Non-Military, Independent Pipe Band, was formed in 1910 and has attracted many talented players over the years.
A branch of the Oxford County Library, the Ingersoll Public Library is located in the Ingersoll Municipal Building.
The theatre presents several amateur productions each year, offering a rich cultural experience to its patrons.
Ingersoll is served by Via Rail Canada at Ingersoll station on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. The closest international airport is London International Airport, while the closest large airport is Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The town of Ingersoll maintains more than 20 parks with various playgrounds, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and tennis courts, as well as several nature trails. It also has several indoor facilities, including the Ingersoll District Memorial Centre and Victoria Park Community Centre.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ingersoll had a population of 13,693 living in 5,467 of its 5,627 total private dwellings, a change of 7.3% from its 2016 population of 12,757.
Ingersoll has been grappling with environmental issues related to the international conglomerate Carmeuse's plans to lease its limestone quarry to Walker Industries for garbage and recycling operations.
Ingersoll is home to several historical landmarks, including the Elisha Hall House, Rothwell House, Elm Hurst, Christopher Brothers Residences, Norsworthy House, and the old town halls.
Ingersoll boasts several natural areas and parks, including Victoria Park, Soldiers' Carroll Memorial Park, Centennial Park, John Lawson Park and Trail, Smith's Pond Park, and the 19th-century millponds.
Ingersoll is home to several plaques and monuments, including The Big Cheese, the first cheese factory, the founders of Ingersoll, the site of Thomas Ingersoll's log cabin, the old town halls, and the present-day one.
