Newcastle, Ontario, a community nestled in the municipality of Clarington in Durham Region, is a charming town that carries the former name of the present-day municipality to which it belongs. Located approximately 80 km east of Toronto and 18 km east of Oshawa and Bowmanville on Highway 401, Newcastle is the southern terminus of Highway 35 and Highway 115. Recognized as one of the best small towns in Ontario by Comfort Life, a Canadian retirement living website, Newcastle is a gem waiting to be discovered.
Incorporated as a town in 1856, Newcastle remained a small community until the 1990s when new residential development began, causing a rapid increase in population. The town was home to a jail in the late 1800s, the exact location of which remains a mystery as maps from that era have not been discovered. Today, Newcastle is surrounded by farms raising cattle, pigs, apples, grain, and corn, and boasts a community hall, public schools, a post office, churches, plazas, parks, restaurants, a recreation complex, an ice arena, a fire hall, grocery stores, professional offices, hardware stores, a marina on Lake Ontario, and a golf course.
Newcastle's first Post office opened its doors in 1845 with John Short serving as Postmaster. Since then, the town has had ten postmasters, with Charles Gray being the last in 1991. Following Gray's retirement, Canada Post closed the Post Office as it was deemed too small. Most rural route and suburban mail is now handled by the Bowmanville Canada Post.
From 1973 to 1994, the name "Town of Newcastle" was used for the municipality now known as the Municipality of Clarington. The name was changed in 1994 to alleviate confusion between the municipality and the community of the same name. During this period, the community was often referred to as "Newcastle Village" to distinguish it from the municipality.
Newcastle, Ontario, is home to a variety of attractions. Docville Wild West Park, a mock Wild West town, offers its use to filmmakers and other paid visitors. The Newcastle Santa Claus Parade, which began in 2005, is held on a Sunday evening each November. Allin's Orchard & Country Market, an Apple farm supplying produce since the early 1900s, and Algoma Orchards, which moved from Whitby to Hwy 2, west of Newcastle in 2009, are also popular attractions. The Port of Newcastle Marina, located on Lake Ontario, offers 260 slips for boaters, a restaurant, and rent-able canoes and paddle boats.
Newcastle, Ontario, is surrounded by several other communities. To the east lies Newtonville, Orono is to the north, Bowmanville is to the west, and Bondhead is to the south. Each of these neighboring communities adds to the rich tapestry of life in and around Newcastle, Ontario.
