Orangeville, a charming town in south-central Ontario, Canada, is the seat of Dufferin County. With a population of 28,900 according to the 2016 Canada Census, the town has a rich history dating back to the early 19th century. The first patent of land was issued to Ezekiel Benson, a land surveyor, on August 7, 1820, followed by Alan Robinet in 1822.
The town was named after Orange Lawrence, a Connecticut-born businessman who owned several mills in the village. Lawrence, who moved to Canada as a young man and settled in Halton County, purchased the land that would become Orangeville from Robert Hughson. He established a mill in the area in 1844. The post office dates from 1851.
Orangeville was given town status on January 1, 1874, following the Act of Incorporation passed in 1873. The public library, located at Broadway and Mill Street, was completed in 1908 with financial assistance from well-known businessman and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie.
The heart of Orangeville is marked by the main intersection of Broadway (formerly Highway 9) and First Street, with Highway 10 running through the town on its east side. A major roadwork project initiated in 2005 resurfaced Broadway through Orangeville.
The town also features a section of County Road 109, often referred to as the "Orangeville bypass", a bypass opened in 2005, connecting Highway 10 with a pre-existing section of County Road 109. Orangeville Transit serves as the town's public transit system, and there is a commuter GO Transit bus service to Brampton.
Industries in Orangeville were served by the Orangeville Brampton Railway, which purchased 55 kilometres of surplus track from the Canadian Pacific Railway. From 2004 to 2018, a tourist train was operated on weekends in summer months.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Orangeville had a population of 30,167 living in 11,059 of its 11,308 total private dwellings, a change of 4.4% from its 2016 population of 28,900. With a land area of 15.16 km2, it had a population density of 1,989.9/km2 in 2021.
The median age was 38.8 years, lower than the national median age of 41.2 years. The median value of a dwelling in Orangeville was $400,320, higher than the national average at $341,556, and the median household income (after-taxes) was $73,605, higher than the national median of $61,348.
Orangeville is a hub of cultural activities, hosting the annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, typically the first full weekend in June. The Town Hall building houses the historic Orangeville Opera House on the second floor, which was restored in 1993–1994. This facility is the home base of professional theatre company Theatre Orangeville, and hosts plays and concerts throughout the year.
Since 2003, Orangeville's Art Walk of Tree Sculptures has been a major attraction, featuring more than 50 detailed works by local artists. The sculptures are carved from old maple trees that have died from natural causes. The largest tree sculpture, a tribute to Canadiana and the centrepiece of a small newly developed park, is a story totem entitled Nature's Unity, celebrating Canada's 150th birthday.
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