Cheltenham

Around the World

 Cheltenham (Ontario, Canada)

Cheltenham, Canada, is located in the south-central portion of the province of Ontario. Now a part of the Town of Caledon, Cheltenham is one of the hidden gems in the Region of Peel. Located  north west of Metropolitan Toronto, it is a short drive from all the amenities a large metropolis can offer, while still retaining its rural charm.

Charles Haines, a millwright from Cheltenham, England emigrated to Upper Canada with his family in 1820. The family temporarily settled in York (now Toronto) while Charles obtained a grant of land at Lot 29, Concession 4 West of Hurontario Street in Chinguacousy Township. The lot had the Credit River running through it and was the perfect place to build a mill. This part of Ontario was covered in thick forest at the time of surveying (1819). Before the land could be registered in Charles Haines name he had to perform "Settlement Duties" (clear an area of approximately five acres, build a dwelling measuring 16 x 20 feet and clear half the road allowance surrounding his property).

Charles' son Ebenezer, was born in York and later wrote in his diary, "It was a waste howling wilderness where there was no school until I was fourteen years of age; and at that age my corporal frame was required to fight the forest out of the way of our bread and butter, and when my father got into the little shanty and the wolves every night roaring around our camp, it seemed to put him in mind of the howling of the lost in the regions of woe".

In the memory of another resident of the village there were also two distilleries for making wheat whiskey. The characteristics of the brew were 1. It was smooth 2. It had no bite 3. It went down like molasses.

The village was not named until about 1848 when it was decided to name it Cheltenham after the town in England where the Haines family had originated. By 1858 the village contained a mill, three hotels, two general stores, four shoe makers, a tailor, a dress maker and milliner. By 1866 it boasted three mills, a trunk and saddle maker, a dealer in stoves, copper and sheet iron; a wagon maker; a cabinet, sash, blind maker and upholsterer; 2 bonnet makers; a carpenter; an insurance agent; a common school; a Baptist Church and an Orange Lodge.

Early in the 20th Century telephones were installed and by 1910 there were about 124 subscribers on the switchboard. In 1927 the Caledon Electric Company extended its lines to include Cheltenham.

In the 21st Century, Cheltenham is a pretty village with attractive, well-kept houses; a general store; a Real Estate Company and a B&B. The Credit River still runs through it and one of the mills can still be seen.

This information was supplied by Rowena Cooper Reference Archivist, the Region of Peel Archives. Information was taken from the William Perkins Bull fonds and from the original Haines Diaries that form part of the Archives historical collection. The Archives can be found at 9 Wellington Street East, Brampton ON L6W 1Y1.

  Cheltenham (USA, Maryland)

This Cheltenham is a relatively rural 23 kilometers SE of Washington in an area not far from the Patuxent River and Waldorf, Maryland and is also horse country. Nearby is Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and Jug Bay/ Patuxent River Park, Croom, MD (southern Prince George's County). "Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary" comprises 1,670-acre preserve of marshes, farm fields and woodlands on the Patuxent River. Barbara Runion, our contributor has written extensively on both parklands so please click the links above for further information.

The Patuxent River basin supplies 90% of the area's drinking water and comprises some of the most pristine wetlands, marshes and woodlands in Prince George's County and beyond. There is an abundance of Chesapeake Bay flyway migratory birds and waterfowl, and beautiful wildflowers and butterflies.

Edgar Merkle (founder of Merkle Press) donated the land for this sanctuary. In the winter approximately 15,000 Canada Geese migrate to Merkle.

Sent in by Barbara Runion