Articles - Snippits

Ontario's Waterloo Region, located in the center of Canada, has a most interesting history & culture. This is due in large part to its first European settlers, Mennonites from Pennsylvania who came at the early part of the 19th Century. More recently, Waterloo's ethnic diversity has been due to its welcoming of immigrants from countries throughout the world. This influx can be traced to the area's flourishing economy, its varied employment opportunities, and the two distinguished universities it offers.

The first pioneers of the Waterloo area are honored in a monument called Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower. Mennonite pioneers that arrived in the area around 1800 to 1803 were the original settlers, settling on the banks of the Grand River, which provided very productive land for farming. The monument was created back in 1923 on one acre near Doon, just east of the Grand River. The tower's spire is uniquely Swiss in look, giving reflection to the homeland of the Swiss Mennonites.

At Doon Heritage Crossroads you can explore Waterloo County as it was in 1914. Come back to see what businesses, homes and farms were like and how people went about their daily lives.

Joseph Schneider Haus Museum and Gallery recreates life as it was in the area in the 1850s. This is the house that Joseph and Barbara Schneider built in 1816. They were among the early Mennonite pioneers who trekked to the new frontier from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the early 1800s.

Within the Waterloo Region, one of the well known local artists was Homer Watson. Nicknamed the "Man of Doon" after the location of his home and studio, Homer Watson is now commemorated in the Homer Watson House & Gallery. There you can see his studio where he worked; you can also attend workshops, classes, and art exhibitions.

The tenth Prime Minister of Canada, and also its longest serving, was William Lyon Mackenzie King. He was born in Berlin, prior to its name change to Kitchener in WWI, in 1874. The home where he spent his boyhood has been restored at Woodside National Historic Site and the 4.65 hectares are now returned to their 1890's glory.

Castle Kilbride was constructed in Baden in the year 1877 by James Livingston. He named it after his place of birth which is located in Scotland. When viewed from the road, it dominates its surrounding scenery because of its clean Italianate design topped by a towering belvedere. Its beautiful exterior appearance, however, is outshined by its magnificent interior design. The interior decor, in and of itself, establishes it as a work of art of international importance.