Oakville
History of Oakville
The history of the Town of Oakville dates back to 1827, when an industrious businessman named William Chisholm operated a prosperous shipbuilding business at the Oakville Harbour. Chisolm, who earned the nickname “White Oak”, had an ample supply of wood for his business in the dense oak forest that once dominated the Oakville landscape.
Most of Oakville’s first residents were employed by Chisolm. They either worked at his shipbuilding yards, or his saw mills which were located at the mouth of 16 Mile Creek.You can discover more about William Chisolm, the history of his family, and the origins of Oakville, at the Oakville Museum, located at 8 Navy Street in downtown Oakville.
The Town of Oakville was incorporated in 1962, as the result of an amalgamation between “Old Oakville”, the Township of Trafalgar, and the Village of Bronte.
There were fewer than 10,000 people living in Oakville prior to the amalgamation. Today, most of Oakville’s farms fields have been replaced by new home subdivisions, and the population of Oakville has mushroomed to over 147,000 residents.
Upcoming Events
Jul 1, 2012 · Community Oakville Trafalgar Lions Club Canada Day Pancake BreakfastJul 1, 2012 · Community Oakville’s Canada Day and Fireworks in BronteAug 6, 2012 · Festivals 47th Annual Art in the Park: OakvilleAug 7, 2012 · Community Harbour Days Invitational Sand Sculpture Competition: OakvilleSep 29, 2012 · Community Gadsden’s Milton Fall Antique Expo