History
Chatham, one of the oldest communities in western Ontario,
was founded in 1794. John
Graves Simcoe, lieutenant-governor of Upper
Canada, originally planned Chatham as a military settlement. The military
function did not develop, however, and settlement was slow until the 1830s. The
names Kent and Chatham, given by Simcoe, are after the county of Kent, England,
and in honour of the Earl of Chatham, William Pitt the Younger.
Lumbering was the first industry in Kent County. Once the
land was cleared Chatham developed as a marketing centre for the surrounding agricultural
area. Chatham became a town in 1855, but only became responsible for its own
management in 1879, when it formally separated from Kent County.
In the 1850s, Chatham was a centre of anti-slavery activity
and one of the northern stops on the Underground
Railroad that brought fugitives of slavery to Canada. Descendants of
thousands of these formerly enslaved people are an integral part of the local
population. Buxton National Historic Site, 19 km south of Chatham, recalls the
history of the Underground Railroad and what was then known as the Elgin
Settlement. This Black settlement
was founded in 1849, and descendants of some of its early settlers still live
there.
Economy and Labour Force
As the largest community of Chatham-Kent, Chatham, continues
its role as a marketing and retail centre. The administrative functions of the
municipality are also centred in Chatham. Automotive manufacturing and
supporting industries represent a large part of municipality's economic
activity. Post-secondary education includes a St. Clair College campus and
Ridgetown College, which is affiliated with the University
of Guelph.
Cultural Life
There are two provincial parks within Chatham-Kent's
boundaries: Wheatley and Rondeau.
A piece of Carolinian forest is preserved in the Clear Creek Forest. At the
mouth of the Thames River is one of Ontario's oldest lighthouses. In October,
Chatham's Heritage Days celebrates life along the Thames in the early 19th
century.
Some of Chatham-Kent's personalities include folk singer Sylvia Tyson, baseball great "Fergie" Jenkins (both of Chatham) and country and western singer Michelle Wright (of Merlin).