Oakville Historical Society Presents 150 Years of Oakville
William Chisholm's Vision
Pages
IntroductionWilliam Chisholm's VisionShips & MarinersThe Early Harbour and CreekTransportationIncorporation as a Town: 1857ChurchesEducationPersonalitiesBusinessesGrand EstatesHotels and TavernsEntertainment
Painting of Colonel William Chisholm (1788-1842) OHS #263 Details
The story of Oakville started in 1827 with the purchase by Colonel William Chisholm (1788-1842) of 960 acres of land at the mouth of the Sixteen Mile Creek. Formerly, the property had been part of the Mississauga Indian lands which contained the last stand of primeval forest on the shores of Lake Ontario. Chisholm recognized that the property had the necessary resources needed to build a successful business in the pioneer economy:
Water Wood Wheat
William Chisholm's Business Plan for the Village of Oakville was multifaceted:
- Build a harbour by dredging the bottom of the mouth of the creek
- Harvest the white oak and pine for commercial purposes
- Harness the water power of the Sixteen by gristmill (grain) and sawmill (lumber)
- Build roads to enable farmers to bring grain to the gristmill
- Build ships in which lumber and grain could be transported to buyers
- Harness water power for use in manufacturing (Chisholm died before accomplishing this task)
- Lay out the townsite after the trees were cleared
- Attract new capital and skilled workers through the success of business
1835 Palmer Plan of Oakville OHS #56 Details
The Palmer Plan of Oakville was released in 1835 and includes information about how the layout of the Village of Oakville looked in that timeperiod. This document was created for promotional purposes.
