Cambridge (Ontario)

Cambridge is one of the cities that forms a tightly-integrated metro area, along with Kitchener and Waterloo, within the larger Region of Waterloo in Southwestern Ontario.

Understand
Cambridge was created in 1973 by the merger of four municipalities: Galt, Preston, Hespeler, and Blair. The four communities maintain their individual identities to a certain extent.

The former city of Galt covers the largest portion of Cambridge, making up the southern half of the city. The former town of Preston and village of Blair are on the western side of the city, while the former town Hespeler is in the most northeasterly section of Cambridge. There was considerable resistance among the local population to this "shotgun marriage" arranged by the provincial government and a healthy sense of rivalry had always governed relations among the three communities. Each unique centre has its own history that is well documented in the Cambridge City Archives.

As Cambridge has developed and the open spaces between the original municipalities have been filled in, a fourth commercial core, entirely modern in its construction, has emerged. The Macdonald-Cartier Freeway Highway 401 runs through its midst.

History
Galt: In the late 1700s, developers began to buy land around the Grand River from the Six Nations Indians. The land was divided and sold particularly to Scottish settlers. The planned community was named in honour of John Galt of the Canada Company which was developing this entire area. Primarily agricultural in early years, Galt had attracted industry by 1840, and was called "Manchester of Canada" because of the extensive industry, powered by the Grand River. The railway reached Galt in 1879, increasing the opportunities of exporting local goods and importing others.

Preston: Preston was formed on land belonging to the German Company Tract, along the Speed River, which was purchased earlier from the Six Nations Indians. The name Preston is from the hometown of William Scollick, who was surveyor and a native of Preston, Lancashire in England. In the 1800s a group of German-speaking Mennonites from Pennsylvania arrived in the area and purchased land. The population continued to grow primarily because of immigration from Germany. By 1879 there were many industries such as a foundry, carriage manufacturer, potteries and a furniture company. This was also the year that the Cherry Flour Mills started, which would later become the Dover Flour Mills, a Preston company that still operates today.

Hespeler: The area was purchased in 1798 by Mennonites from Pennsylvania from the Six Nations Indians with the assistance of developer Richard Beasley. Settler Jacob Hespeler arrived in 1845 and bought a 145 acres (0.59 km²) tract on the Speed River. He built an industrial complex that was the beginning of Hespeler's future industrialization which would consist primarily of woollen and textile mills. The arrival of the railway in 1859 helped businesses to develop and prosper. Textile production mills were the primary industry in the early 1900s and continued to be successful until the late 1940s, when this industry began to decline.

Blair: The land was purchased from the Six Nations, and was settled in 1800 by Mennonites from Pennsylvania. In 1846, a large flour mill called the Bowman Mill, Blair Mill and also the Carlisle Mill opened. In about 1876, a 15-horsepower hydroelectric system, the Sheave Tower, was built on Bowman Creek to help power the flour mill using a series of shafts and gears. The village's honours Adam Johnston Fergusson-Blair, the first judge of Wellington District and a militia colonel in the area.

By car
Highway 401, Ontario's main east-west highway, runs through Cambridge, and there are five exits in or adjacent to Cambridge:
 * Exit 275 (Fountain Street), west of Blair
 * Exit 278 (Shantz Hill Road), northwest of Preston
 * Exit 282 (Hespeler Road/former Highway 24), south of Hespeler and north of Galt
 * Exit 284 (Franklin Street), south of Hespeler
 * Exit 286 (Townline Road), southeast of Hespeler

If arriving from the southeast (Hamilton and beyond), take Highway 8, which becomes Dundas Street in Cambridge.

If arriving from the south (Brantford), take Highway 24, which becomes Water Street in Cambridge.

By intercity bus
There are three stops serving intercity buses for Cambridge:





By train
Cambridge does not have passenger rail service. Nearby cities served by VIA Rail are Kitchener, Guelph, and Brantford. Kitchener Railway Station, near Downtown Kitchener, is probably the most convenient as it is near the ION light rail line which connects to the ION bus (route 302) to the Ainslie Street Transit Terminal in Cambridge.

Get around
It is also possible to get to many points of interest by walking. Most hotels are near malls and major shopping centers. There are also several reasonably priced car rental services in the city and in Kitchener nearby. Walking is probably most convenient within one of the three communities; it's a bit of a long walk between Galt and Preston and Hespeler.

See
Cambridge is an essentially residential city. There are several areas of interest on Hespeler Road.

Sleep
There are a large number of chain hotels near the 401/Hespeler Road interchange. More unique places to sleep in Cambridge can also be found, however.

Go next

 * Guelph — a small city known for limestone architecture and a range of festivals throughout the year.
 * Hamilton — a city on the edge of the Greater Toronto Area with a reputation for industry, but now a hub for the service sector, health sciences, and the arts.
 * St. Jacobs — home of the famous farmers, flea, and antique markets.
 * Paris — connected to Cambridge by a 19-km rail trail following the Grand River. Makes for a nice bicycle ride. The downtown is squeezed between two rivers and known as one of the most picturesque small towns in Canada.
 * Stratford — the small town draws thousands of theatre-goers between every April and October for the Stratford Festival, one of North America's most prominent theatre festivals.