Birth
of the Auto
 One
hundred and forty one years ago, the first commercial business
opened in Walkers Town. Thanks to the foresight of town founder
Hiram Walker, his Canadian Club became known around the world
and his infrastructure of railroads and shipping docks helped
create an economic boom for the town that became known as
Walkerville.
In
order to ensure the viability of his town, Walker had made
it irresistible to potential business owners.
He
even played a role in the birth of the Canadian auto industry-
as you can learn by following the links in this
section.
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The two towns of Walkerville and
Ford City stood side by side, but they were a complete
study of contrasts, products of their origins in different
historical periods and traditions. |
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In 1928, Maxwell Chrysler bought
70 acres of farm land in Walkerville for the passenger
car assembly plant that went up that year. |
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General Motors has been part of
the Walkerville landscape since 1919. But before this
industrial landmark's time, things were decidedly more
bucolic |
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In 1907 Seagrave assembled its
first motorized fire apparatus in Walkerville, shipping
three engines to Vancouver. |
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Prized by collectors, the Lincoln
Toy factory produced superb steel model toys in Walkerville
during the forties and fifties. |
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The Windsor Public Library has
launched its new website, Windsor on Wheels, a history
of the auto industry in Canada. |
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