Cobourg, Ontario

Cobourg (2001 population 17,172) is a town on Lake Ontario some 75 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in and the seat of Northumberland County, Ontario; nearest neighbour is Port Hope, 7 km to the west.

Related Topics:
2001 - Town - Lake Ontario - Toronto - Northumberland County, Ontario - Port Hope

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The town was founded by United Empire Loyalists in 1798. Some of the founding fathers and early settlers were Eluid Nickerson, Joseph Ash and Asa Burnham. The Town was originally called Amherst but was renamed Cobourg in 1918, in recognition of the marriage of Princess Charlotte to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg.

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United Empire Loyalists - 1798 - 1918

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By the 1830s Cobourg had become a regional centre much due to its fine harbour on Lake Ontario. In 1935 the Upper Canada Academy was established in Cobourg by Egerton Ryerson and the Wesleyan Conference of Bishops. In 1841 its name was changed to Victoria College. In 1842 Victoria College was granted powers to confer degrees. Victoria College remained in Cobourg until 1892, when it was moved to Toronto and federated with the University of Toronto.

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1935 - 1841 - 1842 - 1892

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In the late 19th century and early 20th century wealthy Americans built enormous summer homes there, many of which still stand today.

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19th century - 20th century

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Cobourg retains its small-town atmosphere, inpart due to the downtown

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and surrounding residential area's status as a Heritage Conservation District. The downtown is a well-preserved example of a traditional small-town main street. Standing at the heart of the downtown is Victoria Hall, a beautiful old building that serves as the town hall, as well as home of the Art Gallery of Northumberland, the Cobourg Concert Hall, and an Old Bailey-style courtroom. Victoria Hall was designed by architect Kivas Tully.

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Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, the town invested heavily in purchasing property along the waterfront and beautifying the area. The harbour and large sandy beach are now connected by a boardwalk and pathways that stretch through Victoria Park and into the downtown. Many community activities developed in conjunction with the revitalization of the waterfront lands. One of the major events that grew out of Cobourg's focus on the lake front was the Waterfront Festival.

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1980s - 1990s

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The Cobourg Waterfront Festival is an annual arts and crafts event occurring on Canada Day. It began in 1987 as a part of the town's sesquicentennial celebrations, and was conceived by the Art Gallery of Northumberland's former Director/Curator Peter Tulumello and former Concert Hall Manager Mark Finnan.

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Famous Cobourg natives include:

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• Marie Dressler, silent film actress
• Paul Kane, American frontier artist
• William Weller, transportation and communications pioneer
• James Crossen, railway car builder
• James Renwick Riddel, early Canadian history writer and Ontario Supreme Court judge
• Justin Williams, NHL hockey player

Food processing is the largest industry in Cobourg, and is home to operations of companies like Kraft, and Weetabix.

Related Topics:
Food processing - Kraft - Weetabix

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Cobourg, Ontario: Demographics ►