Stratford, Ontario

Stratford (2001 population 29,676) is a city on the Avon River in Perth County, in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Both the city and the river were named when it was first settled in 1832 after Stratford-upon-Avon, England, of Shakespearean fame. It is the seat of Perth County.

Time Line

• 1828 - Settlement begins.
• 1832 - Thomas Mercer Jones, an agent of the Canada Company, names the village "Stratford" and renames the portion of the Thames River running through it "The Avon River."
• 1849 - The Perth County News is Stratford's first weekly newspaper.
• 1853 - Perth County is created, with Stratford as its county seat.
• 1854 - Stratford is incorporated as a village.
• 1859 - Stratford is incorporated as a town.
• 1885 - Stratford is incorporated as a city with a population of 9000.
• 1918 - A gift from a Michigan CNR employee, swans come to live in Stratford.
• 1933 - The army is called in to end a general strike.
• 1936 - The Shakespearean Gardens are created.
• 1953 - The Stratford Shakespearean Festival Theatre is opened by a Stratford journalist, Tom Patterson.
• 1957 - The Festival moves into its first permanent structure.
• 1964 - The CNR shops close.
• 1997 - Nations in Bloom crowns Stratford the "Prettiest City in the World."
• 2001 - The Stratford Festival of Canada celebrated its 50th season welcoming 672,924 patrons to 18 plays.This was a record number of playgoers during the 50 seasons. The Avon Theatre realized a complete renewal and The Studio Theatre, a fourth theatre space seating 250 people was added.