Windsor The Southern Gateway of Canada

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Windsor: The Southern Gateway of Canada

Windsor, "The Southern Gateway of Canada" is located on the Detroit River opposite the city of Detroit. It is thus part of the greater Detroit conurbation, as well as a metropolitan area in its own right and the third city in Canada in value of manufactures.

History

Prior to the coming of the white man, Indian villages were located at the narrowest part of the river. In 1701, a French fort was erected at Detroit and French settlement took place along both banks of the river. The settlers remained alter the British took over the fort in 1763, and, when the fort was handed over to the Americans in 1796, many settlers removed to the Canadian side. Sandwich, slightly the older settlement, was the administrative centre. Windsor grew up at "the Ferry" opposite Detroit.

Both were incorporated as towns in 1857. Windsor became the railway terminal and grew rapidly. In 1858, Walkerville was established and it became a town in 1890. Windsor became a city in 1892 with a population of 10,000. Ford City was founded in 1904, became a town in 1915 and was incorporated as the city of East Windsor in 1929. In 1935 the "Border Cities" were amalgamated as the city of Windsor with over 100,000 inhabitants. Due to the concentration of the automobile industry, Windsor ranks as fourth city of Canada in value of manufactures.

Site and Situation

The site of Windsor is one of little relief, save for the declivity which marks the river bank. There are, therefore, no barriers toward growth inland. It is Windsor's situation in an international gateway, on the world's busiest waterway, which is Windsor's chief advantage.The Port of Windsor comprises a five mile frontage on this waterway, greatly facilitating importation of raw materials. Even more important to Windsor, is its position with regard to land traffic. Five great rail systems meet here, the Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, New York Central. Pere Marquette and Wabash. The Essex Terminal Railway connects all lines. A tunnel under the river serves the New York Central and Canadian Pacific, car ferries serve the others. Highway traffic may use either the Ambassador Bridge or the DetroitCanada Tunnel. Across the river, Detroit is the greatest centre of automobile manufacture in the world; Windsor could hardly have escaped becoming its counterpart in Canada. Other American manufacturers find it equally convenient to use Windsor as their Canadian headquarters.

The Urban Pattern

The river front tends to impart a linear pattern to Windsor's development which has not been much affected by the early development of separate towns. Much of the river front is occupied by the railways which arrived early. Just behind the terminals, the commercial core of Windsor arose and has maintained its position. In addition to the downtown area, linear retail development is found westerly along London street and easterly along Wyandotte street. There are scattered smaller areas also such as those on Ottawa street and Sandwich street. Walkerville and East Windsor contain the largest concentrations of factories.

Both Walker and Ford began their plants on the waterfront, east of the area already occupied by the railways. Railway spurs were built and other plants have been attracted to the same vicinity. Other industries are variously scattered along the railways or the river front below the city. Most of Windsor's residential streets are of modest appearance and with more wooden houses than in other large cities. Apartment houses are plentiful. Areas of more expensive houses are to be seen in East Windsor, Walkerville and Sandwich. Outlying portions of the metropolitan area, Riverside and Tecumseh to the east and West Sandwich and La Salle to the southwest are mainly residential.

Geographical Significance

Windsor exists because it occupies a 'crossroads' position on both land and water routes; such a location could not fail to produce a city. The fact that it is also on a political boundary has made it a smaller duplicate of Detroit rather than an integral part of the larger metropolitan area.

The Towns

In addition to the cities, several larger towns are worthy of mention. Preston, site of numerous metal working industries, and Paris, with important textile plants, are located on the Grand River. Simcoe is the Norfolk county seat and chief business centre of the flue-cured tobacco belt. Ingersoll, on the south branch of the Thames River, is an important dairy centre. Leamington, in the warmest part of the province, has large canning plants. Wallaceburg is a growing industrial town, producing glass and metal goods.