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Hagersville, Ontario

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Hagersville, Ontario thespecstoriescomwpcontentuploads201502Hag

Hagersville is a community in Haldimand County, Ontario which gained international notoriety in 1990 for a gigantic uncontrolled tire fire which spewed toxic smoke for seventeen days. The fire itself actually occurred in Townsend, a neighbouring community, but media labelled it as Hagersville due to Townsend's relatively unknown status in the area. The so-called "Hagersville Tire Fire" has nonetheless been reportedly linked to long-term health issues, including some "rare, aggressive cancers," among area firefighters who experienced the event first-hand.

Contents

Map of Hagersville, ON, Canada

Location and airports

  • Hagersville is approximately 45 km southwest of Hamilton, Ontario, and 15 km southwest of Caledonia, Ontario.
  • Hagersville's nearest airports are Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport, CYHM (27 km), formerly Mount Hope Airport, and Toronto Pearson International Airport, YYZ (105 km).

    • Population, area, and council

  • The current population of Hagersville is 2,579 (10 May 2011 census)
  • Hagersville comprises an area of 3.142 km/sq.
  • The current mayor of Hagersville is Ken Hewitt, mayor of Haldimand County.

    • Notable people

  • Hagersville is the birthplace of Canadian drummer, Neil Peart, of the Canadian rock group, Rush.
  • Hagersville is home to the Hagersville Hawks, a junior hockey team that plays in the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League.
  • Hagersville is the birthplace of Becky Kellar, b. 1 January 1975, who is a 3 time Olympian with 2 gold medals and 1 silver in Women's Hockey.
  • Hagersville is the birthplace of Paul Gilbert Humber, on July 13, 1942. Rev. Dr. Charles M. Humber was pastor of the Hagersville Baptist Church at the time. Paul is the author of various publications and resides with his wife and a son in Philadelphia.
  • Hagersville is the birthplace of Jay Silverheels, b. Harold John Smith, who played Tonto in the 1950s television series, The Lone Ranger.

    • History

    Upon the construction of Highway 6, known formerly as the Plank Road, a small village popped up around 1855 when Charles and David Hager bought most of the land in the center of the area. David Almas owned the land on the east side of the road, while John Porter owned the land in the west end.

    The building of the Canada Southern Railroad in 1870, and of the Hamilton and Lake Erie Railway three years later helped to make Hagersville a prosperous village in 1879.

    Close by the rail crossing was The Junction Hotel, later becoming The Lawson Hotel after a change in ownership. Perhaps it was best known as Murph's Place when retired NHL player Ron Murphy took ownership. It was also known as the Hagersville Inn, but today it is known as The Old Lawson House. In 1852, Charles Hager built a frame hotel at the corner of the Plank Road and Indian Line. Hagersville's first post office was in this hotel and Joseph Seymour suggested the community be called Hagersville to honour the Hager brothers.

    During World War II the Royal Canadian Air Force built and operated No. 16 Service Flying Training School as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan at 274 Concession 11 Walpole 3.5 km southwest of Hagersville. No. 16 SFTS opened on 8 August 1941 and closed on 30 March 1945. After the RCAF finished with the site it was used by the Canadian Army for various purposes and was known as Camp Hagersville. The camp was closed in 1964.

    In 2013 the site is an industrial park. Some of the military homes are still there, and the housing area is known as "White Oaks Village". A good view of the site and the old hangars is had from Concession 10 Walpole. The base was located at 42°55′42″N 080°07′33″W .

    References

    Hagersville, Ontario Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA