The Founding of Owen Sound

Photos by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted October, 2011

Plaque Location

The County of Grey
The City of Owen Sound
On the north side of 8th Street East just west of 2nd Avenue East
beside the farmers' market

Coordinates: N 44 33.837 W 80 56.577

Plaque Text

In November, 1840, a townplot in Sydenham Township was surveyed as the terminus of the Garafraxa-Owen's Sound Road. John Telfer, government agent, completed his house by November 21 and a shelter for settlers by the following spring. Four private buildings were finished by July 1842. "Sydenham" by 1846 contained a sawmill and grist-mill and about 150 people. A post office opened in 1847 was named "Owen's Sound" after the settlement along the Garafraxa Road from Arthur north. "Sydenham" grew as land and water communication improved and in 1852 became the seat of Grey County. The community of "Sydenham" was incorporated as the Town of Owen Sound in 1857 with a population of almost 2000.

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More
Settlements

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