The Founding of Brussels

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted October, 2004

Plaque Location

The County of Huron
The Municipality of Huron East
In Brussels, on the northwest corner of
Turnberry Road (Road 12) and Orchard Line (Road 16)

Coordinates: N 43 44.663 W 81 14.993

Plaque Text

In 1854 William Ainley purchased 80 ha of land here on the Middle Branch of the Maitland River. The following year he laid out a village plot which he named Ainleyville. A post office named Dingle was opened in 1856. The community flourished and by 1863 contained a sawmill, a grist-mill, blacksmith shops, a woollen mill and several other small industries. In anticipation of the rapid growth that the expected construction of a branch of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway would bring, Ainleyville, with a population of 780, was incorporated as a village and renamed Brussels on December 24, 1872. Within a decade the population had increased to about 1800.

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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted December 4, 2011
Hi Vana, My Great Grandfather was William Ainley of Ontario son of William Ainley of Brussels, Ontario. My grandfather was Frederick Barton Ainley. I may be able to get some photo's for you. I believe my brother Bart Ainley and possibly my cousin Tamara Ainley Bush may have some.
Regards, Lillian Ainley Burchill

Posted March 31, 2009
Hi Does anyone have pictures of my fourth grandfather William Ainley who was founder "Ainleyville" as known as Brussels? Does anyone have more information about him?
Thanks Vana Legare (nee McPhail)

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