George and William Chaffey, immigrants from Canada, founded a model colony in Southern California in 1882. They named their settlement Ontario, from an Iroquois term meaning beautiful water, not only to pay homage to their home province but to also draw other Canadians to their colony. Utilizing forward-thinking irrigation practices, the brothers laid out plots of land ready for colonists who wanted to farm or raise citrus groves. After just four years, the brothers left for Australia to develop more settlements and passed their model colony on to Charles Frankish and his partners of the Ontario Land and Improvement Company. From its earliest days, the colony became known for its citrus groves, Armstrong roses, Graber olives, Guasti grapes, and the Hotpoint iron. This book, which includes nearly 200 images, focuses on the colonys early development.

A compilation of official documents which list and provide some information about people in the 1780s who settled in Ontario, Canada. The area was known as the western part of the Montreal district of the colony of Quebec or Canada and became Upper Canada after 1791.

As John Steckley writes in his Foreword, this unique text provides "something that has been missing from the literature for too long"—the first comprehensive overview of the histories, cultures, and socio-economic conditions of the First Nations of Ontario, the province/territory with the highest Indigenous population in Canada. Situated within the larger context of Canadian Indigenous issues, anthropologist Edward J. Hedican provides an accessible introduction to the complex and diverse histories of the First Nations of Ontario from early prehistoric times to contemporary day. Each chapter incorporates the voices and perspectives of Indigenous peoples on topics such as treaties, the archaeology of early Ontario, neo-colonial trends, restorative justice, and the present challenges facing Indigenous communities. With an annotated list of online resources, a glossary of important terms, and an extensive appendix providing information on every First Nation in Ontario, this text is an invaluable resource both for students in Indigenous Studies and Anthropology as well as for anyone interested in the rich culture and heritage of the First Nations of Ontario.

Elora: The Early History of Elora and Vicinity provides little-known details about the settlement and development of the Elora area in southern Ontario from the earliest settler in 1817. Then, as now, people were drawn to the Elora Gorge and the rocky banks of the Grand River. The book is a compilation of material that appeared weekly in The Elora Express between 1906 and 1909 with some additional material from the 1920s. Connon traces the settlers as they arrive and reports on the development of the town as they acquired a grist mill, a store, a bridge, and inevitably a railway. Rich with genealogical information, this is an important historical document. Introduction by Gerald Noonan.

Terry Boyle unveils the eccentric and bizarre in these mini-histories of Ontario’s towns and cities: the imposter who ran the Rockwood Asylum in Kingston; Ian Fleming’s inspiration for James Bond; the Prince of Wales’s undignified crossing of Rice Lake; the tragic life of Joseph Brant; the man who advertised his wife’s death before poisoning her; as well as Ontario’s first bullfight and the answer to the question, "Why did so many lumberjacks sport beards?" The colourful characters, Native legends, and incredible tales that make up our province’s fascinating past come alive in Hidden Ontario. From Bancroft, Baldoon, and Brighton to Timmins, Toronto, and Trenton, find out more about the Ontario you thought you knew.

For the first time, train buffs and history lovers will have a book that explores the heritage of Ontario’s railways, from its oldest stations to its highest bridges, glamorous hotels (and some not-so-glamorous ones), scenic and historic train rides, rail trails, and sagging old ghost towns.

A collection of 69 Ontario stories of haunted houses, ghosts, poltergeists, apparitions, and other eerie experiences.