ST.THOMAS Ontario CANADA "Court House" in 1906
Reprint on Pro Glossy Paper
ST.THOMAS ( Ontario CANADA )was named after the Honorable Thomas Talbot, the first settler
and founder of the settlement. Talbot street, the main thoroughfare from
river to river (Detroit and Buffalo), is also named after him and thus his pioneer
record is retained forever. There are few sections of Ontario more interesting
than the Lake shore counties of which the city of St. Thomas is the centre.
As early as 1810 there is record of settlement when a few families took
up land and erected their homes on the crest of the western hill near Pleasant
street. Among them were the Rapeljes, Mandevilles, Drakes and Curtis', names still familiar.
During the war of 1812 the hamlet was occupied by Gen. MacArthur and a force of American
soldiers numbering 1000 men, who made foraging raids upon the live stock and crops of the
settlers.
The first business was established by James Hamilton, who in 1817 opened a general store
at the foot of the hill on the London road, which was then the main artery of travel to Port
Stanley, the only outlet for shipment of grain and produce to the larger markets.
In 1821 Daniel Rapelje donated the land for the erection of that quaint little church
known as St. Thomas Episcopal Church, said to be the oldest church edifice between the Grand
and Detroit Rivers. It was built in 1824 and is still well preserved. A visit to the well-filled
graveyard will recall more "early history and reminiscences" than volumes of reading. Its
register of baptisms, marriages and burials contains some illustrious names.
In 1824 the village was of considerable importance but it grew slowly and all the building
was west of where the old town hall now stands; the population in 1837 was 700 and there were
three churches and three taverns.
The Township of Yarmouth erected the old Town Hall in 1850-51 , which did good service for
a half century; a year later (1852) St. Thomas became incorporated with a population of 1300.
About the same time a portion of the county of Middlesex was set apart as a new county and
the growing town was made the county seat. The court house was built in 1853, and out of
compliment to the Earl of Elgin (Governor-General 1847-1854) the new county was named Elgin.
The first railway was built in 1856, the London and Port Stanley, but little did anyone
think that St. Thomas was destined to become a railway centre; in 1870 the agitation in favor of the
Canada Southern Railway reached its climax and the road was built from Buffalo to Detroit
with divisional headquarters at St. Thomas. This road, together with the Michigan Central
has fallen into the hands of the New York Central and become part of its main line from New
York to Chicago ; large shops have been built employing hundreds of men and vast sums of
money spent in general improvements.
The Great Western, fearing the competition of the Canada Southern, built a loop line
from Glencoe to Canfield, making St. Thomas its divisional point—this has since passed into the
hands of the Wabash system, while the Lake Erie and Detroit River road of more recent construction
(1900-1) has become part of the Pere Marquette, so that the city enjoys the advantages
of three great trunk lines railway of under American control, beside our own greater systems of the
Canadian Pacific, Grand Trunk and future Grand Trunk Pacific. No other city in the province
boasts of finer railway facilities and offers equal inducements to manufacturers.
From 1870 to 1879 the population increased from 1800 to 8000; up to the present time the
growth has been steady and substantial, and today the number is 14000. The city owns its waterworks,
gas and electric light plants, the electric street railway, fine parks, and is among the
first to practically test the advantages of municipal ownership.
The public schools are magnificent structures. Alma College provides higher education
for young ladies. The city hall, library, and churches are all in keeping writh the progressive
character of the city.
The first radial electric roads from London to St. Thomas, and from St. Thomas to Port
Stanley, will be opened for traffic contemporaneously with the issue of this booklet (June 1906).
 The
original artwork from this bygone era is beginning to
deteriorate…such is the nature of these things. Thus, the originals
are too delicate to be framed and displayed on a wall. Fortunately, we
have the solution! We reproduce the very rarest of crate labels. The
original versions of these rare labels can cost anywhere from $100 to
$10,000! Collectors understand the value and pay that price. But we
want everyone to enjoy these brilliant pieces of history, collector or
casual buyer. We sells Crate Label Art Print reproductions for $14.99,
providing everybody with an opportunity to bring this vintage artwork
into their home. Even seasoned collectors will buy reproductions from
us, storing their original fruit or vegetable crate label in a book
with acid-free paper and hanging up the reproduction on a wall for
display. The ink used on our prints will never fade or run making it
perfect for this.