Historical Notes
Pegtown: The Early Years
The first permanent settler in the area was Richard Wheatley, who built a home on Lot 218, Talbot Road, near what is now the Kent-Essex Townline in 1832. He was followed by others throughout the 19th century, and many of those early family names -- Derbyshire, Lamarsh, Julien and Ivison -- can still be found in directories and on street signs.
The Shaw family arrived in the early 1840s and built a homestead on the lake; others soon followed them, for Lake Erie was a vital communications link with the rest of Ontario when the Talbot Road was impassable.
The settlement became known as "Pegtown" -- and there are two theories about why. The first involved construction of houses on stilts -- or "pegs" -- due to the low-lying marshland near the lake. The second comes from the fact that travellers' boots quickly wore out as they traversed Talbot Road from Sandwich to St. Thomas, and local cobblers were happy to repair the flopping soles -- with pegs.
Whatever the origin, the name was quickly discarded once others started referring to the hamlet as "Pigtown". Richard Wheatley's son-in-law, William Buchanan, decided to open a post office about 1865, and renamed the growing hamlet in honour of its first settler.
The Shaw family arrived in the early 1840s and built a homestead on the lake; others soon followed them, for Lake Erie was a vital communications link with the rest of Ontario when the Talbot Road was impassable.
The settlement became known as "Pegtown" -- and there are two theories about why. The first involved construction of houses on stilts -- or "pegs" -- due to the low-lying marshland near the lake. The second comes from the fact that travellers' boots quickly wore out as they traversed Talbot Road from Sandwich to St. Thomas, and local cobblers were happy to repair the flopping soles -- with pegs.
Whatever the origin, the name was quickly discarded once others started referring to the hamlet as "Pigtown". Richard Wheatley's son-in-law, William Buchanan, decided to open a post office about 1865, and renamed the growing hamlet in honour of its first settler.
Wheatley Flour Mill
In 2016, this photo of the old flour mill taken in 1899 turned up in a Southern California antique store and was posted online by Alan Radecki, who lives in the Mojave Desert and curates "Lost America Found", which explores history through vintage photos. The history of the mill was supplied by the Wheatley Heritage Society. The original mill, built in the 1880s and torn down in 1941, was on the same site as Bowman Feed and Supply and was much the same configuration. How the photo wound up in such a far-off place and who took it remain a mystery.
In 2016, this photo of the old flour mill taken in 1899 turned up in a Southern California antique store and was posted online by Alan Radecki, who lives in the Mojave Desert and curates "Lost America Found", which explores history through vintage photos. The history of the mill was supplied by the Wheatley Heritage Society. The original mill, built in the 1880s and torn down in 1941, was on the same site as Bowman Feed and Supply and was much the same configuration. How the photo wound up in such a far-off place and who took it remain a mystery.
Wheatley Answers the Call
Remembrance Day at Wheatley's cenotaph
There are 38 names on the Wheatley cenotaph, erected by the General Currie branch of the IODE, commemorating those who were killed in the First and Second World Wars.
But those are by no means all who died on active service in the Canadian Forces and the Merchant Marine. A continuing project by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 324 archivist Bill Siddall has added many more names to the list, and their stories will be on display in binders in the Legion hall as they are researched and completed.
Men and women from the Wheatley area also served in the Korean conflict and in peacetime and peacekeeping roles with the military.
But those are by no means all who died on active service in the Canadian Forces and the Merchant Marine. A continuing project by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 324 archivist Bill Siddall has added many more names to the list, and their stories will be on display in binders in the Legion hall as they are researched and completed.
Men and women from the Wheatley area also served in the Korean conflict and in peacetime and peacekeeping roles with the military.
Legion Mural Project
Wheatley Legion Branch 324 has installed murals on the western facade of its Erie Street North building.
Based on photos of actual people, places and events, the murals, about nine feet by eight feet, were created by Wes Sidall and Cindy Baxter and were dedicated on Remembrance Day, Nov. 11, 2009.
They show Canada's military history over the past century, from the World Wars and Korea through peacekeeping and the current involvement in Afghanistan.
For more information and for photos, click here.
Based on photos of actual people, places and events, the murals, about nine feet by eight feet, were created by Wes Sidall and Cindy Baxter and were dedicated on Remembrance Day, Nov. 11, 2009.
They show Canada's military history over the past century, from the World Wars and Korea through peacekeeping and the current involvement in Afghanistan.
For more information and for photos, click here.
Two Creeks Trailhead Sign
Designed and execuited by Wes Siddall and Cindy Baxter, the new trailhead sign for Two Creeks Conservation Area makes navigating the trails and features of the 85-acre site much easier.
Biking and hiking routes are colour and name co-ordinated and the legend shows where various bridges, buildings, gardens and facilities are located. It also sports paintings of some of the features, such as birds, butterflies, flowers, trees and bridges.
Baxter and Siddall walked all the biking and hiking trails preparing for the work, covering miles with a pedometer to ensure accuracy.
Two Creeks is just north of Wheatley on Kent Rd. 1. For more information on Two Creeks, click here.
Biking and hiking routes are colour and name co-ordinated and the legend shows where various bridges, buildings, gardens and facilities are located. It also sports paintings of some of the features, such as birds, butterflies, flowers, trees and bridges.
Baxter and Siddall walked all the biking and hiking trails preparing for the work, covering miles with a pedometer to ensure accuracy.
Two Creeks is just north of Wheatley on Kent Rd. 1. For more information on Two Creeks, click here.
Peace Garden
Two Creeks Conservation Area's newest innovation is a Peace Garden dedicated to Canadian peacekeepers past, present and future.
The entrance is marked by two giant boulders donated by Erie Sand and Gravel of Leamington and transported and put in place free of charge by Talbot Trail nursery.
In the photo, Larry McDonald, who has championed the Peace Garden, guides the front-end loader to get one of the boulders into its proper place next to the path.
The entrance is marked by two giant boulders donated by Erie Sand and Gravel of Leamington and transported and put in place free of charge by Talbot Trail nursery.
In the photo, Larry McDonald, who has championed the Peace Garden, guides the front-end loader to get one of the boulders into its proper place next to the path.
The Great Bank Robbery
In the evening of Sept. 9, 1943, five bank robbers took Royal Bank branch manager W.P. Forshee and his wife prisoner, holding them overnight until the bank was to open and head teller Jean Tait arrived with a second combination to the vault. The Forshees, Tait, janitor Yates White and tellers Kathleen McLean and Elta McClellan were tied and left in a closet as the robbers escaped with more than $34,000.
But an alert citizen, Mrs. Harold Julien, had taken down the licence plate number of their car after her suspicions were aroused. The five were captured in Windsor within 48 hours. On Dec. 21, 1943, after a lengthy trial in Chatham, Allan Baldwin, Peter Devlin, Vernard Gates, Leo Dubroy and Franklin Smith were convicted and sent to prison for terms ranging from seven years to 15 years. Most of the money was recovered.
But an alert citizen, Mrs. Harold Julien, had taken down the licence plate number of their car after her suspicions were aroused. The five were captured in Windsor within 48 hours. On Dec. 21, 1943, after a lengthy trial in Chatham, Allan Baldwin, Peter Devlin, Vernard Gates, Leo Dubroy and Franklin Smith were convicted and sent to prison for terms ranging from seven years to 15 years. Most of the money was recovered.
The Copasetic
There can be few greater success stories than that of Hike Metal Products. From the iconic "Maid of the Mist" to a ferry for Toronto, the ship and boat-builders and designers at the yard, adjacent to Wheatley Harbour, have done it all.
But their biggest project to date is the Copasetic, a multi-million dollar private research vessel seen here on July 25, 2006, leaving the harbour for her first test cruise.
The ocean-going ship, owned by Steve Sablotsky, a scientist from Florida, is 141 feet long and weighs 200 tonnes. She can carry a crew of 10 as well as 12 passengers and took about two years to build.
For more on Hike Metal Products, see their website here
But their biggest project to date is the Copasetic, a multi-million dollar private research vessel seen here on July 25, 2006, leaving the harbour for her first test cruise.
The ocean-going ship, owned by Steve Sablotsky, a scientist from Florida, is 141 feet long and weighs 200 tonnes. She can carry a crew of 10 as well as 12 passengers and took about two years to build.
For more on Hike Metal Products, see their website here
The Big Dig
A plan to link Lake Erie to Lake St. Clair with a canal from the mouth of Two Creeks 14 miles north would have cut 75 miles from transporting goods through the treacherous Pelee Passage and up the Detroit River, resulting in a saving in time and loss of life.
Several meetings were held, detailed plans were made and an agreement to build the canal was reached in the 1890s, but it never materialized, probably because of the increasing railway boom in the region.
Several meetings were held, detailed plans were made and an agreement to build the canal was reached in the 1890s, but it never materialized, probably because of the increasing railway boom in the region.
Wheatley Harbour
In the early years, fishermen had their own wharves, but as the industry grew, so did the need for better facilities. In 1912, the federal government built a new pier, allowing more and bigger vessels to use the harbour.
Further expansion brought on more improvements, and in 1951, Muddy Creek was dredged and a new harbour and breakwall built.
As fishing boats continued to evolve and get larger, so did the needs of the industry, and another revamping of the port was completed in 1980 with a pleasure boat launching facility added later.
Further expansion brought on more improvements, and in 1951, Muddy Creek was dredged and a new harbour and breakwall built.
As fishing boats continued to evolve and get larger, so did the needs of the industry, and another revamping of the port was completed in 1980 with a pleasure boat launching facility added later.
Incorporation
By 1913, the existing political structure of the village was outdated: Half the town fell under the jurisdiction of Mersea Township and half under Romney Township (although Wheatley was then for mapping purposes located in Essex County).
A petition was put before the provincial parliament Feb. 19, 1914, and in March the province approved Wheatley's incorporation as a village -- as part of Kent County. About 25 local residents were at Queen's Park for the final approval.
The official "birthday" was set as May 1, 1914.
A petition was put before the provincial parliament Feb. 19, 1914, and in March the province approved Wheatley's incorporation as a village -- as part of Kent County. About 25 local residents were at Queen's Park for the final approval.
The official "birthday" was set as May 1, 1914.
Dis-Incorporation
In the mid-1990s, the provincial Conservative government mandated amalgamation of all Kent County municipalities with Chatham as part of a provincewide plan to reduce costs.
Although thought was given to Wheatley moving to Essex County jurisdiction, and despite opposition from some residents, it would become part of the West Kent Riding along with the town of Tilbury, the townships of Romney and Tilbury East and the police village of Merlin.
On Jan. 1, 1998, Wheatley ceased to exist as a self-governing political entity, although a Concerned Citizens Committee acts as an advisory group for West Kent's two councillors.
For more information on the amalgamation, see here.
Although thought was given to Wheatley moving to Essex County jurisdiction, and despite opposition from some residents, it would become part of the West Kent Riding along with the town of Tilbury, the townships of Romney and Tilbury East and the police village of Merlin.
On Jan. 1, 1998, Wheatley ceased to exist as a self-governing political entity, although a Concerned Citizens Committee acts as an advisory group for West Kent's two councillors.
For more information on the amalgamation, see here.
Credits
Some of the information for this page comes from "Wheatley's Story" published by Rita Lobzun in 1982. Her book can be found in the Wheatley library branch, along with its companion volume detailing the history of the fishery. It's also available for sale in downtown stores. Historic postcards courtesy of Linda Pearce.