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117-505: The Oshawa Historical Society, which manages the Oshawa Museum, was founded in 1957. It was founded to fulfill the interests of Oshawa citizens in preserving the history of the city and surrounding region. With support from the City of Oshawa and the provincial government in the form of financing, the organization began under the name of "The Oshawa and District Historical Society". The society

234-467: A humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfb ) with vast, but not extreme, seasonal temperature differences. Summers are generally warm, while winters are cold, but not extreme by Canadian standards. Oshawa receives one of the lowest yearly snowfall totals in all of Ontario. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Oshawa had a population of 175,383 living in 66,634 of its 69,324 total private dwellings,

351-487: A "colonization road" (a north–south road to facilitate settlement) known as Simcoe Street was constructed. It more or less followed the path of an old native trail known as the Nonquon Road, and ran from the harbour to the area of Lake Scugog. This intersected the " Kingston Road " (present-day King Street) at what would become Oshawa's "Four Corners." In 1836, Edward Skae relocated his general store approximately 800 m east to

468-622: A Conservative seat Jim Flaherty followed Starr (after over 40 years) into the Cabinet of Canada as Minister of Finance . In 2014, Jennifer French of the Ontario New Democratic Party was elected as Member of Provincial Parliament in the provincial riding of Oshawa with over 40% of the vote. The council of the City of Oshawa has eleven members – one mayor, five regional and city councillors and five city councillors. The current term of council began on 15 November 2022. The mayor

585-420: A Piano Box buggy (circa 1900) among other artefacts. Each artifact in the timber-framed building has a tie to Oshawa's industrial history. The museum occasionally showcases local culture and history with temporary rotating exhibits on a wide array of topics. Exhibitions change two to three times through the year, enabling the organization to showcase Oshawa's diverse history. Three types of tours are given at

702-481: A change of 10% from its 2016 population of 159,458 . With a land area of 145.72 km (56.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,203.6/km (3,117.2/sq mi) in 2021. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Oshawa CMA had a population of 415,311 living in 149,047 of its 153,565 total private dwellings, a change of 9.3% from its 2016 population of 379,848 . With

819-644: A confederacy of five nations in the St. Lawrence River Valley, especially in Southern Ontario, including the north shore of Lake Ontario . Their original homeland extended to Georgian Bay of Lake Huron and Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada and occupied territory around the western part of the lake. The Wyandotte Nation (the U.S. Tribe) descends from remnants of the Tionontati (or Tobacco/Petun) people, who did not belong to

936-856: A decorated Wendat-Huron soldier of World War II whose name in French was Jean-Baptiste Lainé. All four Lainé brothers, from the Huron-Wendat Reserve in Wendake, Quebec, fought through and survived the WWII. Each of the sites had been surrounded by a defensive wooden palisade , as was typical of regional cultures. Four Wendat ancestral village sites have been excavated in Whitchurch-Stouffville . The large Mantle site had more than 70 multifamily longhouses . Based on radiocarbon dating, it has been determined to have been occupied from 1587 to 1623. Its population

1053-586: A division of the Attignawantan. The largest Wendat settlement and capital of the confederacy, at least during the time of Jean de Brébeuf and the Jesuits was located at Ossossane . When Gabriel Sagard was among them however, Quienonascaran was the principal village of the Attignawantan, when Samuel de Champlain and Father Joseph Le Caron were among the Hurons in 1615, a village called Carhagouha may have been

1170-596: A game with the French to ensure that they would ally with the Huron-Wendat against Haudenosaunee-Iroquois aggression. Later, and directly before his death at 52, he led the 1701 final Indian congress between many of the different Indigenous nations, creating the Great Peace of Montreal , a peace treaty between New France and 39 First Nations of North America that ended the Beaver Wars . On September 5, 1760, just prior to

1287-573: A gun from French traders in Canada. Therefore, they were unprepared, on March 16, 1649, when a Haudenosaunee war party of about 1,000 entered Wendake and burned the Huron mission villages of St. Ignace and St. Louis in present-day Simcoe County , Ontario, killing about 300 people. The Iroquois also killed many of the Jesuit missionaries, who have since been honored as North American Martyrs . The surviving Jesuits burned

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1404-498: A land area of 903.25 km (348.75 sq mi), it had a population density of 459.8/km (1,190.9/sq mi) in 2021. Religious profile 2021: According to the 2021 Census English was the mother tongue of 79.5% of the residents of Oshawa. 1.7% of the population had French as their mother tongue. Other common mother tongues were Urdu (1.5%), Chinese Languages (1.3%), Tamil (1.2%), Tagalog (1.0%), Spanish (1.0%), Polish (0.8%), and Italian (0.7%). In 2006, 8.1% of

1521-575: A mostly white demographic, and a largely blue collar identity. The city has been attracting film and television producers who have made parts of a number of movies and TV series in Oshawa, most recently It (based on the Stephen King book), but also Billy Madison , Chicago , and X-Men . The most popular location in the city for film makers is Parkwood Estate . The dominant presence of General Motors (and its autoworkers) meant that Oshawa

1638-644: A population of about 1,000 in a community surrounded by farms. There were three churches, a post office, tradesmen of various types and some industry: a foundry, a grist mill and a fulling mill, a brewery, two distilleries, a machine shop and four cabinet makers. The newly established village became an industrial centre, and implement works, tanneries, asheries and wagon factories opened (and often closed shortly after, as economic "panics" occurred regularly). In 1878, Robert Samuel McLaughlin Sr. moved his carriage works to Oshawa from Enniskillen to take advantage of its harbour and of

1755-500: A significant disadvantage when firearms were available to them, and when available, their possession of firearms made them a larger target for Iroquois aggression. After 1634 their numbers were drastically reduced by epidemics of new infectious diseases carried by Europeans, among whom these were endemic. The weakened Wendat were dispersed by the war in 1649 waged by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, then based largely south of

1872-522: A single nation, but a confederacy of several nations who had mutually intelligible languages. These self-governing nations included: The Attinniaoenten and Hatingeennonniahak first allied in the 15th century. Arendaenronnon joined them about 1590, and the Atahontaenrat join around 1610. The fifth group, the Ataronchronon may not have attained full membership in the confederacy, and may have been

1989-630: A streetcar line, but c. 1910 a second "freight line" was built slightly to the east of Simcoe Street. This electric line provided streetcar and freight service, connected central Oshawa with the Grand Trunk (now Canadian National) Railway, and with the Canadian Northern (which ran through the very north of Oshawa) and the Canadian Pacific, built in 1912–13. The Oshawa Railway was acquired by the Grand Trunk operation around 1910, and streetcar service

2106-419: A tobacco pouch behind the back, a pipe in the hand; around their necks and arms bead necklaces and bracelets of porcelain; they also suspend these from their ears, and around their locks of hair. They grease their hair and faces; they also streak their faces with black and red paint. The total population of the Huron at the time of European contact has been estimated at 20,000 to 40,000 people. From 1634 to 1640,

2223-615: A wood-shingled roof. It was the first iteration of the museum, known at the time as the Henry House Museum, but currently it is used to represent the day-to-day life of the Henry family. Robinson House was constructed in 1856 for the Robinson family. The Robinsons (John and Ruth), immigrated to Canada in 1833, and moved to the Oshawa area in 1840. It was passed down in the family until 1965 when it

2340-863: Is a city in Ontario , Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario , approximately 60 km (37 mi) east of Downtown Toronto . It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe . It is the largest municipality in the Regional Municipality of Durham . The name Oshawa originates from the Ojibwa term aazhawe , meaning "the crossing place" or just "a cross". Founded in 1876 as

2457-483: Is a simple frame farmhouse. It was constructed by an early settler named Samuel Phillips and sold to James Odgers Guy, its most prominent resident, in 1861. Henry House was constructed by Thomas Henry (a harbourmaster , farmer and minister) in c. 1840, on a lot purchased in 1815 by his father. The house was built in the style of a Regency cottage, and it is typical of a Victorian era home as several architectural elements include limestone from Kingston, Ontario and

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2574-399: Is compared to the near-universal use of European iron tools by Iroquois groups in the area. Huron trade routes were consistently pillaged by raiders, and the lack of firearms discouraged the Hurons' trade with the French, at least without French protection. As a result of their lack of exposure, the Huron did not have as much experience using firearms compared to their neighbors, putting them at

2691-679: Is elected at large by electors throughout the city, heads the council of the City of Oshawa and is also a representative of the city on the council of the Regional Municipality of Durham. There are five wards in the City of Oshawa. Each of the five wards are represented by one regional and city councillor and one city councillor. There are four standing committees of council: The city comprises following communities or neighbourhoods: Oshawa has parks, walking trails, conservation areas, indoors and outdoor public swimming pools, community centres, and sports facilities. Lakeview Park stretches along

2808-422: Is home to a Regional Innovation Centre and offers start-up facilities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Co-working offices are also located in the downtown. Historians believe that the area that would become Oshawa began as a transfer point for the fur trade . Beaver and other animals trapped for their pelts by local natives were traded with the coureurs des bois (voyagers). Furs were loaded onto canoes by

2925-740: Is home to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League . In 2015, the Oshawa Generals won the Ontario Hockey League Championship, and ended their season winning the 2015 Memorial Cup . Famous alumni of this team include Bobby Orr , Alex Delvecchio , Wayne Cashman , Tony Tanti , Dave Andreychuk , Marc Savard , Eric Lindros , and John Tavares . The team moved from the Oshawa Civic Auditorium into

3042-474: Is located in the city. Once recognized as the sole "Automotive Capital of Canada", Oshawa is now considered to be an education and health sciences hub, although General Motors still plays a significant role in the city's economy. After having been closed for about 2 years, the Oshawa car assembly plant reopened on 10 November 2021, when the first Canadian-made Chevy Silverado was completed. GM invested C$ 1.3bn into plant retooling. Prior to reopening, GM said that

3159-480: Is now held by Oshawa. While the company's once essential role in the local economy has diminished, it remains the largest local employer. In November 2018, General Motors announced the closing of the plant, with the layoff of both salaried and hourly workers. On 20 December 2018 the last car was assembled at the Oshawa plant. On 4 November 2020, GM announced "Subject to ratification of the 2020 agreement with Unifor, General Motors plans to bring pickup production back to

3276-549: Is the current coach and general manager of the Saskatchewan Rush . He was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2012. Oshawa was home to Windfields Farm , a thoroughbred horse breeding operation and birthplace of one of Canada's most famous racehorses, Northern Dancer . Wyandot people The Wyandot people (also Wyandotte , Wendat , Waⁿdát , or Huron ) are an Indigenous peoples of

3393-730: Is to molest, or interrupt them in returning to their Settlement at LORETTE; and they are received upon the same terms with the Canadians, being allowed the free Exercise of their Religion, their Customs, and Liberty of trading with the English: – recommending it to the Officers commanding the Posts, to treat them kindly. Given under my hand at Longueuil, this 5th day of September 1760. By the Genl's Command, JA. MURRAY. JOHN CONAN, Adjut. Genl. The treaty recognized

3510-529: The Missouri Republican reported that the judges of the election were three elders who were trusted by their peers. The Wyandot offered some of the floating sections of land for sale on the same day at $ 800. A section was composed of 640 acres (2.6 km ). Altogether 20,480 acres (82.9 km ) were sold for $ 25,600. They were located in Kansas, Nebraska, and unspecified sites. Surveys were not required, with

3627-533: The Mississauga Natives at the Oshawa harbour and transported to the trading posts located to the west at the mouth of the Credit River . Around 1760, the French constructed a trading post near the harbour. This location was abandoned after a few years, but its ruins provided shelter for the first residents of what later became Oshawa. Most notably, one of the fur traders was Moody Farewell, an early resident of

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3744-664: The Oshawa area. The exhibit contains for viewing: a study (where Thomas Henry tended to his duties as a harbourmaster, minister and farmer), a parlour for entertaining guests, a dining hall, a kitchen and the master bedroom. The Drive Shed was designed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Oshawa Historical Society and it opened in 2009. The Drive Shed complements the exhibit in Henry House by displaying period carriages, buggies and other large artifacts. The collection includes two McLaughlin cutters (circa 1900) and

3861-512: The Tionontati or Tobacco to become the Wyandot. Afterward, they occupied territory extending into what is now the United States, especially Michigan, and northern Ohio. In the 1830s, they were forced west to Indian Territory (Kansas and finally northeastern Oklahoma) due to U.S. federal removal policies. They are related to other Iroquoian peoples in the region, such as their powerful competitors,

3978-480: The United Auto Workers (Local 222). The then-Liberal government of Mitchell Hepburn , which had been elected on a platform of being the working man's friend, sided with the corporation and brought in armed university students to break up any union agitation. These much-derided "Hepburn's Hussars" and "Sons of Bitches" were never needed as the union refused to be drawn into violent acts. The union and workers had

4095-468: The precontact Wendat occupied the large area from the north shores of most of the present-day Lake Ontario , northward up to the southeastern shores of Georgian Bay . From this homeland, they encountered the French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1615. They historically spoke the Wyandot language , a Northern Iroquoian language. They were believed to number more than 30,000 at the time of European contact in

4212-515: The "Flathead" Catawba got them in trouble with their former ally the Odawa . In August 1782, the Wyandot joined forces with Simon Girty , a British soldier. On August 15 through 19, 1782, they unsuccessfully besieged Bryan Station in Kentucky (near present-day Lexington). They drew the Kentucky militia to Lower Blue Licks , where the Wyandot defeated the militia led by Daniel Boone . The Wyandot gained

4329-660: The 1610s to 1620s. In 1975 and 1978, archaeologists excavated a large 15th-century Huron village, now called the Draper site , in Pickering, Ontario near Lake Ontario . In 2003 a larger village was discovered five kilometres (3.1 mi) away in Whitchurch-Stouffville ; it is known as the Mantle Site and was occupied from the late 16th to early 17th century. It has been renamed the Jean-Baptiste Lainé Site, named in honor of

4446-569: The 1840s, most of the surviving Wyandot people were displaced to Kansas Indigenous territory through the US federal policy of forced Indian removal . Using the funds they received for their lands in Ohio, the Wyandot purchased 23,000 acres (93 km ) of land for $ 46,080 in what is now Wyandotte County, Kansas from the Lenape. The Lenape had been grateful for the hospitality which the Wyandot had given them in Ohio, as

4563-530: The 2004 federal election the riding of Oshawa (not coterminous with the City of Oshawa, but containing most of it) was the country's most competitive. The candidate of the new Conservative Party of Canada , Colin Carrie , edged out his NDP rival Sid Ryan by several hundred votes; it was an atypical and ideologically stark race that left Louise Parkes of the Liberals in third place. In 2006, Whitby-Oshawa also became

4680-680: The Algonquin words ka-ron ("straight coast") or tu-ron ("crooked coast"). In the late 17th century, elements of the Huron Confederacy and the Petun joined and became known as the Wyandot, a variation of Wendat. Early theories placed the Wendat's origin in the St. Lawrence Valley . Some historians or anthropologists proposed the people were located near the present-day site of Montreal and former sites of

4797-588: The Delaware in 1843. Also, the government granted 32 "floating sections", located on public lands west of the Mississippi River. In June 1853, Big Turtle , a Wyandot chief, wrote to the Ohio State Journal regarding the current condition of his tribe. The Wyandot had received nearly $ 127,000 for their lands in 1845. Big Turtle noted that, in the spring of 1850, the tribal chiefs retroceded the granted land to

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4914-595: The Five Nations of the Iroquois who occupied territory mostly on the south side of Lake Ontario but also had hunting grounds along the St. Lawrence River . They are also related to the neighboring Erie , Neutral Nation, Wenro , Susquehannock , and Tionontate — all speaking varieties of Iroquoian languages , but traditional enemies of the Five Nations of the Iroquois. At various points in history these other nations have also engaged in trade and warfare with one another. In

5031-519: The French arrived, the Huron had already been in conflict with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (Five Nations) to the south. Once the European powers became involved in trading, the conflict among natives intensified significantly as they struggled to control the lucrative fur trade and satisfy European demand. The French allied with the Huron because they were the most advanced trading nation at

5148-626: The Great Lakes in New York and Pennsylvania. Archaeological evidence of this displacement has been uncovered at the Rock Island II Site in Wisconsin. By May 1, 1649, the Huron had burned 15 of their villages to prevent their stores from being taken and fled as refugees to surrounding areas. About 10,000 fled to Gahoendoe (now also called Christian Island). Most who fled to the island starved over

5265-650: The Huron (Wendat) as a distinct nation and guaranteed that the British would not interfere with the nation's internal affairs. In 1990, the Supreme Court of Canada, ruling in R v Sioui , found that the Huron-British Treaty of 1760 was still valid and binding on the Canadian Crown . Accordingly, the exercise of Wendat religion, customs, and trade benefit from continuing Canadian constitutional protection throughout

5382-571: The Huron were devastated by Eurasian infectious diseases, such as measles and smallpox, which were endemic among the Europeans. The Indigenous peoples of North America had no acquired immunity to these diseases and suffered very high mortality rates. Epidemiological studies have shown that beginning in 1634, more European children emigrated with their families to the New World from cities in France, Britain, and

5499-406: The Huron, either from the French huron ("ruffian", "rustic"), or from hure ("boar's head"). According to tradition, French sailors thought that the bristly hairstyle of Wendat warriors resembled that of a boar . French fur traders and explorers referred to them as the " bon Iroquois " (good Iroquois). An alternate etymology from Russell Errett in 1885 is that the name is from

5616-414: The Iroquoian term Irri-ronon ("Cat Nation"), a name also applied to the Erie nation. The French pronounced the name as Hirri-ronon , and it gradually became known as Hirr-on , and finally spelled in its present form, Huron . William Martin Beauchamp concurred in 1907 that Huron was at least related to the Iroquoian root ronon ("nation"). Other etymological possibilities are derived from

5733-400: The Lenape had been forced to move west under pressure from Anglo-European colonists. The Wyandot acquired a more-or-less square parcel north and west of the junction of the Kansas River and the Missouri River . A United States government treaty granted the Wyandot Nation a small portion of fertile land located in an acute angle of the Missouri River and Kansas River, which they purchased from

5850-414: The MacLeod Site (1968–1972) and the Grandview Site (1992), which uncovered the history of the ancestral Wendat who lived in the area during the 15th century, from 1400 to 1470 CE. In both cases, pottery shards, evidence of settlement and migration, as well as cultivation techniques were discovered, and artefacts from these excavations are displayed. The exhibit shows the traditional carrying route, discusses

5967-413: The McLaughlin Carriage Company by Robert McLaughlin, and then McLaughlin Motors Ltd by his son, Sam, General Motors of Canada's headquarters are located in the city. The automotive industry was the inspiration for Oshawa's previous mottos: "The City that Motovates Canada", and "The City in Motion". The lavish home of the automotive company's founder, Parkwood Estate , is a National Historic Site of Canada

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6084-564: The McLaughlin name, using Buick engines and other mechanical parts. 1908 Buick was merged into General Motors Holding shortly after, and in 1915 the firm acquired the manufacturing rights to the Chevrolet brand. Within three years, the McLaughlin Motor Car Company and the Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada owned the General Motors Holding in 1916 he in 1918 merged his Chevrolet and Buick, creating General Motors of Canada in 1918 with McLaughlin as President. The factory expanded rapidly, eventually covering several blocks. The growing usage of

6201-505: The Netherlands, which had endemic smallpox. Historians believe the disease spread from the children to the Huron and other nations, often through contact with traders. So many Huron died that they abandoned many of their villages and agricultural areas. About half to two-thirds of the population died in the epidemics, decreasing the population to about 12,000. Such losses had a high social cost, devastating families and clans, and disrupting their society's structure and traditions. Before

6318-450: The Northeastern Woodlands of the present-day United States and Canada . Their Wyandot language belongs to the Iroquoian language family . In Canada, the Huron-Wendat Nation has two First Nations reserves at Wendake, Quebec . In the United States, the Wyandotte Nation is a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Wyandotte, Oklahoma . There are also organizations that self-identify as Wyandot. The Wendat emerged as

6435-428: The Oshawa Assembly Plant. Construction will begin immediately at Oshawa Assembly and will include a new body shop and flexible assembly module, to support a fast response to strong customer demand for GM's new family of pickup trucks. Oshawa pickup production started on 10 November 2021 when the first Canadian-made Silverado was completed. The revenue collection divisions of the Ontario Ministry of Finance occupy one of

6552-404: The Oshawa Peony Festival, Kars on King, and Oshawa Fiesta Week, which is hosted by the Oshawa Folk Arts Council and has been celebrated for more than 45 years. At the center of Oshawa is the Oshawa Centre shopping mall, the largest mall in the Durham region as well as in Ontario east of Toronto . The executive offices there include the Ministry of Long Term Health Care for Ontario. Oshawa

6669-414: The Power announced a move from Oshawa to Mississauga , a western suburb of Toronto. The Power played home games at the General Motors Centre. Oshawa was home of the Oshawa Green Gaels , one of the most storied teams in the sport. A player of note in the 1920s was Nels Stewart , who became a Hall of Famer in the National Hockey League . Former Oshawa Green Gaels captain and Oshawa native, Derek Keenan ,

6786-436: The Wendat (Huron) Confederacy. However, the Wyandotte have connections to the Wendat-Huron through their lineage from the Attignawantan, the founding nation of the Confederacy. After their defeat in 1649 during prolonged warfare with the Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee , the surviving members of the confederacy dispersed; some took residence at Quebec with the Jesuits and others were adopted by neighboring nations, such as

6903-421: The Wolves. Considering that they formed the nucleus of the nation later known as the Wyandot, they too may have called themselves Wendat. There were ongoing hostilities between the Iroquoian Wendat and the Haudenosaunee , another Iroquoian confederacy, but the Wendat had good relations with the Algonquin . Tuberculosis became endemic among the Huron, aggravated by their close and smoky living conditions in

7020-468: The Wyandot joined three other tribes – the Odawa, Potawatomi , and Ojibwe people – in signing the Treaty of Detroit , which resulted in a major land cession to the United States. This agreement between the tribes and the Michigan Territory (represented by William Hull ) ceded to the United States a part of their territory in today's [outheastern Michigan and a section of Ohio near the Maumee River . The tribes were allowed to keep small pockets of land in

7137-418: The archives in Guy House. Less than two percent of the entire collection was burned. In 2005, the Museum received Leader of the Opposition (now Prime Minister) Stephen Harper as part of discussions relating to Oshawa's harbour area In 2016, the Museum changed its name and is known as the 'Oshawa Museum.' The Oshawa Museum occupies three buildings (Guy House, Henry House, and Robinson House), all dating back to

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7254-418: The area; their reply was "Oshawa," which translates to "where we must leave our canoes". Thus, the name of Oshawa, one of the primary "motor cities" of Canada, has the meaning "where we have to get out and walk". The name "Oshawa" was adopted and the post office named accordingly. In 1849, the requirements for incorporation were eased, and Oshawa was incorporated as a village in 1850. The 1846 Gazeteer indicates

7371-447: The automobile in the 1920s generated rapid expansion of Oshawa, which grew in population from 4,000 to 16,000 during this decade, and of its land area. In 1924, Oshawa annexed the area to its south, including the harbour and the community of Cedardale. This growth allowed Oshawa to seek incorporation as a city, which took place on 8 March 1924. With the wealth he gained in his business venture, between 1915 and 1917, McLaughlin built one of

7488-413: The availability of a rail link not too far away. He constructed a two-story building on Simcoe Street, just north of the King's Highway. This building was heavily remodelled in 1929, receiving a new facade and being extended to the north using land where the city's "gaol" (jail, firehall and townhall) had once stood. The village became a town in 1879, in what was then called East Whitby Township. Around 1890,

7605-421: The backing of the local population, other unions and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party and, on 23 April, two weeks after the strike started, the company gave in to most of the workers' demands, although it pointedly did not recognize the union. In 1950, the city annexed a portion of East Whitby Township west of Park Road. Some of this area had been developed during the 1920s boom period, although it

7722-438: The best manufacturing jobs available in Canada and attracted thousands of workers from economically depressed areas of the country, particularly the Maritimes , Newfoundland , rural Quebec and northern Ontario. The city was also a magnet for European immigrants in the skilled trades, and boasts substantial Polish , Ukrainian , Hungarian , Croatian , German , Slovak and Russian ethnic communities. Oshawa has become one of

7839-401: The capital. Modern-day Elmvale , Ontario developed near that site. The Wendat called their traditional territory Wendake . Closely related to the people of the Huron Confederacay were the Tionontate, an Iroquoian-speaking group whom the French called the Petun (Tobacco), for their cultivation of that crop. They lived further south and were divided into two moitiés or groups: the Deer and

7956-501: The capitulation of Montreal to British forces, Brigadier-General James Murray signed a "Treaty of Peace and Friendship" with a Wendat chief then residing in the settlement of Lorette . The text of the treaty reads as follows: THESE are to certify that the CHIEF of the HURON tribe of Indians, having come to me in the name of His Nation, to submit to His BRITANNICK MAJESTY, and make Peace, has been received under my Protection, with his whole Tribe; and henceforth no English Officer or party

8073-415: The carriage works relocated from its Simcoe Street address to an unused furniture factory a couple of blocks to the northeast, and this remained its site until the building burned down in 1899. Offered assistance by the town, McLaughlin chose to stay in Oshawa, building a new factory across Mary Street from the old site. Rail service had been provided in 1890 by the Oshawa Railway; this was originally set up as

8190-440: The city consists of industrial zones and compact housing designed for early 20th century industrial workers, while the northern half has a suburban feel more typical of later decades. High wages paid to unionized GM employees have meant that these workers could enjoy a relatively high standard of living, although such jobs are much scarcer today than they once were. During its heyday after World War II , General Motors offered some of

8307-578: The coast of Lake Ontario, complete with a sandy beach, and is the location of the Oshawa Museum . Also, the McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve and Second Marsh Wildlife Area offer protected marshland areas with interpretive trails and viewing platforms. Oshawa's parks and trail system encompasses almost 410 hectares (1,000 acres) of parkland and more than 27 kilometres (17 mi) of paved trails. Oshawa has more than 130 parks, more than 110 playgrounds, nine splash pads, eight ice pads and three skateboard parks. Oshawa hosts many annual festivals and events including

8424-488: The community who was to some extent responsible for its name change. In the late 18th century a local resident, Roger Conant, started an export business shipping salmon to the United States. His success attracted further migration into the region. A large number of the founding immigrants were United Empire Loyalists , who left the United States to continue to live under British rule. Later, Irish and then French Canadian immigration increased as did industrialization. Oshawa and

8541-433: The construction of a mall. The opening of what later became Highway 401 , then known as Highway 2A, shortly after World War II sparked increased residential growth in Oshawa and the other lakeshore municipalities of Ontario County, which led to the creation of the Regional Municipality of Durham in 1974. Oshawa was amalgamated with the remaining portions of East Whitby Township and took on its present boundaries, which included

8658-453: The dilapidated family home, Robinson House (c. 1856), was restored in 1969 through fund-raising drives. As many cottages along the lakefront were being demolished, in 1980, it was suggested that Guy House (a farmhouse, dating to c. 1845), could be restored as it possessed historic character. In 1985, Guy House was opened, completing the three components of the museum. In 1988, the society was renamed "The Oshawa Historical Society". The 1990s saw

8775-494: The early 17th century, this Iroquoian people called themselves the Wendat, an autonym which means "Dwellers of the Peninsula" or "Islanders". The Wendat historic territory was bordered on three sides by the waters of Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe . Similarly, in other Iroquois languages, such as Cayuga , refer to this nation as Ohwehnagehó:nǫˀ "Island dwellers". Early French explorers referred to these Indigenous Peoples as

8892-542: The early 17th century. Some Huron decided to go and meet the Europeans. Atironta , the principal headman of the Arendarhonon nation, went to Quebec and allied with the French in 1609. The Jesuit Relations of 1639 describes the Huron: They are robust, and all are much taller than the French. Their only covering is a beaver skin, which they wear upon their shoulders in the form of a mantle; shoes and leggings in winter,

9009-424: The early- to mid-19th century. The local history of Oshawa is interpreted through the restored buildings All three museum buildings stand on their original foundations. Exhibits, events and administrative functions all form a part of the building use at the museum. Guy House is the centre of administrative functions. Unlike Henry House and Robinson House, Guy House was not constructed in a Colonial style, instead it

9126-579: The end of the 1990s, the city's changing economy and demographics led many voters to the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and the Canadian Alliance , a conservative party at the federal level. Conservative candidates have won recent provincial and federal elections, whereas from 1968 to 1993 the city was a safe NDP seat in both the federal and provincial legislatures. The city's shifting social and political dynamics were seen in

9243-487: The fastest-growing cities in Canada, although statements to this effect are often in reference to the Census Metropolitan Area, which includes neighbouring Whitby and Clarington . Oshawa achieved a record-setting year of growth in 2015 with over a half a billion dollars in construction value (breaking its previous record in 2014). Many commuters have been enticed to Oshawa by comparatively low housing prices and

9360-467: The government. They invested $ 100,000 of the proceeds in 5% government stock. After removal to Kansas, the Wyandot had founded good libraries along with two thriving Sabbath schools . They were in the process of organizing a division of the Sons of Temperance and maintained a sizable temperance society . Big Turtle commented on the agricultural yield, which produced an annual surplus for the market. He said that

9477-570: The high ground and surrounded Boone's forces. Also in late 1782, the Wyandot joined forces with Shawnee , Seneca , and Lenape in an unsuccessful siege of Fort Henry on the Ohio River . During the Northwest Indian War , the Wyandot fought alongside British allies against the United States. Under the leadership of Tarhe , they were signatories to the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. In 1807,

9594-577: The historic St. Lawrence Iroquoian peoples. Wendat is an Iroquoian language. Early 21st-century research in linguistics and archaeology confirm a historical connection between the Wendat and the St. Lawrence Iroquois. But all of the Iroquoian-speaking peoples shared some aspects of their culture, including the Erie people, any or all of the later Haudenosaunee, and the Susquehannock. By the 15th century,

9711-513: The hosting of highly successful traveling exhibits such as the Royal Ontario Museum's Discovery of the Titanic . The museum launched its first website in 1998. Also in 1998, the museum changed its name from the "Oshawa Sydenham Museum and Community Archives" to the "Oshawa Community Museum and Archives". In 2003, a fire caused by an arsonist destroyed much of the office space and a portion of

9828-609: The late 17th century, the Huron (Wendat) Confederacy merged with the Iroquoian-speaking Tionontati nation (known as the Petun in French, also known as the Tobacco people for their chief commodity crop). They may originally have been a splinter colony of the Huron, to their west to form the historical Wendat. The Huron Range spanned the region from downriver of the source of the St. Lawrence River, along with three-quarters of

9945-477: The longhouses. Despite this, the Huron on the whole were healthy. The Jesuits wrote that the Huron effectively employed natural remedies and were "more healthy than we". The earliest written accounts of the Huron were made by the French, who began exploring North America in the 16th century. News of the Europeans reached the Huron, particularly when Samuel de Champlain explored the Saint Lawrence River in

10062-573: The main office buildings in the city's downtown. Oshawa City Hall, Tribute Communities Centre, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery are also in the downtown core. Ontario Tech University occupies five buildings in downtown. More than 1,900 Ontario Tech University students and staff attend class and work in downtown Oshawa. The city's older southern neighbourhoods tend to be considerably less affluent than its more suburban northern sections, which are rapidly expanding as Toronto commuters move in. The southern half of

10179-555: The mission after abandoning it to prevent its capture. The extensive Iroquois attack shocked and frightened the surviving Huron. The Huron were geographically cut off from trade with the Dutch and British by the Iroquois Confederacy, who had access to free trade with all the Europeans in the area especially the Dutch. This forced them to continue to use lithic tools and weapons like clubs, bows and arrows, stone scrapers, and cutters. This

10296-442: The most stately homes in Canada, " Parkwood ". The 55-room residence was initially designed by Toronto architect firm Darling and Pearson as well as John M. Lyle in the late 1930s. McLaughlin lived in the house for 55 years with his wife and they raised five daughters. The house replaced an older mansion, which was about 30 years old when it was demolished; the grounds of the earlier home had been operated as Prospect Park, and this land

10413-454: The museum: Guided tours, self-guided tours, and audio tours . The Museum also offers tours of different locations in the City of Oshawa , such as the popular downtown walking tour, the harbour area, and tours of Oshawa's Union Cemetery. Various events take place at the museum such as Victorian teas, educational programs for children, lectures, photography contests, seasonal events and speakers series. Oshawa Town: 1879 Oshawa

10530-756: The new General Motors Centre in November 2006. In 2016 the city of Oshawa partnered with Tribute Communities for naming rights and the General Motors Centre was renamed the Tribute Communities Centre. The Oshawa Generals' home arena has been destroyed by fire twice in the franchise history. In June 1928, the Bradley Arena was destroyed by fire. Then, 25 years later, in September 1953 the Hambly Arena

10647-410: The northern shore of Lake Ontario, to the territory of the related Neutral people , extending north from both ends to wrap around Georgian Bay. This became their territorial center after their 1649 defeat and dispossession. Kondiaronk gained fame from 1682 through 1701 as a skilled diplomat and brilliant negotiator of the Huron-Wendat, famed for his skilled argumentation. Initially, Kondiaronk played

10764-474: The outlying villages of Columbus, Raglan and Kedron. Much of Oshawa's industry has closed over the years; however, it is still the headquarters of GM Canada and its major manufacturing site. Current industries of note include manufacturing of railway maintenance equipment, mining equipment, steel fabrication, and rubber products. Oshawa is also recognized as an official port of entry for immigration and customs services. Similar to all of southern Ontario, Oshawa has

10881-526: The regular rail service into downtown Toronto provided by GO Transit and Via Rail . The growth of subdivisions to house Toronto commuters will likely accelerate with the Highway 407 East extension. Highway 407 East (407E) opened to Harmony Road in Oshawa on 20 June 2016, including a tolled north–south link to Highway 401 known as Highway 412 . The Highway 407 extension to Highway 35 / Highway 115 in Clarington

10998-438: The residents were visible minorities , 37.4% of whom were Black Canadians . Oshawa is headquarters to General Motors Canada , which has large-scale manufacturing and administrative operations in the city and employs many thousands both directly and indirectly. Since Windsor, Ontario houses Chrysler Canada headquarters, the two cities have something of a friendly rivalry for the title of "Automotive Capital of Canada", which

11115-510: The role Oshawa and the surrounding area had during the Victorian era and the turn of the 20th century. Many exhibits showcased at the museum take place in both the Robinson House and the Henry House. The Oshawa Museum's permanent exhibit focuses on Oshawa's Indigenous history, located on the second floor of Robinson House. It profiles two archaeological excavations that occurred in Oshawa,

11232-700: The site would continue to be used for autonomous vehicle testing and production of vehicle stampings and other sub-assemblies. The city is home to three post-secondary institutions, including Durham College , Trent University Durham , and Ontario Tech University , formerly the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). The Lakeridge Health Oshawa operates the Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (LHEARN) in Oshawa as well. Key labour force sectors include advanced manufacturing, health technology, logistics, energy and IT. In 2016, Oshawa

11349-484: The southeast corner of this intersection; as his store became a popular meeting place (probably because it also served as the Post Office), the corner and the growing settlement that surrounded it were known as Skae's Corners. In 1842, Skae, the postmaster, applied for official post office status, but was informed the community needed a better name. Moody Farewell was requested to ask his native acquaintances what they called

11466-511: The study of archaeology, and highlights the Indigenous community today. This exhibit connects visitors with the past, embraces the present Indigenous community, and builds towards a spirit of reconciliation and partnership. This exhibit explores the life of the Henry family, while being reflective of the Victorian period during the 1870s. Several artifacts in the exhibit belonged to the Henry family, and others belonged to other people who lived in

11583-505: The surrounding Ontario County were also the settling grounds of a disproportionate number of 19th century Cornish immigrants during the Cornish emigration which emptied large tracts of that part of England. As well, the surveys ordered by Governor John Graves Simcoe , and the subsequent land grants, helped populate the area. When Col. Asa Danforth laid out his York-to-Kingston road, it passed through what would later become Oshawa. In 1822,

11700-557: The territory and to benefit from the settlement of Kansas by white settlers. Walker and others promoted Kansas as the route for the proposed transcontinental railroad. Although the federal government did not recognize Walker's election, the political activity prompted the federal government to pass the Kansas–Nebraska Act to organize Kansas and Nebraska territories. An October 1855 article in The New York Times reported that

11817-547: The territory frequented by the tribe during the period the treaty was concluded. In the late 17th century, elements of the Huron Confederacy and the Petun joined and became known as the Wyandot (or Wyandotte), a variation of Wendat. (This name is also related to the French transliteration of the Mohawk term for tobacco.) The western Wyandot re-formed in the area of southern Michigan but migrated to Ohio after their alliance with

11934-493: The territory. The Treaty of Brownstown was signed by Governor Hull on November 7, 1807, and provided the Indigenous nations with a payment of $ 10,000 in goods and money along with an annual payment of $ 2,400 in exchange for an area of land that included the southeastern one-quarter of the lower peninsula of Michigan. In 1819, the Methodist Church established a mission to the Wyandot in Ohio, its first to Native Americans. In

12051-509: The thrift of the Wyandot exceeded that of any tribe north of the Arkansas line. According to his account, the Wyandot nation was "contented and happy", and enjoyed better living conditions in the Indigenous territory than they had in Ohio. By 1855 the number of Wyandot had diminished to 600 or 700 people. On August 14 of that year, the Wyandot Nation elected a chief. The Kansas correspondent of

12168-598: The time. The Haudenosaunee tended to ally with the Dutch and later English, who settled at Albany and in the Mohawk Valley of their New York territory. The introduction of European weapons and the fur trade increased competition and the severity of inter-tribal warfare. While the Haudenosaunee could easily obtain guns in exchange for furs from Dutch traders in New York, the Wendat were required to profess Christianity to obtain

12285-536: The title becoming complete at the time of location. The Wyandot played an important role in Kansas politics. On July 26, 1853, at a meeting at the Wyandot Council house in Kansas City , William Walker (Wyandot) was elected provisional governor of Nebraska Territory , which included Kansas. He was elected by Wyandot, white traders, and outside interests who wished to preempt the federal government's organization of

12402-482: The winter, as it was an unproductive settlement and could not provide for them. After spending the bitter winter of 1649–50 on the island, surviving Huron relocated near Quebec City, where they settled at Wendake . Absorbing other refugees, they became the Huron Confederacy . Some Huron, along with the surviving Petun, whose villages the Iroquois attacked in the fall of 1649, fled to the upper Lake Michigan region, settling first at Green Bay, then at Michilimackinac . In

12519-557: Was a high ranking Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) and Cabinet Member during the Diefenbaker era. Starr served the new Oshawa-Whitby riding for one term, before being narrowly defeated by future federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent in 1968. Broadbent then represented the city in the House of Commons until 1989, and in the 1980s led the NDP to its greatest electoral successes. By

12636-677: Was acquired by the town and became its first municipal park, Alexandra Park. Parkwood today is open to the public as a National Historic Site. Tours are offered. On 8 April 1937, disputes between 4,000 assembly line workers and General Motors management led to the Oshawa Strike, a salient event in the history of Canadian trade unionism . As the weight of the Great Depression slowly began to lift, demand for automobiles again began to grow. The workers sought higher wages, an eight-hour workday, better working conditions and recognition of their union,

12753-540: Was admitted to the Ontario Historical Society in 1959, and officially incorporated in 1965. In 1959, the City of Oshawa granted the use of three settler homes in the Oshawa harbour area to be used as a community museum. The first iteration of the museum came in the form of the Henry House Museum in 1960, where a homestead (Henry House) built circa 1840 was renovated to reflect an 1870s Victorian era theme, complete with historic furniture and artifacts. In 1964,

12870-654: Was also destroyed by fire. Oshawa hosted Ron MacLean and the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour on 26–27 December 2015. In September 2018, the city hosted its first National Hockey League preseason game, when the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders played an exhibition contest. The Oshawa Power of the National Basketball League of Canada began playing in October 2011. In the spring of 2013,

12987-441: Was estimated at 1500–2000 persons. Canadian archaeologist James F. Pendergast states: Indeed, there is now every indication that the late precontact Huron and their immediate antecedents developed in a distinct Huron homeland in southern Ontario along the north shore of Lake Ontario . Subsequently, they moved from there to their historic territory on Georgian Bay , where Champlain encountered them in 1615. The Wendat were not

13104-530: Was not within the boundaries of the city. The opening of the Oshawa Shopping Centre (now the Oshawa Centre ) fewer than two kilometres west of the "four corners" in 1956 struck a blow to Oshawa's downtown from which it has never been able to recover. The shopping centre was built on land which had been an unproductive farm; when its owner gave up on agriculture, this released a very large area of land for

13221-412: Was opened on 9 December 2019, with a second tolled link to Highway 401 known as Highway 418 opened simultaneously. On 5 April 2022, Highways 412 and 418 became toll-free. In spring 2016, Oshawa was ranked No. 1 city for jobs in Canada when compared to 33 cities across the country. The trend suggests major social and demographic changes for Oshawa, which has long had a vigorous labour union presence,

13338-480: Was replaced by buses in 1940. After GM moved its main plants to south Oshawa in 1951, freight traffic fell and most of the tracks were removed in 1963, although a line to the older remaining "north" plant via Ritson Road remained until 2000. Col. R. S. McLaughlin and "Billy" Durant signed a 15-year contract in 1907, under which the McLaughlin Motor Car Company began to manufacture automobiles under

13455-604: Was the sixth best place in Canada to find full-time employment based on data from StatsCan. Downtown Oshawa is identified as an Urban Growth Centre in the Government of Ontario's Places to Grow initiative. More than 5,000 people work and more than 2,400 university students study in the downtown core. The downtown is a prominent centre for entertainment and sporting events (Regent Theatre and Tribute Communities Centre ), food (50+ restaurants and cafes) and culture ( The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Canadian Automotive Museum ). Oshawa

13572-526: Was turned over to the "Oshawa and District Historical Society". Robinson House served as a typical family home in that era. The building was restored and opened to the public in 1969. It was built in a Dutch- colonial style, featuring a two-tiered open veranda ; an architectural style which was not commonly found in Upper Canada , but in New England . Robinson House contains different exhibits which highlight

13689-582: Was well known as a bastion of unionist, left-wing support during the decades following the Second World War . The city played an important role in Canada's labour history, including the 1937 " Oshawa Strike " against General Motors and the considerable financial support provided by the city's autoworkers to the New Democratic Party (NDP) and its predecessors. However, Oshawa was part of the Ontario (County) riding when Michael Starr served. Starr

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