If you want to know why St Thomas Ontario, aka "Railroad capital of Canada", is my favourite place to live, then just check out
St Thomas
- a city with a population of around 33,200 which was first settled in 1810. The town soon grew and was designated as a city in 1881.
Do you want to know what climate is like here in St Thomas, Ontario? Check out the Weather Network and see what the
weather
is like here. This area enjoys long, hot summers and crisp cold winters, we also have the most breath-taking Autumn colours during September and October.
If you have never experienced a Canadian Fall, it is something that you should see - this area has millions of Maple trees and they are magnificent when the colours change in the Autumn.
This town was named for Sir Thomas Talbot who helped promote the settlement and development of this area in the 19th century. He built a grist mill and went into business and named the town after himself!
St Thomas Ontario has some magnificent Victorian architecture - take a look at the Elgin County Courthouse on Wellington Street and City Hall on Talbot Street.
In the Courthouse area there are other fine examples of Victorian homes which were built in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Take a drive around the area of Roseberry Place, Gladstone Street, Wellington Street - these turn-of-the-century homes remind me of the affluent days of the Victorian era.
The Old English Church
in St Thomas Ontario is on Walnut Street and is the oldest Church in the area.
Surrounded by the graveyard, it sits in the older section of town, undisturbed by the modernization going on around it.
One of my favourite things to do during the Christmas season, is to attend the annual Carol Service here at the Old English Church.
As we often have snow then and the Church is lit only by oil lamps, the Christmas Carol Service is beautiful and has the old-fashioned feel of a real Canadian Christmas!
If you are interested in the Paranormal then you might like to check this out - some people claim to have experienced
spooky goings-on
at the Church and grave yard - check it out and decide for yourself!
If you are considering emigrating to Ontario and are considering this area in which to relocate, or if you are already living in Canada and you are planning to move to St Thomas Ontario, check out our
Real Estate
section for some general information.
Currently the house prices in the St Thomas Ontario area are stable and are fairly low, compared to other towns and cities in the area.
The principal claim-to-fame of St Thomas Ontario is that it was where the famous elephant, Jumbo, met his death in 1885, when he was hit and killed by a train.
The plaque which commemorates this event is just north of the railway tracks on Woodworth Avenue - turn north at the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and and you will find the plaque on your left hand side.
There is a life-size statue of Jumbo at the entrance of town on the west end of the main street, Talbot Street, which was erected in 1985 on the 100th anniversary of Jumbo's death.
The statue is visible from the road as you enter town from the west and is opposite the Elgin County Military Museum.
Until recently this was also the home of the Elgin County Pioneer Museum and was originally the home of Dr. Elijah Duncombe.
The Museum with its Pioneer artifacts, including many of the doctors’ medical instruments and equipment, are on display in the Central Elgin Municipal Building opposite the Psychiatric Hospital on Highway 4, on the south side of St Thomas.
The nickname of St Thomas Ontario is the "Railway Capital of Canada" and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries several railways ran through the city and a total of 26 different railway companies have, at various times, passed through here.
In the 1950's and 1960's the railroads started to decline and the automotive industry began it's rise in this community.
The Elgin County Railway Museum
is housed in the historic Michigan Central Railroad Shop and is accessed from Wellington Street.
Two large railroad shows are held at the Museum each year, Railway Nostalgia Weekend is the first weekend in May and Railway Heritage Weekend is held on the fourth weekend in August. Each year the public support for the Museum grows, and the annual shows draw visitors in their thousands to St Thomas Ontario, from across Canada, the USA and Europe.
The Elgin County Railway Museum is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings all year round. From May to September they are also open every Sunday from 10am until 4pm.
NEWS FLASH "Thomas the Tank Engine" is coming to St Thomas in July 2008 - check the Elgin County Railway Museum website for more details or click the poster below.
The Event was a great success and we hope that the organizers will invite Thomas back on another occasion!
St Thomas Ontario has two lovely municipal parks,
Pinafore Park
on Elm Street is in the south west section of town.
This park has a lovely lake, walking trails, a band-shell where summer concerts are held, and a new "Splash Pad" in the children's playground area.
One of my family's favourite pastimes in the summer is to take our lawn-chairs to Pinafore Park on Sunday afternoons and enjoy the free "Music in the Park" concerts, which are held each weekend during July and August, so if you are in the area, bring a picnic and your sun-screen and join us for an afternoon of entertainment.
Waterworks Park is on the north side of St Thomas at the far west end of South Edgeware Road. There are 100 acres of lawns, gardens, woodland and river.
The Kettle Creek runs through the park and it is a popular fishing spot - just make sure you have a Fishing License before you start!
There is a large area of open space near the playground where children can safely play and there is also an area of small islands, connected by bridges that meander over a water-lily filled stream. This park is a popular spot for newly-weds to have their formal wedding pictures taken.
At the edge of the reservoir, there is a memorial forest being planted.
There are at present 50 - 100 trees of various species, which have been planted in memory of a deceased loved one - what a wonderful way to remember the life of a friend or family member.
In spring you will see families of Canadian Geese swimming in the lake, don’t let your small children get too close to them as the geese are very protective of their little goslings.
If amateur Theatre is your "thing", check out the
Elgin Theatre Guild
who perform in the Princess Avenue Playhouse, 40 Princess Avenue, which is not far from the downtown area. Princess Ave is south off Talbot Street and is not difficult to find.
When you are driving around this area in the winter time, you may notice that there are Snowmobile Trails crossing our roads and highways.
These trails are maintained in and around St Thomas Ontario, by the volunteers of the Elgin Trail Riders Snowmobile Club, which grooms 100 km of snowmobile trails in this area.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with this great organization, call Casey at 519-633-5547.
Young people between the ages of 12 and 16 are required to take a Training Course, which is available locally, before they are allowed to ride the trails. Call Barb at 519-633-5547 for information about these courses, or complete an
On-Line Registration form
here.
If you enjoy Southern Ontario's beautiful countryside from your car, you'll love the view from a plane.
Sight-seeing flights for up to three people start at $90. The
Flight Centre
is at the St Thomas Ontario Municipal Airport on highway 3, half-way between St Thomas and Aylmer.
Call and ask for Chuck or Sue and they will be happy to answer your questions or book your sight-seeing tour.
Opposite the Airport on Highway 3 you will find
Meadow Lane Winery
which is a small winery, owned by the Myszko family. This 45 acre winery is tucked into the surrounding fields and you can take the wine tour to learn how their delicious wines are made.
St Thomas Ontario has some interesting art in the downtown area,
Wall Murals
that depict the history of the city of St Thomas, especially the city's links to agriculture and the Railroads.
These murals were sponsored by the City of St Thomas Ontario, the 2000 Millennium Committee, the Downtown Development Board, and On Track.
My favourite is "When I’m Big” which was painted by Dan and Peter Sawatzky and shows two small boys looking in wonder at a passing locomotive.
It is at the intersection of Talbot Street and Flora Street.
If you are looking for a great place for a meal, then there are a couple of restaurants that we love!
The Beanery
is at 625 Talbot Street and is an amazing place - their food is fabulous, BUT make sure you leave room for dessert! Their selection of gateaux is mouth-watering and the cakes are so rich and yummy that we can never resist - who would want to!
When our family has one of their big-get-togethers we often meet at one of St Thomas's newer restaurants, the
Kings Buffet
is our favourite Oriental restaurant. Located in the Wal-Mart shopping area, you will see it behind the Libro Credit Union on Talbot Street. There is an amazing selection of both Oriental and Canadian food and the prices are good.
BARB'S TIP: If you check the Kings Buffet website you will notice that lunch is cheaper than dinner, mid-week is cheaper than week-ends - so plan to go at lunch time during the week (take this advice from someone English, married to someone Dutch - we know a bargain when we see one!)
St Thomas Ontario Links
St Thomas - Elgin Website
Information about the city of St Thomas Ontario, and the surrounding area of Elgin County
Check the weather in Elgin County
Check out the weather in St Thomas Ontario - yes, we do get cold winters, but check out those summer temps ..... wow it gets hot here!
Elgin County Railway Museum
For the Railroad enthusiast in your family, lots to see and read about here in St Thomas Ontario
Pinafore Park, St Thomas
This pretty park is lovely in both summer and winter. In summer the flowers are magnificent and in winter you can see the Fantasy of Lights during the Christmas season
Elgin Theatre Guild - Princess Avenue Playhouse
Check out this season's theatrical performances by the Elgin Theatre Guild, there is sure to be something fun going on at the Princess Avenue Playhouse!
Meadow Lane Winery, St Thomas
Come on in and sample some of their delicious fruit wines. Located on Highway 3 on the east side of St Thomas Ontario
Quai du Vin Winery
Located south of the city of St Thomas Ontario- Follow Highway 3 east towards Aylmer and turn south (right) just past the St Thomas Municipal Airport, follow the road over John Wise Line and turn right along Fruit Ridge Line where you will find the winery on your left
St Thomas Ontario has some magnificent Victorian architecture - take a look at the Elgin County Courthouse on Wellington Street and City Hall on Talbot Street.
There is a life-size statue of Jumbo at the entrance of town on the west end of the main street, Talbot Street, which was erected in 1985 on the 100th anniversary of Jumbo's death.
St Thomas Ontario has two lovely municipal parks,
At the edge of the reservoir, there is a memorial forest being planted.
If amateur Theatre is your "thing", check out the
When you are driving around this area in the winter time, you may notice that there are Snowmobile Trails crossing our roads and highways.
These murals were sponsored by the City of St Thomas Ontario, the 2000 Millennium Committee, the Downtown Development Board, and On Track.
