Maryhill, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Maryhill is a small Canadian
hamlet in Ontario
near Guelph
. Its main feature is the gothic St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church built in the late 1870s, which is visible from miles around. At its side is a cemetery with dozens of old stones, an iron gate, and a stone wall. Across the street is St. Boniface Catholic School and an original homestead, both from the same era. A newspaper writer from Kitchener once wrote that if residents in Ontario can't afford to go to Europe, they should go to Maryhill.
The name "Maryhill" is derived from a statue of "Mary" Magdalene at the base of St. Boniface Church, which is on a small "hill"—Maryhill. Maryhill was renamed after World War II
because its former name, "New Germany," was no longer politically acceptable. At the base of the same hill are two former hotels built in the mid-19th century. One is white, was a former stage coach stop, and is now a bed and breakfast
.It is called the Maryhill Inn. It was built in 1853. The other is red and is named the Commercial Tavern. The Commercial was once the site of many up and coming rock acts but was in the late 1990s converted into a country music bar. It has an ornate copper ceiling and a storied past.
The name Maryhill was conceived by Dolores Bauman, during a school contest to rename the village in 1941. Dolores was a direct descendent of one of the founding settlers, Matthias Fehrenbach.
The land in this area was originally settled by Matthias Fehrenbach, who immigrated to Canada from Germany in the early 19th century and who purchased the land from the Mennonite Land Tract Company, not with money but through labor. Matthias owned land stretching from Maryhill to the little hamlet of what is now called Bloomingdale. Many other families soon followed and started to clear the land and settle the area. Census records from the 1820s indicate how much land had been cleared and how much livestock had been accumulated from one year to the next.
This little village is still home to many of the direct descendents of the original settlers.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
hamlet in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
near Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
. Its main feature is the gothic St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church built in the late 1870s, which is visible from miles around. At its side is a cemetery with dozens of old stones, an iron gate, and a stone wall. Across the street is St. Boniface Catholic School and an original homestead, both from the same era. A newspaper writer from Kitchener once wrote that if residents in Ontario can't afford to go to Europe, they should go to Maryhill.
The name "Maryhill" is derived from a statue of "Mary" Magdalene at the base of St. Boniface Church, which is on a small "hill"—Maryhill. Maryhill was renamed after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
because its former name, "New Germany," was no longer politically acceptable. At the base of the same hill are two former hotels built in the mid-19th century. One is white, was a former stage coach stop, and is now a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
.It is called the Maryhill Inn. It was built in 1853. The other is red and is named the Commercial Tavern. The Commercial was once the site of many up and coming rock acts but was in the late 1990s converted into a country music bar. It has an ornate copper ceiling and a storied past.
External links
- Maryhill at Geographical Names of Canada
The name Maryhill was conceived by Dolores Bauman, during a school contest to rename the village in 1941. Dolores was a direct descendent of one of the founding settlers, Matthias Fehrenbach.
The land in this area was originally settled by Matthias Fehrenbach, who immigrated to Canada from Germany in the early 19th century and who purchased the land from the Mennonite Land Tract Company, not with money but through labor. Matthias owned land stretching from Maryhill to the little hamlet of what is now called Bloomingdale. Many other families soon followed and started to clear the land and settle the area. Census records from the 1820s indicate how much land had been cleared and how much livestock had been accumulated from one year to the next.
This little village is still home to many of the direct descendents of the original settlers.