Memories of Galt, Hespeler, Preston & Cambridge Ontario
When was the last time you took a walking tour around Queen’s Square in downtown Cambridge and soaked up the history? In my 40 years living in Cambridge – the last 13 of those years in West Galt – I am now convinced that the square at the west end of the Main Street bridge … Read more
A two-day shutdown of a major Cambridge intersection will likely cause traffic slowdowns in historic Downtown Galt September 22-23, 2026. Road repairs at Main Street and Water Street North are planned from 4 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22 until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23. The work will also close the Main Street bridge across … Read more
Explore the site of a lost village, a historic county jail, and a factory converted into a gleaming event hall, as part of Waterloo Region’s annual Doors Open on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Admission is free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to 27 buildings and locations across the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo, … Read more
One of Canada’s greatest early soccer teams was founded in the former town of Galt and went on to win a gold medal at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, U.S.A. A plaque commemorating the Galt Football Club’s win at the 1904 Olympics was unveiled on Thursday, July 16, 2026, by the Ontario Heritage Trust. … Read more
When I saw this aerial photo in a stack of random images from the Cambridge Reporter collection at the Cambridge archives, I did a double take. No information was on the reverse of the black and white photo, but I knew exactly where the photo was taken and roughly when. It shows the neighbourhood around … Read more
This year, Cambridge, Ontario, residents remembered the last big Grand River flood on May 17, 1974, with a 50th anniversary event at Cambridge Firehall Museum and Education Centre. It caused millions of dollars of damage in downtown Galt 50 years ago, but it isn’t the only flood anniversary this year. October 15 and 16, 2024, … Read more
After going missing in early June, 2024, the historic plaque in Victoria Park in Cambridge is back where it should be. Cambridge Today reports that the historic bronze plaque was found nearby, and reinstalled by city crews this week. It’s located along Blenheim Road, opposite Mount View Cemetery. Other plaques that went missing simultaneously still … Read more
The last big flood of the Grand River through Cambridge happened May 17, 1974, leaving behind $6.7 million in damages. That’s $42.5 million in 2024 dollar value, according to the Bank of Canada inflation calculator. Nobody died, but several people were rescued from the surging waters by firefighters, police and bystanders. One man was pulled from … Read more
One of my favorite pine trees was brought down overnight in Cambridge Ontario in Mount View Cemetery. Winds of upwards of 80 kilometers an hour blew through my West Galt neighborhood and took down this grand old pine tree in Mount View Cemetery The cemetery opened in 1869 and is home to dozens and dozens … Read more
What do you remember about the Cambridge Reporter? The newspaper closed Sept. 19, 2023, after 157 years of serving Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Blair, which were amalgamated into the City of Cambridge in 1973. At the time, it was believed to be the oldest newspaper operating in Canada, but I’m still trying to confirm that … Read more