Sleeman: The Toast of the Town

written by: Kelly Waterhouse from visit guelph Where else will you find a place where the first mayor was also one of Canada’s most successful brewers, and had the vigor to protest prohibition (and even find some careful ways around it). George Sleeman was the brew master of choice for Al Capone and his pals, […]

Long Gone Street Names Of Guelph

From the Guelph Public Library Historically Guelph/Guelph Then & Now Blog. “Fleet, Manchester, Devonshire…what do these names have in common? They’re the former names of Yorkshire, Glasgow and Dublin Streets, south of Waterloo Avenue. But Waterloo wasn’t Waterloo, it was called Market Street back in the days when an electric street railway ran down its […]

Norwich Street Bridge: The Last Iron And Steel Bridge In Guelph

A bridge has spanned the Speed River at this location as early as 1860 and was known first as “the Wellington Foundry Bridge” and later “the Inglis-Hunter Bridge” because of its close proximity to one of the very early industries in Guelph, established circa 1860, on the easterly bank of the river. From HistoricBridges.org : […]

History lives at the Guelph Sports Hall Of Fame

The Guelph Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1992 with sponsorship from the City of Guelph and the Kiwanis Club of Guelph. It is a non-profit organization. The Hall recognizes and honours the achievements of Guelph individuals and teams who have attained prominence and distinction in any field of sport and those who have made a major […]

A Look At Guelph’s Mustang Drive In Theatre

Ah, the drive-in movie. There is something about hearing the ‘Beach Boys’ playing from the speakers inside a vintage ’50’s era snack bar. There is no mistaking that feeling of a different era, especially at the Mustang Drive-In in Guelph. The Mustang’s owners have been promoting that feeling of retro at the 1959 built drive-in on a hill […]

The Mayors ‘Chain Of Office’

The Chain of Office was commissioned by the City to mark Canada’s 100th Birthday in 1967. It is worn by the mayor at council meetings and formal functions. The chain includes 17 shields with subjects of local significance to Guelph such as a tree stump to represent the founding of Guelph by John Galt and a Horse […]

The Crown of Guelph’s St. George’s Square

There once was a crown hanging over the centre of Guelph. 11/17/1960 The rising of the decorative crown in St. George’s Square in November of 1960. A truck with a tall ladder is on the left side of the photo, with a man at the top of the ladder. The crown is made of wire […]