Goderich, Ontario

Goderich (/ˈɡɒdrɪtʃ, ˈɡɒdərɪtʃ/ GOD-rich or GOD-ə-rich) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario and is the county seat of Huron County. The town was founded by John Galt and William "Tiger" Dunlop of the Canada Company in 1827. First laid out in 1828, the town is named after Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich, who was prime minister of the United Kingdom at the time. It was incorporated as a town in 1850.

As of the Canada 2021 Census, the population is 7,881 in a land area of 8.54 square kilometres.

Located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron at the mouth of the Maitland River, Goderich faces the lake to the west and is notable for its sunsets. Some claim that Queen Elizabeth II once commented that Goderich was "the prettiest town in Canada" although no reigning monarch has ever visited Goderich. The town indicates that tourism is among its important industries. It has been named one of Ontario's best small towns by Comfort Life, a website for retirement living in Canada.

The town participates yearly in the Communities in Bloom competition; and has won awards in many categories. In 2012, Goderich was a National Finalist in the competition, and was also part of the Circle of excellence.

According to the historic plaques erected by the Province, the Canada Company acquired the vast amount of land called the Huron Tract in 1826 and in 1827, under Superintendent John Galt, established its base in what would become Goderich. Development was under way by 1829. In 1850, with a population of about 1,000, the community was incorporated as a town. In addition to Galt, another important individual was Dr. William "Tiger" Dunlop who was Warden of the Forests for the Canada Company, and helped develop the Huron Tract and later, to found Goderich. Also noteworthy, Thomas Mercer Jones administered much of the million acre Tract and built a richly furnished mansion, Park House, in Goderich in about 1839.

Town records indicate that the Huron Tract had been acquired by the government from the Chippewa First Nation and that the location of the community was based on coastal surveys completed in 1824 by Captain Bayfield. A log cabin was erected, at the top of the hill overlooking the harbour in 1827; this building, the home of Dr. William "Tiger" Dunlop, was later referred to as "The Castle".

An 1846 Gazette indicated that a harbour was operating, but the docks were not in a good state of repair. A light house was being erected. Roads were available to Wilmot Township, Ontario and to the town of London, Ontario. Shipbuilding was already underway. A fishing company had started but did not succeed and closed down. There were five churches in Goderich, four Protestant and one Roman Catholic. By 1869 the population was 4,500; a railway station and steamship docks were in operation. Wheat was the primary crop shipped from this area.

Research by the University of Waterloo indicates that the Canada Company built piers to protect ships in the harbour between 1830 and 1850 and in 1872 the first modern harbour was created. The railway arrived in June 1858 and a grain elevator was erected in 1859. Harbour Hill was graded in 1850. Fishing became an important part of the community, and the pier was lined with fish shanties. A modern rail station was built near the harbour and the building still stands today. Goderich became a very busy rail shipping location by the 1940s and had a roadhouse and turntable until the 1960s. Salt mining, which eventually became a major industry, was started in 1866 when Samuel Platt began opening salt mines beside his flour mill on the Maitland River. The harbour at Goderich was also the home of large flour mills starting in the 1870s.