In 1810, the first settlers of present day St. Thomas were Daniel Rapelje and David Mandeville of the Long Point area. Rapelje and Mandeville settled near the intersection of Talbot Road and Kettle Creek. The early settlement faced many set backs and endured slow growth.

St. Thomas’ early beginnings were as an agricultural village, as were most villages of this era. Over the years, farm families were able to produce more than they needed for their own consumption. This excess was available for sale or trade and marked the beginning of business in the area. Much of the history of St. Thomas can be traced by looking at the name and date blocks on the facades of the buildings along Talbot Street, which can serve as a visible historical trip through St. Thomas’ evolution.

St. Thomas’ business and mercantile beginnings developed predominantly at the west end of Talbot Street, as this area was closer to the early settlement at the base of the hill. The ‘downtown’ developed with two distinct ends, and an empty centre area. In 1852, St. Thomas was incorporated as a village with David Parish as the first reeve. In 1856 the London and Port Stanley Railway commenced operations through St. Thomas, just one of many railways eventually operating through the city. Throughout the following years St. Thomas would continue to grow and in 1861 was incorporated as a town with the first mayor being M.T. Moore. Ten years after the incorporation as a town, the developing village of Millersburg, which included these lands east of the London and Port Stanley Railway, amalgamated with St. Thomas. In 1872 the Canada Southern Railway and the Great Western Railway located in St. Thomas. The Canada Southern, including its station, roundhouse and shops used the entire area between Ross Street and First Avenue southerly of Talbot Street to Wellington Street, to accommodate its needs. The Great Western occupied a great portion of the northerly section of the town.

The addition of these railways proved to be the boom that St. Thomas needed for economic growth, and truly made St. Thomas the “Railway Capital of Canada”. For 75 years the railways were the chief employers in St. Thomas. With their decline after the Second World War, St. Thomas quite smoothly began to develop an industrial base resulting in the extensive are in the northeast section that employs the majority of our populace today.

Many of the factors in our early beginnings still stand as a testament to our rich heritage today.

This is just a brief history of the beginnings of St. Thomas. For more information please visit the St. Thomas Public Library and these great books about our great City!

“St. Thomas: Down the Street to Yesterday” by Diana Player and The St. Thomas Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee. Published in 2000.

“St. Thomas: 100 Years a City 1881-1981” by Wayne Paddon, George Thorman, Don Cosens and Brian Sim of The St. Thomas Centennial Committee published in 1981.