History of St. Thomas

The history of this area reaches back thousands of years, long before the City of St. Thomas was established. The land is part of the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek, Attiwonderonk (Neutral) and Mississauga peoples.

Today, the area is home to the Munsee-Delaware Nation, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and Oneida Nation of the Thames. Treaty 2 and the McKee Purchase Treaty of 1790 settled the land. The City recognizes its responsibilities to honour Indigenous peoples, the land and water, and the ongoing presence of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Archaeological evidence shows thousands of years of Indigenous presence in the region. The Attiwonderonk, also known as the Neutral, occupied this part of southwestern Ontario before their communities were dispersed in the 17th century. Indigenous peoples continued to live, travel and build communities throughout the region long before European settlement.

European settlement in the area that became St. Thomas began in the early 19th century, as part of the broader Talbot Settlement.

Colonel Thomas Talbot received a large land grant in southwestern Ontario and played an important role in encouraging settlement and improving transportation through the region. Mahlon Burwell surveyed the Talbot Road in 1809, connecting communities along the north shore of Lake Erie.

In 1810, Daniel Rapelje and David Mandeville became some of the first settlers in what is now St. Thomas. Rapelje later donated land for the Old St. Thomas Church and cemetery, which remain important reminders of the community's early history. The city takes its name from Colonel Thomas Talbot.

As settlement grew, St. Thomas developed from a small rural community into an important administrative and commercial centre.

St. Thomas became the seat of the newly created County of Elgin in 1844. The community was incorporated as a village in 1852, a town in 1861, and a city in 1881.

The arrival of the railway would soon transform St. Thomas and set the course for much of the city's future.

By the late 19th century, St. Thomas had become one of Canada's most important railway centres.

Its location, exactly halfway between Detroit and Buffalo, made it an ideal transportation hub. Multiple railway lines converged in the city, bringing passengers, freight, businesses and workers. By 1914, 8 different railways operated in St. Thomas, with more than 100 trains passing through the city every day.

The railway shaped nearly every part of life in St. Thomas. It created thousands of jobs, attracted new residents and businesses, and helped establish the city as an important industrial and commercial centre.

St. Thomas became known as the Railway Capital of Canada, a legacy that remains central to the city's identity today. The historic Canada Southern Railway Station, now known as CASO Station, and the Elgin County Railway Museum preserve and share this part of the city's history.

One of the most famous stories in St. Thomas history began with the arrival of another kind of traveller.

On September 15, 1885, Jumbo, the famous elephant from P.T. Barnum's circus, was struck and killed by a locomotive in St. Thomas. His death drew international attention and has remained connected to the city ever since.

Barnum was a founding trustee of Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, and Jumbo's taxidermied remains went on display there in 1889. In 1975, a fire destroyed Tufts's Barnum Hall, along with most of what remained of Jumbo. His tail, which had come loose years earlier, survived and is preserved in the university's archives, and staff swept his ashes into a peanut butter jar, which the university's athletic department still keeps today.

In 1985, 100 years after Jumbo's death, the City unveiled a life-sized Jumbo monument in St. Thomas. Today, Jumbo remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the city and an enduring part of its connection to its railway past.

The railway industry remained central to St. Thomas for generations, but as its influence declined through the mid-20th century, the city increasingly became known for automotive and advanced manufacturing. Companies including Ford, Sterling Trucks and Magna became major employers, supported by a network of manufacturers and suppliers throughout the region.

For decades, the automotive industry was a major part of the local economy and helped establish St. Thomas as a manufacturing centre.

Like many communities with strong manufacturing economies, St. Thomas faced significant challenges during the global recession that began in 2008. The closure of major industrial facilities led to thousands of job losses and a period of economic uncertainty for the community.

St. Thomas has a long history of adapting to change. The same community that once built its future around railways later built an economy around automotive manufacturing. Today, St. Thomas is entering a new chapter once again.

Investment in advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and economic development is creating new opportunities for the community. The city's location, skilled workforce, industrial lands and transportation connections continue to make it an attractive place to invest and do business.

In 2023, Volkswagen Group announced that its battery company, PowerCo SE, would build its first overseas battery cell manufacturing facility in St. Thomas. The project marks a major new chapter in the city's manufacturing history, and is expected to create up to 3,000 direct jobs, along with thousands of additional jobs throughout the broader economy. Construction is underway, with production planned to begin in 2027.

This investment builds on St. Thomas's longstanding relationship with transportation and manufacturing, while positioning the city for a new generation of advanced manufacturing and electric vehicle technology.

Today, St. Thomas honours its past while looking toward the future.

The city's railway heritage remains visible throughout the community, from historic buildings and railway infrastructure to museums, public art and the Jumbo monument. At the same time, St. Thomas continues to grow as a place to live, work, visit and invest.

A vibrant downtown, parks and trails, arts and culture, community organizations, local businesses and major employers all contribute to the city's character.

St. Thomas is also home to people who have made their mark well beyond the community, including NHL star Joe Thornton, NASCAR driver D.J. Kennington, and actors Helen Shaver and Rachel McAdams.

More than 2 centuries after the first European settlers arrived, St. Thomas continues to evolve. From Indigenous history and early settlement, to the railways that built a city, the industries that powered generations of families, and the new investments shaping its future, the story of St. Thomas is one of resilience, reinvention and community.

The Railway City is still moving forward.