Cambridge

Cambridge: Hespeler Library

Cambridge, city, regional municipality of Waterloo, southeastern Ontario, Canada. It lies 55 miles (90 km) west-southwest of Toronto. Cambridge was created in 1973 from the consolidation of the city of Galt, the towns of Hespeler and Preston, and parts of the townships of Waterloo and North Dumfries. Galt was founded about 1816 and, along with Dumfries Township, became the home of large numbers of Scottish immigrants. Hespeler and Preston were settled in the early 1800s, largely by Mennonites from Pennsylvania, U.S. These settlements developed primarily as milling towns, producing flour, lumber, and textiles. In the mid-20th century Hespeler was the home to one of Canada’s largest textile producers, Dominion Woollens and Worsteds Ltd. The sulfur springs at Preston made the town a well-known health resort. All later developed heavy-metal and machine industries. The city of Cambridge lies in one of Ontario’s most heavily industrialized areas and produces a variety of manufactured goods, including automotive parts and pharmaceuticals. Cambridge is one of the linchpins, along with Kitchener and Waterloo, of the public-private economic development known as the Waterloo Region. It is the home of high-technology industries as well as business and financial services. Operating on its original location since about 1830, the Cambridge Farmers’ Market is one of the oldest in Canada. Among the city’s annual events are the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts and the Cambridge Riverfest. Pop. (2006) 120,371; (2011) 126,748.