Tecumseh

Combining the unique features of three historic communities (the former Town of Tecumseh, the former Village of St. Clair Beach, and the former  Township of Sandwich South), Tecumseh offers a near perfect balance of small town qualities with big city amenities and opportunities.  With a population of 24,224 the Town is situated close to an international metropolitan population of five million and enjoys direct access to the NAFTA superhighway.  Small town service and friendliness prevail, enhanced by the warm climate and natural beauty of its southwestern Ontario location.

With successful industrial and business sectors, a commitment to sustainable, planned development, and a wealth of cultural and recreational opportunities,  Tecumseh offers a vibrant destination to visit or to call home.

Historical Background

The Town of Tecumseh has a rich history, going back to 1792 when it was first settled and known as Ryegate, a small settlement of three families.  It was renamed in 1812 to honour the Shawnee tribe leader, Tecumseh, who was killed at the battle in the War of 1812.

The creation of Tecumseh Road in 1838, and the establishment of the Great Western Railway opened up the area for settlement, and the town became an important railway depot and stopover for travelers.  County residents also traveled by horse and buggy into Tecumseh, and then transferred onto the train, journeying by rail the rest of the way into Windsor.  At this time several popular hotels were also started in Tecumseh to accommodate travelers: The Bedell Hotel, the Soulliere Inn, the Hebert, and the Hotel Perreault were some of the places most frequented by travelers and locals alike.

The French were for the most part the original settlers of Tecumseh, the majority of them descendants of the Frenchmen who had established their seigneural land holdings along the banks of the river in the 1700’s.  To this day, Tecumseh still has a large French population (9.4% of population), third in the Region after the Towns of Lakeshore and LaSalle.

As the Town of Windsor grew, Tecumseh began to experience new blood; the overflow of immigrants coming to the city began to settle in the peripheral Regions as well.  Indicative of the change was the mix-up created by the introduction of the tomato to the area of Tecumseh.  Many of the English residents of the community refused to touch the suspicious red vegetable, believing it to be a “Love Potion” concocted by the amorous Frenchmen.

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