Hanover (Ontario)

Hanover is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario with a population of about 7,650 residents. It is located in southwestern Grey County, bordering on Bruce County, west of Durham and east of Walkerton on Grey/Bruce Road 4. Hanover has a city hall, police department and the Hanover and District Hospital.HistoryIn 1849, pioneer Abraham Buck and his family established a farm and tavern on the Saugeen River in the region of modern-day Hanover. Many settlers, most originally German, arrived to the area; a townsite was laid out by 1855. It was earlier called Buck's Crossing and then Adamstown, but was renamed Hanover. Records from 1867, indicate a gristmill, sawmill and carding mill, a foundry and a cabinet factory. Knechtel Furniture Company had opened around that time; the entrerprise had been started in a barn by Daniel Knechtel who came from Waterloo County, Ontario. The company expanded over the years, becoming a large employer; it had locations in Southampton, Ontario and in Walkerton, Ontario and remained in operation until 1983. Other furniture companies also opened in the 1800s, including Sklar-Peppler. Hanover became an incorporated village and 1899 and a town in 1904.The railway arrived in about 1880 a benefit to factories who now had a way to ship their goods across Canada. By the 1920s, Hanover was known as the Furniture Capital of the country. The town survived the depression and flourished after the Second World War manufacturing furniture, textiles, flour, processed food and kitchen cabinets. Manufacturing declined seriously between 1970 and 2000. Important settlers included: Christian Hassenjager, the first of many German settlers, who was to suggest the name of Hanover; Abram Z. Gottwals, a missionary with the Evangelical Church; Duncan Campbell, who became postmaster; Edward Goodeve, who had one of the first stores; Henry Proctor Adams, who built the dam and the first mill and drew up plans for the new village; Dr. Landerkin, the first doctor; Daniel Knechtel, who started a furniture manufacturing company that became one of the largest in Ontario.