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Hanover is a town in the
Canadian province Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Constitution of Canada, Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North Amer ...
of
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
with a population of about 7,967 residents. It is located in southwestern
Grey County Grey County is a county in the province of Ontario. The county is located in the Southwestern Ontario region, and is a part of the Georgian Triangle. At the time of the 2021 Canadian census the population of the county was 100,905. Owen Sound is ...
, bordering on
Bruce County Bruce County is a county in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It has eight lower-tier municipalities with a total 2021 population of 73,396. It is named for James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, the sixth Governor General of t ...
, west of Durham and east of Walkerton on Grey/Bruce Road 4. Hanover has a town hall, police department and the Hanover and District Hospital.


History

In 1850, pioneer Abraham Buck and his family established a farm and tavern on the
Saugeen River The Saugeen River is located in southern Ontario, Canada. The river begins in the Osprey Wetland Conservation Lands and flows generally north-west about before exiting into Lake Huron. The river is navigable for some distance, and was once an im ...
in the region of modern-day Hanover. Many settlers, most originally German, arrived in 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 A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...
, sawmill and
carding In Textile manufacturing, textile production, carding is a mechanical process that disentangles, cleans and intermixes fibres to produce a continuous web or sliver (textiles), sliver suitable for subsequent processing. This is achieved by passi ...
mill, a foundry and a cabinet factory. Knechtel Furniture Company had opened around that time; the enterprise had been started in a barn by Daniel Knechtel, who came from Waterloo County. The company expanded over the years, becoming a large employer; it had locations in
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
and in Walkerton and remained in operation until 1983. Other furniture companies also opened in the 1800s, including Sklar-Peppler. Hanover became an incorporated village in 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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
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; * Abraham 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.


Demographics

In the
2021 Canadian census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canada, Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, whic ...
conducted by
Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...
, Hanover had a population of around 8,000 living in 3,445 of its 3,788 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 7,688. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.


Language

Mother tongue: * English as first language: 94.8% * French as first language: 0.6% * English and French as first language: 0.1% * Other as first language: 4.1%


Ethnicity


Local schools

The first school was privately operated in the home of the teacher, Mrs. Campbell, on the eastern outskirts of the town (Campbell's Corner). When it became overcrowded, classes were held in the Orange Hall. A new school was opened in 1875, just north of the main street. This structure accommodated both elementary students and those studying the first and second years of secondary. Additions were added to the structure in 1884, 1891,1895, and 1905. Finally, in 1912, a new six-room school was built on what is the current site of Hanover Heights Community School. James A. Magee, who had become principal of the previous school in 1905, remained principal for 46 years. The high school was built in 1924, in the southwest corner of the town, on a site known as Bartrap's Field. Schools in the town are operated by the Bluewater District School Board, with its head office located in Chesley, and the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, headquartered in Hanover. The Bluewater District School Board operates: * John Diefenbaker Senior School (G7-12) *Dawnview Public School (JK-6,
French immersion French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which students who do not speak French as a first language will receive instruction in French. In most French- immersion schools, students will learn to speak French and learn most subjects ...
) *Hanover Heights Community school (JK-6) The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board operates: *Holy Family Catholic School(JK-)8 * Sacred Heart Catholic High School (G9-12), located in Walkerton There is also the Montessori Children's House of Hanover, a
Montessori The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing ...
preschool, and Saugeen Academy (G7-12), a Waldorf high school.


Economy

There are many factories and farms, which are the two major employers of the residents. The annual Hanover Homecoming also provides a yearly boost to the local economy.


West Bros. Furniture Manufacturing

West Bros. Furniture is now Hanover's only furniture manufacturer, supplying bedroom, dining room, occasional and accent furniture throughout North America, and to
Global Affairs Canada Global Affairs Canada (GAC; ; AMC)''Global Affairs Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (). is the department of the Government of Canada that ...
to furnish Canadian Embassy residences worldwide. Beginning in 1992 the West Brothers, a family of Ontario furniture manufacturers created a new company located in Hanover.


Dickies Canada Co.

Dickies Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co. is an American apparel manufacturing company primarily known for its largest brand, Dickies. Williamson-Dickie Europe, originally called Clares, was founded in 1900 in Wells, Somerset, U.K. to provide the agricultural ...
Canada Co., formerly Buckeye Industries, originated in 1920 as Peerless Textiles of
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. The company expanded its manufacturing base in 1956 by purchasing the existing factory in Hanover. Dickies Canada produces clothing for the work wear industry with traditional matched sets of work shirts and work pants. In addition, the production lines now include jeans and casual wear. Dickies Canada Co. also merchandises a complete outerwear line. Brand names include – Dickies, Kodiak and Terra. A factory outlet has been opened in Hanover. The distribution centre / head office is located in Toronto. Dickies Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Williamson Dickie Manufacturing Co. of
Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
. Dickies Canada employs 140 local people. In December 2009, Dickies announced that it was closing their manufacturing subsidiary in Hanover, but continuing sales from the Hanover outlet.


Electrical Contacts Ltd.

Founded in 1970, Electrical Contacts Ltd. is a contact material manufacturer, servicing the needs of
automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...
, appliance and distribution industries. They currently export 80% of their shipments to markets in North America and Asia.


Hanover-Hearth Cabinets

Hanover-Hearth Cabinets (formerly Hanover Kitchens Inc.) was officially founded on June 18, 1952, on the same site of the previously existing two adjacent factories in Hanover. All products were manufactured in the Hanover factories and were sold in Canada, the United States and Japan. Hanover-Hearth Cabinets closed their doors December 21, 2006.


Hanover Racetrack Slots

Ontario's twelfth slots-at-racetrack operation at Hanover Raceway, opened on February 19, 2001. Since opening, the facility has averaged more than 860 patrons daily.


Horizon Poultry

Horizon Poultry has been located in Hanover since 1969. They employ approximately 750 people at their four locations, Hanover, St. Marys, Ayr and Kitchener. Hanover is the home of their hatchery and breeder farms. A division of J. M. Schneider Inc. and a division of Maple Leaf Foods, their products are distributed throughout Canada and also exported to many countries under the Schneider Foods label.


Leeson Canada

Founded in 1978 to provide the Canadian marketplace with AC and DC
electric motor An electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a electromagnetic coil, wire winding to gene ...
s. Leeson Canada operates its own specialized manufacturing plant in Hanover where they produce unusual multi-speed and high-efficiency motors through 350 HP for customers throughout North America.


New-Life Mills Limited

New-Life Mills Limited is a modern automated flour mill. The original mil, Hanover Mill was, in the 1880s, run by the partnership of Horn Brothers (David Stephen and James) who had emigrated from
Cambusnethan Cambusnethan is a historic parish in North Lanarkshire in Scotland. The largest settlement in the parish is Wishaw, and Cambusnethan now appears on maps as a village almost contiguous with Wishaw. The village is approximately long, straddling ...
,
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark (; ), is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The county is no l ...
, Scotland where they, and their father, had run the Allanton Mill. It was constructed over a century ago and had a capacity to stone grind of wheat per day. The present day mill, with its two milling units, grinds over of wheat daily. Some of the wheat stocks are grown locally and the balance comes from the
Canadian Prairies The Canadian Prairies (usually referred to as simply the Prairies in Canada) is a region in Western Canada. It includes the Canadian portion of the Great Plains and the Prairie provinces, namely Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provin ...
. Flour from the Hanover mill is shipped to bakers, consumers and makers of cake mixes, pasta and other fast and convenience goods. Products are shipped through the provinces of Ontario and
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
and various countries around the world. Owned by Parrish & Heimbecker.


Exceldor Foods

P & H Foods, a division of Parrish & Heimbecker, operated a turkey processing and further processing plant. This facility has been located in Hanover since 1934 and has operated as a turkey processing plant since 1965. Exceldor Foods purchased and operates the facility as of 2014. Exceldor Foods employs 280 plus hourly people and a staff of 25 plus salaried management people. The Hanover Plant processes about pounds annually and daily volumes embrace about 16,000 turkeys. " Butterball" turkey products are produced at this facility, as well as raw product being supplied to the further processing industry. Exceldor Foods exports frozen whole and part
turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
s worldwide.


Telesat Canada

Telesat Telesat, formerly Telesat Canada, is a Canadian satellite communications company (law), company founded on May 2, 1969. The company is headquartered in Ottawa. History Founding and privatization (1969-2005) Telesat began in 1969 as Telesat C ...
operates the largest of its 4,000 earth stations at Allan Park, the nerve centre of its satellite communications network. Located just outside Hanover, this facility employs over 50 staff to provide technical support for its satellites and networks.


Climate


Points of interest


Theatres

The Paramount Theatre, located downtown, provides year-round entertainment with the latest movie releases. The Hanover Drive-In Theatre is located at the southeast edge of Hanover and offers summer entertainment for the entire family. Also the Hanover Drive in Theatre is one of only 23 remaining drive-in theatres in Ontario. Hanover Civic Theatre, located downtown, attached to the Civic Centre and Library, provides live amateur and professional entertainment. The Grey Bruce Singers, Hanover Community Players and Back Porch Event Management make the theatre home. It also hosts recitals from three Hanover dance studios and various other events in its century old building that has been upgraded.


Hanover Public Library

Located in the renovated Civic Centre complex in the centre of town, the library has something for everyone, from books to computers, and space to meet, read or study. Internet connected computers and WiFi are available for use by the public. The collection includes a large number of books for all ages, videos on DVD and Blu-ray, magazines and newspapers. Online resources include large collections of free downloadable ebooks, e-audiobooks, and magazines. Audiovisual equipment is available for rent. Library services include quick and in-depth reference; a local history collection including back issues of The Hanover Post (now published as The Post) and censuses of Grey and Bruce counties on
microfilm A microform is a scaled-down reproduction of a document, typically either photographic film or paper, made for the purposes of transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about 4% or of the original d ...
; an online obituary lookup service; pre-school programmes; a shut-in material delivery service; French language books; large print and talking books and CNIB Foundation materials for loan. The library actively participates in the Southern Ontario Library Service giving patrons access to a large selection of audiovisual materials and books through
interlibrary loan Inter-library loan (abbreviated ILL, sometimes called document delivery, document supply, inter-lending, inter-library services, inter-loan, or resource sharing) is a service that enables patrons of one library to borrow materials that are held by ...
s.


Hanover Town Park

Hanover Town Park and Campground is located on the banks of the
Saugeen River The Saugeen River is located in southern Ontario, Canada. The river begins in the Osprey Wetland Conservation Lands and flows generally north-west about before exiting into Lake Huron. The river is navigable for some distance, and was once an im ...
and offers 40 fully serviced campsites. Very popular with town residents, the Hanover Park offers large picnic areas, fishing, a wide variety of playground equipment for children of all ages, and a covered picnic pavilion with kitchen facilities. Many community special events are held in the park providing entertainment and much fun for residents and visitors alike. Several smaller parks, playgrounds and baseball diamonds are located throughout the town.


Minor sports

Hanover is home to a Junior C hockey team, the Hanover Barons.


Local media


Print

''The Hanover Post'' was the local newspaper, first established in 1880 and operated until 2005 when it was merged with three other regional newspapers to form ''The Post''.


Radio

Hanover has its own community radio station, CFBW-FM 91.3 FM Bluewater Radio which began broadcasting in 2001. In 1977 and 1978 the CRTC denied a license by Paul A. Webb, representing a company to be incorporated to operate an English language AM radio station in Hanover at 1360 kHz with a power of 10,000 watts day and night.1360 kHz Hanover
in the REC Canadian station database


Notable people

* William Brunt, Canadian senator; died in a car accident in July 1962 * Tommy Burns, one-time heavyweight world champion boxer * Ray Edwards, retired ice hockey winger * Larry Mercey, country music singer with the Mercey Brothers * Louie Rankin, Jamaican dancehall artist and actor * Carl Schaefer, painter and landscape artist * Daryl Shane, provincial junior champion curler * Jamie Warren, country music singer * Eric Winkler, politician who served as Ontario cabinet minister, federal member of parliament, and mayor of Hanover * Martin Wood, television director specializing in science fiction; best known for his work as a director and producer of the ''
Stargate ''Stargate'' is a military science fiction media franchise owned by Amazon MGM Studios. It is based on Stargate (film), the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin; production company StudioCanal owns the ...
'' series


Notes


References

*


External links

* {{Authority control Towns in Ontario Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario Municipalities in Grey County