Coldwater, Ontario

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Coldwater is a community in Severn Township, Ontario, Canada. It has a population of approximately 1200 (1997) and is located on Ontario provincial highway 12 between Orillia and Midland, on the Coldwater River.

Chief John Aisance and his band of Chippewas settled at what is now Coldwater in 1830, calling the place Gissinausebing, which means "cold water." A grist mill was built on the sight in 1833, and a post office was established in 1835 with the name Coldwater. The native people owned the mill until 1849. Coldwater was opened to European settlement in 1836, and was incorporated as a village in 1908. In 1994, Coldwater was amalgamated with the Townships of Matchedash and Orillia, plus portions of the Townships of Medonte and Tay, to form the Township of Severn.

Three weekly newspapers have been published in the community: The Coldwater Planet, from 1896 to 1928, the Coldwater News, from 1895 to 1956, and the Coldwater Canadian in 1956.