Lincoln, Ontario
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Town of Lincoln | |
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| Country | Canada |
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| Province | Ontario |
| Regional Municipality | Niagara |
| Established | |
| Government | |
| - Type | Township |
| - Mayor | Bill Hodgson |
| - Governing Body | Town of Lincoln Council |
| - MP | Dean Allison (CPC) |
| - MPP | Tim Hudak (OPC) |
| Area | |
| - Total | 162.86 km² (62.9 sq mi) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| - Total | 21,722 |
| - Density | 133.4/km² (345.5/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal code span | L0R |
| Area code(s) | 905 |
| Website: Town of Lincoln | |
Lincoln is a town on Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. The town's administrative and commercial centre is in the community of Beamsville.
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[edit] Geography
Lincoln's location between the southern shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment provides for a moderate climate with mild winters. The area is known in Canada for its orchards, vineyards, wineries and restaurants that feature local produce and wines. Fruit crops grown in Lincoln include cherries, peaches, apples and pears, and during the summer attract many tourists from all over Ontario, particularly Toronto.
[edit] Communities
The township comprises the communities of Beamsville, Campden, Jordan, Jordan Harbour, Jordan Station, Pelham Union, Rockway, Tintern, Vineland and Vineland Station.
[edit] History
Beamsville was named after Jacob Beam, a United Empire Loyalist who founded the town in 1788. Both of his homes - the original one located on the Thirty, as well as the one near downtown Beamsville - are still intact today. Senator Gibson was also a major founder of Beamsville. His mansion is now the Girls' Dorm at Great Lakes Christian College.
Beamsville is also home to the annual Lincoln County Agricultural Fair, usually held on or around the first weekend of September. This fair is a very well-known fair throughout the area, and attracts thousands of people every year since its inception in 1857.
In 1898, hockey players in the town of Beamsville were the first to make use of a hockey net. The town was also home to the first Japanese-Canadian home for the aged in 1967. The Nipponia Home closed in 2000 due to new provincial regulations.
Vineland and the surrounding area was settled in the mid-1700s by German immigrants. Prominent names in the community included Albright, Culp, Honsberger, Mewhiney, and Moyer — names which can be found in the centuries-old Mennonite cemetery on the corner of Regional Road 81 (former Highway 8) and Martin Road. These names still sprinkle mailboxes along country roads today. The cemetery is also the location of the first Mennonite church of Canada.
The village gained notoriety in 1956 when it was revealed that radioactive material was found in one of the landfills.
[edit] People
The town is home to numerous Dutch and United Empire Loyalist families, as evidenced by the large number of Dutch Reformed and Anglican churches in the area. Other ethnic groups include Italians - one family of whom founded the Commisso's supermarket chain - Germans, East Asians, and Indians.
Beamsville currently has two secondary schools, Beamsville District Secondary School and Great Lakes Christian College, and three elementary schools, Senator Gibson, Maple Grove, and Jacob Beam. Beamsville also has a separate school, St. Mark's Elementary School.
Bill Berg, formerly a hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and now an NHL broadcaster, was born, and continues to make his home in Beamsville. Paul Laus, a former Florida Panthers bruiser defenceman is also a Beamsville native. Another Beamsville native of note, Tonya Verbeek, earned an Olympic silver medal in women's wrestling at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
The band Rush practiced in Beamsville in their earlier days. Drummer Neil Peart was raised in nearby Port Dalhousie.
[edit] Industry
The region is in the heart of Ontario's wine country and contributes greatly to the wine industry in the Niagara Peninsula. Many wineries from the area have taken home top awards, including Grape King at the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival, as well as international awards. Wineries in Lincoln include Malivoire, East Dell Wineries, Thomas and Vaughan, Thirty Bench, Angel's Gate, Peninsula Ridge, Cave Spring Cellars, Daniel Lenko Winery, Magnotta, Mountain Road Winery, Legends Estates and Crown Bench. Numerous grow-ops have been discovered to service the region.
[edit] Culture
The Lincoln Public Library has branches in Beamsville and Vineland. The Fleming Branch in Beamsville, founded in 1852, can be found in the old Clinton-Louth town hall built in the mid-19th century. The upper floor of the building has been used by Freemasons for over a century. The Moses F. Rittenhouse Branch in Vineland is located in a newer building.
Vineland is host to a large craft fair that takes place over a period of four days on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Craft stalls are set up on the main street, Victoria Avenue, and at the Ball's Falls Conservation Area. This festival also extends into the ball park in Jordan.
[edit] Demographics
According to the Canada 2006 Census:
- Population: 21,722
- % Change (2001-2006): 5.4
- Dwellings: 7,875
- Area (km².): 162.86
- Density (persons per km².): 133.4
[edit] External links
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Lake Ontario |
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| Grimsby, West Lincoln |  |
St. Catharines | |||||
 Lincoln  |
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| Pelham, West Lincoln |
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