Ford Motor Company of Canada
Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited was founded on August 17, 1904, for the purpose of manufacturing and selling Ford automobiles in Canada and the British Empire. It was originally known as the Walkerville Wagon Works and was located in Walkerville, Ontario. The founder, Gordon Morton McGregor, convinced a group of investors to invest in Henry Ford's new automobile, which was being produced across the river in Detroit, Michigan.
Ford Canada head office with the Oakville plant at right in 2009
Stock certificate of the Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd., issued 17 December 1904
Walkerville, Ontario, is a former town in Canada, that is today a heritage precinct of Windsor, Ontario. The town was founded by Hiram Walker in 1890, owner and producer of Canadian Club Whisky. Walker planned it as a 'model town’,, that would be the envy of both the region and the continent. He established a distillery on the Detroit River and grew his business by growing grain, milling flour, and raising cattle and hogs. Later, the town supported other major industries, notably automotive manufacturing. It was annexed to Windsor, July 1, 1935.
Distillery buildings in Walkerville circa 1910
The corner of Riverside and Walker Road where the distillery still operates.
Willistead Manor, built by E. Chandler Walker and now a city park.
Hiram Walker distillery