Section E AREA HISTORY & BUILT HERITAGE

E.1 Area History

The study area is the location of significant history within the Windsor-Essex region, as it’s location along the Detroit River made it an ideal location for early inhabitants. The City of Windsor Archeological Master Plan stipulates “The shoreline comprises the earliest continuous European settlement in Ontario. The European influx began in the early 18th century with French settlement that grew up around Fort Ponchartrain (later Fort Detroit) on the north side of the river. The south shore, now Windsor, was settled later in the 18th century by French families from the St. Lawrence River settlements.” It was the influence of Fort Detroit that established the Our Lady of Assumption Parish, which built Assumption Church, Rosary Chapel and Sacristy, and Assumption College. In addition to the buildings associated with the parish, a cemetery is also located at Huron Church Road and Wyandotte Street, and Assumption Park is at Huron Church Road and University Avenue/Riverside Drive West.

University Avenue was formerly called London Street until the 1960’s. (Source: http://swoda.uwindsor.ca/ content/224) 

The area consist of neighbourhoods from two different former municipalities (Sandwich and Windsor), as shown above. The municipalities amalgamated in 1935.

Source: Fire Insurance Map, dated 1920, revised 1924