A Brief History of London 1855 to 1999	A View of the Armories on Dundas Street
In 1855, London was the newest city in Canada West.  After persevering through the depression of the late 1850's, London became part of the oil boom.  After oil was discovered in Petrolia in 1861, the business of refining oil became important in London East.  This area was east of Adelaide Street.  With new business came the need for financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies.  The Huron and Erie Savings and Loans Corporation opened in 1864 and London Life Insurance Company incorporated in 1874.   The Street Railway, The Insane Asylum, St. Joseph's Hospital, Western Fair and Springbank Park also appeared on the scene.  (Lutman) Soon it was time for London to annex neighbouring villages.  Note the dates on the chart below: 1885 London East 1890 London South 1898 London West 1912 Pottersburg, Chelsea Green, and Ealing 1914 Population is 55 000 1961 More annexation increases the population to 162 184 The timeline notes many significant events but the flood of 1937 had to be one of the most traumatic of the 1900's in London.   In a few hours, the Thames River rose over 3 metres, destroying houses and washing out roadways. Like many other cities in Southwestern Ontario, London, The Forest City, continues to grow.  The population today is 331 000.  You can learn more of the specifics of our history, by snooping around this website.
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More Information:  This Was London by Orlo Miller    The Historic Heart of London by John H. Lutman Historic Sketches of London From Site to City by Nancy Z. Tausky

The London and Middlesex Historical Society