83-470: Essex County may refer to: Places [ edit ] Essex County, Ontario , Canada Essex County, Massachusetts , United States of America Essex County, New Jersey , United States of America (the most populous Essex County in the country) Essex County, New York , United States of America Essex County, Vermont , United States of America Essex County, Virginia , United States of America Essex ,
166-622: A Canadian Heritage River . It is the only river in North America to have such dual designations. In 2001, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was absorbed into the larger Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge , a cooperative effort between the United States and Canada to preserve the area as an ecological refuge. The millions of dollars spent since that time to dredge pollutants out of
249-478: A river and a strait — a strait being a narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water, which is how the river earned its name from early French settlers. However, today, the Detroit River is rarely referred to as a strait, because bodies of water referred to as straits are typically much wider relative to their length. The river forms the southern portion of the waterway connecting Lake Huron to
332-494: A change of 6% from its 2016 population of 398,953 . With a land area of 1,844.21 km (712.05 sq mi), it had a population density of 229.3/km (593.9/sq mi) in 2021. The County of Essex is governed by a County Council, whose members are the mayors and deputy mayors from the seven lower-tier municipalities of the county. The Head of Council is known as the Warden. The term of office for County Councillors and
415-570: A classical nude woman was originally installed to overlook a reflecting pool in the Grosse Pointe War Memorial . It was nicknamed "The Nude," and, in 2001, was believed to have been successfully stolen for display in some art collector's private cache. During a police diving exercise near a submerged Jeep , the statue was found in 2009, restored, and returned to the memorial. Anchors from the SS Greater Detroit,
498-480: A county in England Other uses [ edit ] Essex County Trilogy , a trilogy of graphic novels by Jeff Lemire Essex County (TV series) , a television drama series adapted from the graphic novel See also [ edit ] All pages with titles containing Essex County Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
581-411: A localized maritime climate from the surrounding Great Lakes. Average winters are wet and cold with a variety of conditions including rain , snow , freezing rain , sleet and fog . Temperatures and conditions change frequently during the winter months, with short periods of both bitter cold or mild weather. Winter storms are common but usually cause minimal disruption. Essex County resides outside of
664-639: A luxury steamship that toured the Detroit River from 1924 to 1950, and the famed SS Edmund Fitzgerald , a lake freighter that sank in a terrible 1975 storm, have notably both been recovered from the river. The 6,000-pound anchor of the SS Greater Detroit was raised in November 2016. It was installed at the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Building. The lost anchor of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald
747-721: Is administered by the Greater Essex County District School Board , along with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board which oversees English-language Catholic education. French-language public and Catholic education are overseen by the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence respectively. The scope of all of these organizations includes both the County and
830-536: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Essex County, Ontario Essex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario , Canada comprising seven municipalities: Amherstburg , Kingsville , Lakeshore , LaSalle , Leamington , Tecumseh and the administrative seat, Essex . Essex County is composed of seven municipalities (in order of population): The City of Windsor and
913-572: Is estimated walleye fishing alone brings in $ 1 million to the economy of communities along the lower Detroit River each spring. Other fish caught by recreational fisherman include white bass , bluegill , crappie , freshwater drum , smallmouth bass , northern pike and muskie . There are over 800,000 recreation boats in Michigan, and more than half of them are regularly used on or near the Detroit River. Popular river destinations in Detroit include
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#1732771899224996-564: Is four times longer than the Detroit River and contains most of the watershed. The only other major American tributary to the Detroit River is the much smaller Ecorse River . Tributaries on the Canadian side include Little River, Turkey Creek, and the River Canard . The discharge for the Detroit River is relatively high for a river of its size. The river's discharge averaged over the year is 5,300 m /s (190,000 cu ft/s), and
1079-511: Is home to Canada's largest wind farm as of June 2012. This is due to both its ideal wind conditions and abundance of available farmland. Essex County has one of Canada's longest growing seasons at 212 days per year. Leamington, a town in Essex County, has also been known for its greenhouses . It now has the largest concentration of commercial greenhouses in all of North America, with nearly 2000 acres of greenhouse vegetable production in
1162-520: Is on the banks of the Detroit River. According to a 2004 study, 150,000 jobs and $ 13 billion in annual production depend on the river crossings connecting Detroit to Windsor. In 2004, the American trade with Ontario alone was $ 407 billion, in which 28% ($ 113.3 billion) crossed the Detroit River. There are two automobile traffic routes that completely cross the river: the Detroit–Windsor tunnel and
1245-482: Is relatively level, dropping only 3 feet (0.9 m) before entering Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m). As the river contains no dams and no locks , it is easily navigable by even the smallest of vessels. The watershed basin for the Detroit River is approximately 700 square miles (1,800 km ). Since the river is fairly short, it has few tributaries, the largest being the River Rouge in Michigan; this
1328-520: Is responsible for issues that include transportation, community and social services (e.g. homes for the aged, child care, social housing), libraries, planning, emergency management coordination and corporate-wide business such as finance and taxation policies, general corporate policy and labour relations. The County does not have a police force or fire services, for which the seven municipalities are responsible. English-language public education for kindergarten through secondary school grades in Essex County
1411-601: Is testament to this period. Many of the descendants of the fugitives moved back to the United States to support the Northerners ( Union Army ) in the American Civil War , (1861–1865), or to reconnect with family after emancipation . Many families stayed. By the late 19th century Essex County had seen fur trading and logging, land clearing and farming, road building and railway development, saw mills and gristmills, railway stations and water ports. By this time
1494-592: The American Revolution , and the War of 1812 (1812–1815), which also was a confrontation over the northern border, some people continued to migrate north to the area. Settlers also arrived from the east seeking land, traveling by Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River of Lower Canada . Settlers began to move eastward along the north shore of Lake Erie. The colonial government purchased land for development from
1577-703: The Canadian province of Ontario , flows west and south for 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit , Michigan , and Windsor , Ontario —an area collectively referred to as Detroit–Windsor . The Ambassador Bridge , the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel , and the Michigan Central Railway Tunnel connect
1660-618: The Detroit International Riverfront and Belle Isle Park — both of which host events throughout the year. Several restaurants on the river have docks for boaters. Tour boats and dinner cruises travel through the sights of Detroit and the undeveloped islands downriver. Cruise ships support tourism on the Great Lakes and dock at the Port Detroit passenger terminal downtown. The iconic Renaissance Center
1743-460: The Great Lakes snowbelt and doesn't experience intense lake-effect snow accumulation like other surrounding areas, although strong westerlies off Lake Michigan can sometimes push snow squalls into the area. Summers are hot and humid with an abundance of sunny weather. Like the surrounding Midwestern United States , thunderstorms and severe weather are more frequent during the spring and summer months. The area that has come to be known as Essex
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#17327718992241826-480: The North American fur trade intensified, European settlers expanded their trade westward into uncharted territories. French explorer Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac sailed up the Detroit River on July 23, 1701. The next day, he established Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit , which developed as Detroit. The French named the river as Rivière Détroit . Détroit is French for " strait ". The river
1909-506: The St. Lawrence Seaway and the Erie Canal . When Detroit underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously polluted and toxic. Since the late 20th century, however, a vast restoration effort has been undertaken because of the river's ecological importance. In the early 21st century, the river today has a wide variety of economic and recreational uses. There are numerous islands in
1992-632: The St. Lawrence Seaway or the Erie Canal to New York City . At the beginning of the 20th century, the automotive industry boomed, and the many manufacturers imported abundant supplies of iron ore , sand, limestone and wood. The Detroit River provides substantial revenue for the local economies. A 1991 study showed $ 20.1 million came from sales related to waterfowl hunting along the Detroit River. The same year, bird watching, photography, and other non-consumptive uses of waterfowl contributed another $ 192.8 million to Michigan's economy. Local economies benefit through boating registrations and fishing licenses. It
2075-634: The U.S. Customs and Border Protection , and the Canadian side is secured by the Canada Border Services Agency ; all areas between the American ports of entry and on the American side of the river are secured by the United States Border Patrol . The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a new bridge project which began construction in 2019; it will directly connect Highway 401 in Canada to Interstate 75 in
2158-699: The War of 1812 , the Detroit River served as a major barrier between the American Michigan Territory and British Upper Canada , especially during the Battle of Fort Detroit in August 1812. Detroit briefly fell to the British. After the completion of the Erie Canal in 1817, which opened up easier travel to Lake Erie from the East Coast of the United States , connecting the Great Lakes to
2241-472: The " Assumption Settlement ", for the name of its Catholic church. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the French ventured east along the south shore of Lake Saint Clair and settled in the present-day areas of Belle River (Belle-Rivière), Rochester, Tecumseh, Saint-Joachim and Stoney Point (Pointe-aux-Roches). These communities still have a large francophone population. Amherstburg and Sandwich were
2324-475: The 17th century. By the time the fur trade decreased, Michigan had begun to exploit the lumber -rich areas of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula . Detroit turned into a major industrial region, largely because of the Detroit River. The only way a ship could travel out of the upper Great Lakes system was to travel down the Detroit River. From there, ships could travel anywhere in the world out of
2407-643: The 1840s the Great Famine led to significant immigration. The village of Maidstone was the centre of the Irish community, and an area known as the "Scotch Colony" appeared along the shore of Lake St. Clair to the north. In 1854 the Great Western Railway connected the Detroit frontier with the east, crossing Essex County. The Canadian terminal was in Windsor, which consequently forged ahead of
2490-470: The British colonial government in Canada declared former slaves could not be extradited to be returned to their owners. With their freedom in Canada secured, crossing the Detroit River out of the United States became an imperative for escaping slaves. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the Union feared the seceded Confederate States of America (CSA) would plan a northerly attack from Canada, which
2573-549: The Canadian border region also assisted Blacks hoping to flee from the U.S. once the Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened in 1850. Canada also granted legal immigration status to Blacks, while Mexico did not for many years. Individuals and organizations assisted escaping slaves hoping to cross the Detroit River from the United States into Canada. The Second Baptist Church of Detroit and First Baptist Church of Amherstburg coordinated ferrying thousands of Blacks across
Essex County - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-739: The City of Windsor. Until 1998 the Essex County Board of Education operated Anglophone secular public schools. Public post-secondary education is available at the University of Windsor , St. Clair College , and more recently Collège Boréal . Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provides pre-hospital treatment and transportation to over 45,000 patients per year. The service operates out of 12 bases, and employs over 260 Primary Care Paramedics . Essex-Windsor EMS covers all of Essex County, Windsor, and Pelee Island. Essex County
2739-729: The Detroit River , and much of the lower portion of the river is part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge . The portion of the river in the city of Detroit has been organized into the Detroit International Riverfront and the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor . The Detroit River is designated both an American Heritage River and a Canadian Heritage River —the only river to have this dual designation. The Detroit River flows for 28 mi (45 km ) from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie . By definition, this classifies it as both
2822-412: The Detroit River but the term "Downriver" refers broadly to the cluster of 18 suburban communities that lie to the southwest of the city of Detroit and to the west of the Detroit River. The Detroit River contains 31 charted islands. The majority of the islands are located on the American side of the river. Many of the islands are small and uninhabited, and none are divided by the international border, as
2905-470: The Detroit River has led to a remarkable restoration, although problems remain. Today, many species of native animals that had been driven out by human development are returning to the area. The river is home to a growing number of bird species such as eagles (including reintroduced bald eagles ), ospreys , and peregrine falcons . Large numbers of lake whitefish , sturgeon , silver bass , black bass , salmon , perch , and walleye are again thriving in
2988-428: The Detroit River into Canada, and Detroit's Colored Vigilant Committee assisted over 1,500 fugitives in crossing into Canada. Famous abolitionists and Underground Railroad conductors including George DeBaptiste and William Lambert worked individually and with these organizations to assist fleeing slaves and condemn slavery. There was considerable transnational fluidity between the Canadian and American sides of
3071-409: The Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, has been used for industrial purposes for more than 100 years. There has been excessive water pollution of the river from the long-term, unregulated dumping of chemicals, industrial waste, garbage, and sewage. Much of the Detroit River and its shoreline were polluted and unsafe for recreational use. Thousands of migrating birds died each year because of
3154-505: The Detroit River, and Lake Erie. Finally, a massive conservation effort was initiated to clean up the Detroit River. For years, the multi-million dollar cost of removing pollutants from the river and the political influence of nearby industries, hindered conservation efforts. In 1998, the Detroit River was designated as an American Heritage River by the US Environmental Protection Agency and in 2001 as
3237-458: The Detroit River. The French later claimed the area for New France . The famed sailing ship Le Griffon reached the mouth of the Detroit River in mid-August 1679 on its maiden voyage through the Great Lakes . Later, when the French began settling in the area, they navigated the river using canoes made of birch or elm bark. Handcrafted vessels were a common mode of travel across the river, and pirogues and bateaux were also used. As
3320-603: The Detroit/American side. Landmarks were named for settler LaSalle and the local Ojibway , which continue to be in use. The first road in Ontario was laid out to connect the settlements, which is now over 200 years old and is known as Former King's Highway 18 (now County Road 20). When river frontage along the Petite Côte was occupied, settlement began to extend toward Lake St. Clair , which became known as
3403-567: The Hudson River and the port of New York City, the Detroit River became a route for many migrating settlers traveling to northern Michigan. Detroit rapidly attracted a share of new residents. Following the Patriot War , in which British regulars and Michigan militia nearly came to armed conflict on the ice-covered Detroit River, the United States built Fort Wayne at Detroit to counter Britain's riverside Fort Malden at Amherstburg across
Essex County - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-478: The Indigenous in the southern half of the current county, located in the four townships formerly known as Gosfield North and South, and Colchester North and South. The British Court made land available for settlement, provided that the colonist complete certain improvements within a year and that it not be used for speculation. This area became known as the "New Settlement" (as compared to the "Old Settlement" of
3569-528: The Township of Pelee are within the Essex census division but are not part of Essex County. The census division had a population of 422,860 as of 2021. Essex County is largely composed of clay-based soils, with sandy soils along the beaches and shores. For the most part, Essex County is flat farmland, with some woodlots . There is a small 30–50 foot (10–15 m) high ridge near Kingsville and Leamington in
3652-644: The US and Upper Canada by the Treaty of Paris of 1783 and the wider set of treaties known as the Peace of Paris , which ended the American Revolution (1775–1783) and overseas European and multi-continental wars. Britain ceded the territory of eastern North America to be the United States . The British built Fort Malden near Amherstburg, opposite Bois Blanc Island , separating the British military presence from
3735-430: The Warden coincides with the frequency of municipal elections in Ontario, in other words a person elected to be Mayor of Leamington, for example, will be a member of County Council for the term that she or he is Mayor. Hilda MacDonald, Mayor of Leamington , was chosen to be Warden at the most recent election. A complete list (from 1853 to present) of the past Wardens of Essex County can be found online. County government
3818-400: The bark, and burned them to clear the way to get to the fertile soils underneath. The fires were so intense, that the reddish glow could be seen from Fort Chicago , 300 miles (500 km) away, as millions of cords of wood burned. Settlement continued southward along the river and was known as Petite Côte (Small Coast), which was a reference to the shorter length of river frontage compared to
3901-458: The booming businesses and long history of Metro Detroit and Windsor, Ontario , the Detroit River has been the site of many artifacts, some lost with sunken ships and others abandoned, such as murder weapons or stolen bronze statues. A DMC DeLorean has also been recovered from the river. The artifacts recovered are well preserved due to the river's fresh water but low visibility makes them difficult to find. A 1940s-era bronze statue depicting
3984-467: The center of a new industry known as rum-running , smuggling liquor into the US. No bridges connected Ontario, Canada and Michigan, US, until the Ambassador Bridge was finished in 1929 and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel in 1930. Smugglers used boats of varying sizes to transport alcohol across the river during the summer, and during the winter months, rum-runners traveled back and forth across
4067-524: The cities. The river's English name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit (translated as "River of the Strait"). The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and Windsor, and is one of the world's busiest waterways. It is an important transportation route connecting Lake Michigan , Lake Huron , and Lake Superior to Lake Erie and eventually to Lake Ontario ,
4150-571: The city of Detroit is directly north of the city of Windsor, Ontario . The only other location where this occurs is Fort Erie, Ontario , which lies south of several cities in Niagara County, New York . The cities and communities southwest of Detroit along the American side of the river are popularly referred to as the Downriver area, because those areas are said to be "down the river" from Detroit. Several of these communities do not border
4233-475: The county after the War of 1812 , the first of which followed Indian trails. Colonel Thomas Talbot contributed to road development, and Talbot Road was named for him. Talbot Road followed a natural ridge of glacial moraine which stretched from Windsor to Point Pelee . The establishment of good roads led to further settlement along the 'Middle Road' and in the area of what is now Leamington . Settlers of this era were often emigrants from Britain and Ireland; in
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#17327718992244316-555: The first towns established in Essex County, both in 1796 after the British finally ceded and evacuated Fort Detroit along the Detroit River under the terms of the " Jay Treaty ". This was negotiated by John Jay , and signed in 1794 following the American Revolutionary War. It was intended to settle the US northern boundary with Canada. It upheld the original boundary lines along the Great Lakes between
4399-478: The forests were being removed to make way for farmland. Also noticeable in some farmers' fields are oil pumps , particularly near Belle River and Leamington , in the northern and eastern parts of the county, respectively. This is from oil shale within the bedrock of the Marcellus Formation . In 1992, discussions began to take place to reduce the number of individual municipalities, which at
4482-504: The frozen Detroit River by car. In some cases, overloaded cars fell through the ice. In the 21st century, car parts from this era are occasionally still found on the bottom of the river. Rum-running in Windsor and production of bootleg liquor became common practices. American mobsters such as the Purple Gang of Detroit used violence to control the route known as the "Detroit-Windsor Funnel," and continue to gain lucrative returns from
4565-440: The general area. Major products of the greenhouse industry, in addition to tomatoes, are peppers , cannabis , cucumbers , roses , and other flowers . Major employers include Highbury Canco, Aphria , FortDearborn, Highline Mushrooms, Elring-Klinger , Nature Fresh Farms, Hub International , Lakeside Produce and AMCO Farms. Essex County is home to 13 VQA wineries that are a part of Ontario's southernmost appellation . At
4648-413: The government's placing tighter restrictions on industries; substantial government funding at various levels has been allocated to clean up the river. In this early period, opponents believed that such efforts would adversely affect Detroit's industry and economy. In 1970, toxic levels of mercury in the water resulted in the total closing of the fishing industry in the St. Clair River , Lake St. Clair ,
4731-601: The more heavily populated area of Sandwich upstream, and positioned strategically to control the entrance of the river from Lake Erie and Lake Huron to the north. The populations of both towns were augmented by people immigrating from the southern United States after the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), including from the new City of Detroit , who chose to remain British subjects , known as " Loyalists " or " United Empire Loyalists ". After
4814-457: The north and Lake Erie to the south, with other portions including the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair . The Detroit River is only 0.5–2.5 miles (0.8–4.0 km) wide. It begins with an east-to-west flow from Lake St. Clair, but curves and runs north to south. The deepest portion of the Detroit River is 53 feet (16.2 m) in its northern portion. At its source, the river is at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m) above sea level. The river
4897-412: The oil slicks and contaminated water around the mouth of the Detroit River at Lake Erie . The river's oxygen levels were depleted to the point where fish could not inhabit its waters. Because this pollution often drained into and affected Lake Erie, the lake was considered "dead" and unable to support aquatic life. In 1961, a congressional order founded the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge. That began
4980-905: The other towns of the county. Other railway lines were built that connected settlements in Kingsville, Harrow, Essex and Leamington. Essex County was also a destination of the Underground Railroad . In the 19th-century Black Americans came to Essex county by way of Pelee's Point , Gosfield (now Kingsville ), Colchester , Sandwich , and Windsor . Those who stayed in the area settled in the communities of Fort Malden , Sandwich , New Canaan , Mersea , and nearby Dawn Settlement (now Dresden ), Buxton (now North Buxton and South Buxton ), Chatham , and Elgin . The major settlement areas were Amherstburg and Windsor . The John Freeman Walls Historic Site in Maidstone ( Lakeshore )
5063-481: The privately owned Ambassador Bridge , both of which connect Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario. A railway tunnel and a commercial truck ferry service also travel between Detroit and Windsor. In Michigan, there are two bridges connecting the mainland to Grosse Ile , as well as the MacArthur Bridge that connects the mainland Detroit to Belle Isle . All ports of entry on the American side are secured by
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#17327718992245146-496: The river lives in Michigan . The Detroit River has two automobile traffic crossings connecting the United States and Canada: the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel . Both of these are strongly protected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency . The upper portion of the river is one of the two places where a Canadian city lies directly south of an American city. In this case,
5229-476: The river until the middle of the 19th century. The 1833 Blackburn Riots in Detroit, which erupted after slave hunters detained couple Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, marked the end of hundreds of years of a nearly porous border between Canada and the United States on the Detroit River. Detroit's African American population protested and helped the Blackburns escape across the Detroit River to Upper Canada, where
5312-407: The river's flow is relatively constant. The Detroit River forms a major element of the international border between the United States and Canada. The river on the American side is all under the jurisdiction of Wayne County, Michigan , and the Canadian side is under the administration of Essex County, Ontario . The largest city along the Detroit River is Detroit , and most of the population along
5395-544: The river. The Detroit River and its recovery efforts were listed as a Michigan State Historic Site in 2007. A historic marker was erected along the river in a park that now serves as the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge visitor center in the city of Trenton . The Detroit River is used for shipping and trading. The earliest use of the river for these economic activities was the shipping of furs for trade as early as
5478-510: The river. The Detroit River served as a final stop on the Underground Railroad and was the most active entry point along the United States–Canada border for fugitive slaves. Escaping slaves often chose to cross through the Detroit River rather than flee to Mexico because of the river's location near free states made it less risky than traveling through slaveholding states that border Mexico. The strong Underground Railroad networks in
5561-499: The river. Despite the name, this is not a river as such but rather a strait connecting Lake Huron and the smaller Lake Saint Clair in the north to Lake Erie in the south, as part of the Great Lakes . Lower down the river, lands were occupied by native people known as Wyandot or Huron, around the Jesuit Catholic Mission of Bois Blanc (French for White Wood), opposite the island of the same name. The Mission
5644-416: The river. Inventory documents record a total of 17 cannons and 14 have been accounted for. It is believed that the British dragged the cannons onto the frozen river so they would sink with the spring thaw, and be kept from use by the American enemy. Another seven, larger cannons may have fallen off a barge closer to Amherstburg , Ontario , and may yet be found in the river. Much of the land that surrounds
5727-616: The same latitude as the Mediterranean , the Lake Erie North Shore Region provides a unique climate in a continental region. Essex County also has an official tartan . The tartan's colours correspond to different meanings. Detroit River The Detroit River is an international river in North America . The river, which forms part of the border between the U.S. state of Michigan and
5810-498: The southern part of the county, and large marshland near Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, and Point Pelee National Park . Lake St. Clair is located north, the Detroit River to the west, and the western basin of Lake Erie to the south. Essex County hosts some of the warmest summer weather in Canada , given that it is the southernmost part of Canada. It has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ) with four distinct seasons and
5893-529: The time numbered 21 in the county. This culminated on January 1, 1999, when a Minister's Order by the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing was implemented, putting in place the new municipal structure for the County of Essex. Townships: Towns: As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Essex County had a population of 422,860 living in 165,787 of its 174,446 total private dwellings,
5976-408: The title Essex County . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Essex_County&oldid=1132871510 " Categories : Disambiguation pages County name disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
6059-472: The towns of Amherstburg and Sandwich. Settlers in this area included Hessians who fought for the British against the American rebels, (especially known in history at the Battle of Trenton in New Jersey on the morning of December 26, 1776) and Pennsylvania Dutch pacifists (ethnic German Mennonites , many from Pennsylvania ). In 1791, the province of Upper Canada was formed. In 1792, Upper Canada
6142-505: The trade. The name parodied the newly built tunnel between the cities and nations. The Detroit River, Lake St. Clair , and the St. Clair River are estimated to have carried 75% of all liquor smuggled into the United States during Prohibition. Government officials were unable or unwilling to deter the flow. The rum-running industry died when prohibition was repealed in 1933 by the Twenty-first Amendment . Because of
6225-466: The two countries do not share a land border along the river. Grosse Ile is the largest and most populated of all islands, and Fighting Island is the largest Canadian island. Most islands are located in the southern portion of the river. Europeans first recorded navigating the Detroit River in the 17th century. The Iroquois traded furs with the Dutch colonists at New Amsterdam by traveling through
6308-465: The world. By comparison, London shipped 18,727,230 tons (16 billion kg), and New York shipped 20,390,953 tons (18 billion kg). From 1920 to 1933, the United States (US) enforced the Prohibition era . The sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption were nationally banned. Detroit, as the largest city bordering Canada, where alcohol remained legal during Prohibition, became
6391-576: Was controlled by the British Empire and remained neutral in the war. The Union feared the CSA would cross the Detroit River to launch this attack. For that reason, Union forces regularly patrolled the Detroit River and the fortification at Fort Wayne improved, although it was far removed from any major combat. A Confederate plot to capture the U.S. Navy warship, USS Michigan , and liberate Confederate prisoners from Johnson Island , in western Lake Erie,
6474-671: Was divided into nineteen counties, of which Essex was the eighteenth and part of the Western District . At that time, the eastern boundary of Essex County extended further east into what is now Kent County . Settlement continued: on January 1, 1800, an Act for the Better Division of the Province established the Townships of Rochester, Mersea, Gosfield, Maidstone, Sandwich and Malden. Longer roads began to appear in
6557-622: Was eventually abandoned and re-established closer to what became Sandwich Township after the British took over the French territory following the Seven Years' War. It was closer to the safety of the British-fortified Fort Detroit . When farmers arrived, they encountered difficulty in trying to clear the extremely thick forests that covered Essex County. The farmers grew to "hate" the trees, and chopped them down, starved them from nourishment by cutting deep gashes in
6640-554: Was known literally as the "River of the Strait". When Great Britain defeated the French in the Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War on the American front), it took over control of the Detroit River, as well as other French territory east of the Mississippi River. The newly formed United States claimed this territory during the American Revolution , but the British did not transfer it until 1796. During
6723-610: Was narrowly averted only after the Confederates had captured two passenger steamships. At the beginning of the 20th century, Detroit's industrialization took off on an unprecedented scale. The Detroit River became the world's busiest commercial river and in 1908 was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth" by The Detroit News . In 1907, the Detroit River carried 67,292,504 tons (61 billion kg) of shipping commerce through Detroit to markets all over
6806-543: Was one of the first counties to be settled by non-indigenous people in Upper Canada , later to become Ontario . The settlements were mostly established by French settlers in the mid-18th century. Around 1749, the first permanent settlements began to appear on what is now the south or Canadian side of the Detroit River , across from the French Fort Detroit. They cultivated long, narrow plots of land along
6889-588: Was recovered during a July 1992 project, and the anchor was installed in the yard of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle . Since the 1980s, divers have recovered a total of six 1700s-era cannons from the river. The last was found in 2011 near the Cobo Center . They are believed to have been part of the pre- War of 1812 inventory kept by the British garrison in this area. Historians believe another three cannon may still be in
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