The first settler to Aylmer Ontario was John Van Patter, an American from New York State who obtained 200 acres of land in 1817 on what is now the present day site of Aylmer. Originally called Troy, it was renamed Aylmer in 1835 after Lord Aylmer, then Governor-in-Chief of British North America. By the mid 1800’s the town boasted several saw mills and flour mills powered by the Catfish Creek. Aylmer became a marketing centre for the area, dfue in part from the construction of the Canada Air Line Railway from Glencoe to Fort Erie.
The Town of Aylmers’ gateway was installed in July of 2004 on John Street North and is represented by large rocks weighing 5000 pounds in total. The Old Town Hall was built in 1874 with the first floor being used for Municipal and Police Offices, Council Meetings and Court Hearings. The second floor hosted minstrel shows, public meetings and social gatherings.
Today the first floor is home to the Public Library. The second floor was restored in 1988 into an Opera House and is available for rentals.
Aylmer is also the home of Rush Creek Wines, with tours and tastings available daily.
