The Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower was built in 1926 in Kitchener to commemorate the arrival of the Pennsylvania Dutch to Southwestern Ontario. It was conceived by William Henry Breithaupt, who wanted to heal wounds of nationalism fomented in the city during World War I.
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Homer Watson House & Gallery
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2023 September 4★ A historic look out tower erected in 1925. As the sign reads:
WATERLOO PIONEERS In the year 1800 a small number of Mennonite families arrived from Pennsylvania to settle Block 2, former Six Nations land along the Grand River Mennonites, followed during the next three years until problems regarding ownership of the land curtailed the migration. Representatives were sent back to Pennsylvania to raise the money necessary to secure clear title to the land, with the result that a joint stock company was formed and 60,000 acres purchased. Pennsylvania Dutch settlers quickly took up this land, creating the first sizeable inland settlement in Upper Canada.
Located beside Kuntz Park and parking available.
Not opened to the public typically. Special events such as Doors Open allow access. Staffed by...
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Beautiful little tower located in the Deer Ridge neighborhood, beside the Walter Bean Trail. The massive houses that have been built right beside the tower take away from the ambiance. The tower was built in 1926 to commemorate the arrival of the Pennsylvania Dutch to Southern Ontario. The tower is built on a site once cleared by the first pioneers who settled the area. It stands on a ridge overlooking the Grand River.
The tower is constructed of rounded fieldstone, which have been collected from the surrounding land. It tapers to a height of 18.9m (62ft), has a copper roof and is topped by a weather vane shaped as a...
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I remember visiting this site as a child and wondering its significance. Apparently my family was one of the pioneers commemorated for settling in the general area. Visited again a couple of years ago to see what was once a rural setting is now a suburban parkland with a children's playground adjacent and part of a trailway in Kitchener. Parking available and site is barrier free for people with mobility challenges but there's some gravel to overcome on your way to the tower. A nice place as a tribute to some of the area's founding members. Limited parking,...
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