Hensall, Ontario
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Hensall is a community in Huron County, Ontario, Canada. Hensall is located where Huron Road 84 running east from Zurich bisects Huron Road 4 running north from Exeter. Firmly rooted in the heart of Huron County's rich agricultural land, Hensall is home to three large processing facilities: Thompsons Limited, Hensall Co-op and Cook's Division of Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd. Here, thousands of tons of beans are annually processed, packaged and shipped world-wide. Hensall's stature as the White Bean Capital of Canada is built on growth and development that began in the 1800s with traditional farming methods.
George and James Petty, two brothers from Yorkshire, England (locale of the original Hensall), are credited with founding Hensall in the 1870s. With incredible foresight, the Petty brothers gave property (then valued at $10/acre!) to the railroad, on the condition that the proposed rail line run through their Village. By 1876, the London-Huron-Bruce Rail Line was active and the Village of Hensall quickly grew around that busy transportation venue. After only one year, the settlement's population already numbered between 300 and 400!
Rail access was instrumental in attracting the popular businesses of the day: various mills used the London-Huron-Bruce Line to ship large quantities of barley and other crops. The line acquired the moniker of 'The Bread and Butter Express' because farm wives transported produce to London's Covent Garden Market each morning on the 8:22 a.m. train.
Hensall became a Police Village in 1884, and by 1888, the village was booming. Hensall's market was known as the best west of Toronto. Numerous businesses became established to accommodate the growing population; by the late 1890s, Hensall boasted six grocery stores! In 1896, Hensall was incorporated as a Village and the early 1900s brought another distinction to this thriving hub: Hensall's Jenny Smillie became Canada's first female surgeon. Dr. Smillie conducted a practise in Toronto most of her life, living to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Today Hensall has a population of around 1000 people and is still growing to this day.
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