Historic Waterloo
Discover the history of Waterloo through its built and natural heritage. Explore the people, places and stories that shaped Waterloo’s early history.
- Uptown Waterloo
- Meet: Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, 25 Caroline Street North
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Availability: April - November
- Distance Covered: 2 - 2.5 km
- Price: $30/person + HST
- Group Rate: 10% discount for 18 - 20 ppl
Referencing Waterloo’s Indigenous roots but focusing on the City’s over 200 years of European settler history, this walk strolls through its beginnings as a Mennonite mill site in a swamp to its current status as “one of North America’s premier tech hubs.”
We visit the locations of Waterloo’s earliest buildings: Abraham Erb’s grist mill that was more than just a mill for locals and the early town hall and market that are no longer. We’ll introduce Waterloo’s first developer, John Hoffman and how early buyers bought a plot of land by auction from the back of a wagon!
The tour wraps up with the industrial book of the 1880s – early 1900s, the sophistication of the Victorian era and the birth of the City in 1948, its rebirth as an urban shopping centre in 1960, and its continuing evolution.
Special attention is paid to buildings erected during each phase of Waterloo’s development (and still standing!)
Led By: Kae Elgie and Phil Elsworthy
Accessibility: Great accessibility. Route follows city sidewalks. We do not enter any buildings.
Historic Waterloo Walking Tour Details
Of course, we have the obligatory Liability Waiver and Release form that must be signed by each person in advance of joining the walk. Why a waiver for a walking tour, you ask? Couldn’t get insurance without it. Stroll pays insurance… you sign the waiver.
A sense of curiosity, a few questions and a willingness to learn something you didn’t know before.
Of course, dress for the weather; bring a hat, water bottle, umbrella, solid walking shoes (no flip flops!) and anything else you need to be comfortable on the walk.
We walk rain or shine or snow!
However, we do heed storm watches and warnings and would never put you in danger. Stroll may cancel and reschedule a walk due to an issued weather advisory.
We don’t make scheduled bathroom breaks along the walking route. Please attend to personal needs before or after the walking tour.
Twice a year Stroll hosts a series of public walking tours in the spring and fall. Make sure you are on the Stroll newsletter list so you know when they are available!
Absolutely! The walking tour guides have chosen routes with the best possible accessibility in order to accommodate as many people as possible. However, construction happens and we do our best to re-route safely.
If you have any questions about the accessibility of a specific walk, please contact us in advance of booking.
We’ll say it again… Always arrive 10-15 minutes ahead of time! If you arrive exactly at departure time, you’re already late! If you arrive really late, your walking tour will likely be shorter than you planned for.
Public Tours: We start on time so you might miss the introduction. If you’re really late, you might miss the tour if we’ve already moved on.
We know you’re a curious bunch so we’ve been preparing blog posts with additional resources from many of the walking tours. Happy reading!
