Jason Aldean sings of ‘Flyover States’. More commonly though, we have ‘drive-through towns’. You know the ones – don’t blink or you’ll miss it…
Just like those flyover states, there’s a lot to see if you take the time to look. Sure, if you blink, you just might miss it. But, if you don’t stop, you won’t see the magic that’s waiting for you.
Palmerston, Ontario is one of those towns. Located at the junction of highway 23 and the highway formerly known as 9, it’s midway through the alternate route from London to Newmarket and points beyond. If you want to avoid freeway driving in the GTA, this is your road to take.
I’ve driven this road hundreds of times (maybe slightly exaggerated) and I’ve never stopped. That is, until this week. I’ve always wondered what the long black steel structure was to the south of the highway. Barely noticeable from the car but showing enough to peak one’s curiosity. It turns out, it’s Ontario’s longest pedestrian bridge.
There’s more info on this lovely town below. In between, we’ve got a driving tour video through town and into the parking lot of the Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum. Below that, a photo gallery from the area around that museum, also known as Lions Heritage Park. Trust me, it’s a gem.
If you want the true historical lowdown on this place, don’t take my word for it. You must check out the Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum website!
Palmerston, Ontario Video
This short video includes a driving tour down the main street from east to west, along with a loop back to the parking lot at the museum.
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Video edited with Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2018.
Palmerston, Ontario Photo Gallery
Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t the best for lighting, arriving near noon. But, the shots came out decent. All were taken with my new Tamron 18-200mm lens (click for more info). The quality is good and the range eliminates the need for multiple lenses.
The photos may have been cropped to fit the gallery format. For full size versions, simply click on the individual pictures.
High resolution versions of these images and other photos from the same day are available at Dreamstime. Want to earn cash from your own photos? Why not sign up for free with Dreamstime and start submitting now: Become a paid photographer!
About Palmerston (Town of Minto)
When I was a kid, my Dad worked for Bell Canada in London, Ontario. From time to time, he was sent on the road to work out of town. Often, he stayed in Palmerston. They were put up in the hotel that is now known as King Hotel. He always talked about taking the family there for a weekend. Back in the day, that hotel was the destination with amenities that are now somewhat common but were a big deal then. We never did go.
The town came to exist as the direct result of the railroad. The Wellington Grey and Bruce put down tracks in 1871. Palmerston was established as a town in 1875. More on the rail history below.
Located in Wellington County, there are less than 3,000 residents. Since 1999, it has been part of the larger Town of Minto. Minto has just under 9,000 residents.
Downtown Toronto is 145 kilometres to the southeast. Kitchener is a bit closer at 65 KM away. London is 113 kilometres to the southwest. As mentioned, what all Ontario residents still call Highway 9 runs through downtown, meeting up with Highway 23 on the west end of town.
Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum
The town might not be so much an overnight destination but you could spend a good part of the day in and around the Railway Heritage Museum. The grounds are beautiful and it hosts a farmer’s market every Saturday morning.
There are a few sets of tracks but they no longer go anywhere. There are a couple of boxcars and a caboose on display. At the other end of the Lions Heritage Park is ‘Old 81’. This steam engine was built in 1910 for the Grand Trunk Railway by the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston, Ontario. It was donated to the town in 1959 by the Canadian National Railway.
The railroad first came through town in 1871. Two years later, it housed a repair shed, roundtable and roundhouse, becoming a major maintenance centre for the Wellington Grey and Bruce Railway. That railway was later taken over by the Grand Trunk Railway and later the CNR.
At it’s peak, around 1910, up to 40 trains were passing through Palmerston. But, steam trains were being replaced by diesel and the services provided in town were becoming obsolete. By 1959, the roundhouse and turntable were removed.
Passenger service ceased in 1970. CNR eventually abandoned the tracks and station in 1982. Most of the tracks were torn up in 1996 with just a small section in the park preserved.
Pedestrian Bridge
As the story goes, they built the town around the railroad. However, they built the schools on the opposite side of the tracks from where everyone lived.
With those 40 trains per day passing through town, the situation was a bit dangerous for the students and other residents. It was decided to construct a pedestrian bridge.
The bridge was completed in 1912, ironically as the rail traffic began to shrink. It is reported to be the longest pedestrian bridge in the province of Ontario. In 2008, it was closed and restored with the help of government funding. The funding ensured that this marvel will stand for at least another 75 years.
What’s Up With The Small Towns?
2020 was supposed to be packed with video and photography from the Caribbean, United States and exotic parts of Canada. Then COVID-19 came along.
I’ve decided to take a stab at exploring the small towns in my home province. This look at Palmerston is the first in an initial five towns I was able to grab footage from on a single trip from home to London for a visit with family.
My YouTube forte has been driving tour videos of medium to large cities in Canada and the U.S. How would small towns work? Well, the numbers just a day after publishing the video above are great and might mean the rest of my summer schedule has just gained clarity.
And, if that’s the case. If people want to see and read about small town Ontario, I’m thrilled! I love driving around my home province and if readers and viewers want to see more, I’m excited to bring it to them. The thing is, I’ve discovered so much over the years but I know there’s so much more waiting to be found.
Next stop on the Small Town Ontario Tour: St. Marys
Stay tuned for more…
