Ajax in Durham Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The Founding of Ajax
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La Fondation D’Ajax
Photographed by Tim Boyd, October 3, 2024
1. The Founding of Ajax Marker
In 1941, the Government of Canada established a shell-filling plant operated by Defence Industries Limited on this site. During its peak of production, over 9,000 people from across the country lived and worked at the operation. The company town consisted of 600 houses and support facilities, and together with the factory, covered 2,846 acres (1,152 hectares) of land. The community was named after the British ship HMS Ajax, which, with two others, defeated the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate in 1939. After the Second World War, Ajax was the site of a temporary campus for a division of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Applied Sciences and Engineering, for thousands of returning veterans, until 1948. Under the administration of the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the community continued to grow and attract new industries. Ajax was incorporated as a town in 1954.
Ontario Heritage Trust, an agency of the Government of Ontario
En 1941, le gouvernement du Canada crée une usine de remplissage d'obus, qui est exploitée sur ce site par Defence Industries Limited. Durant son pic de production, plus de 9 000 personnes venant de tout le pays travaillent à l'usine et vivent sur place. La «ville de compagnie» est constituée de 600 maisons et installations de soutien, qui couvrent, avec l'usine, 2 846 acres (1 152 hectares) de terrain. La communauté tire son nom du navire britannique HMS Ajax, qui a vaincu le cuirassé allemand Admiral Graf Spee, avec l'aide de deux autres croiseurs, lors de la bataille du Rio de la Plata, en 1939. Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, Ajax sert temporairement de campus pour une division de la Faculté des sciences appliquées et du génie de l'Université de Toronto, qui accueille des milliers d'anciens combattants jusqu'en 1948. Sous la direction de la Société centrale d'hypothèques et de logement, la collectivité continue de grandir et d'attirer de nouvelles industries. La ville d'Ajax est constituée en personne morale en 1954.
Fiducie du patrimoine ontarien, un organisme du gouvernement de l'Ontario
Erected by Ontario
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1941.
Location. 43° 51.035′ N, 79° 1.234′ W. Marker is in Ajax, Ontario, in Durham Region. It is on Harwood Avenue South, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax ON L1S L1S, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Toronto, specifically on the Golden Horseshoe, in the York, Durham and Headwaters Area, and in the Toronto Metropolitan Area. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: D.I.L. Defence Industries limited
Photographed by Tim Boyd, October 3, 2024
2. The Founding of Ajax / La Fondation D’Ajax Marker
Photographed by Tim Boyd, October 3, 2024
3. The Founding of Ajax / La Fondation D’Ajax Marker
4. HMS Ajax
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 1,440 times since then and 173 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 19, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
