Mooretown in Lambton County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

The Early Riverfront Townships

St. George’s Square Commemorative Park

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 11, 2025

1. The Early Riverfront Townships Marker

Inscription. The first block of land in Lambton County and the first township to be established within the bounds of the present St. Clair Township was purchased from the Chippewa First Nation by the Crown in 1796. It was named Shawanese Township and was known by alternate spellings. The township was partially surveyed in 1811 for Lord Selkirk's Baldoon Settlement, and fully surveyed and established in 1820. Shawanese Township was renamed Sombra by Sir Peregrine Maitland, the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, by 1820. A veteran of the Napoleonic Peninsular War in Spain, he felt that "Sombra" , the Spanish word for "shade", best described the dense forest canopy that shaded the ground as a sombrero would. The area north of Sombra Township and south of Lake Huron was known alternatively as either the St. Clair District or Township. Moore Township was surveyed and established in 1829 when St. Clair District was divided into Moore and Sarnia Townships. Moore Township and Mooretown were named after General Sir John Moore who was killed in the battle of La Coruña, Spain in 1809. In 1823 Corunna was surveyed as a possible location for

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the capital of the united provinces of Upper Canada (now Ontario) and Lower Canada (now Québec). The centre square of Corunna was to be set aside for the Parliament buildings and was named St. George's Square in honour of the patron saint of England.

Erected 2017 by Heritage St. Clair.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1796.

Location. 42° 50.554′ N, 82° 27.825′ W. Marker is in Mooretown, Ontario, in Lambton County. It is on Emily Street 0.1 kilometers north of Victoria Street, on the left when traveling north. The marker is front of the St. Clair Township Civic Centre. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1157 Emily St, Mooretown ON N0N 1M0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Southwest Ontario Area

and in Southwestern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 11, 2025

2. The Early Riverfront Townships Marker

colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: St. Clair Township’s Family Tree (here, next to this marker); Township of Moore (a few steps from this marker); St. Clair Inn (approx. 2.4 kilometers away in the U.S.); The Early Years of Stewart James (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); Stewart James, “The Einstein of Magicians” (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); a different marker also named Stewart James (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); The Later Years Stewart James (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); The City of St. Clair (approx. 2.6 kilometers away in the U.S.). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mooretown.

Map of Upper Canada, 1837, showing the early riverfront townships image. Click for full size.

3. Map of Upper Canada, 1837, showing the early riverfront townships

Still part of the Western District

St. George’s Square Commemorative Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 11, 2025

4. St. George’s Square Commemorative Park

Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 15, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 188 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 15, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.