What's In A Name: "A" not "E"

What's In A Name: "A" not "E". . St. Catharines, the largest city in the Niagara Region, is synonymous with festivals, sporting events, heritage, and wine country. With a newly revitalized downtown, complete with fantastic arts and entertainment venues and foodie-approved dining options, it's become a must-visit destination for anyone who appreciates artisanal influences, fresh farm-to-table cuisine and the growing craft beverage industry. , The land area that became St. Catharines has had a few names before finally settling on the current name and spellng. , In the 19th century, the town was also sometimes called Shipman's Corner which referred to Paul Shipman's Tavern located at the corner of Ontario and St Paul Streets and was the stagecoach stop for travellers through the area. , The town was also sometimes referred to as The Twelve, in reference to its location along Twelve Mile Creek, at the confluence of two Indigenous trails. The growth of European settlement around these established trails in what is today's downtown, became the location of the fledgling community. , The first use of the name St. Catharines to refer to this place was in February 1796 in reference to the building of a church named St. Catharines on land deeded by Robert Hamilton in 1798. While the original church has not survived, the name has stuck. This reflects the Loyalist settlement in the area as the spelling was the typical American spelling in the period. There have been several theories of where the name originated but this is the most likely one. , By the middle of the 19th century, the name St. Catharines was in common usage, although even into the 20th century spelling is sometimes confused. Since amalgamation in 1961, the name St. Catharines has come to include the former towns of Merritton, Port Dalhousie, and Grantham Township.