Ruthven in Kingsville in Essex County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda
⎯⎯⎯
L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda side of marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 15, 2026

1. Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda side of marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda. The Universalist faith developed in New England in the late 1700s and reached Canada in the early 1800s. Its central doctrine of universal salvation made it more liberal and inclusive than most Christian churches of the day. Local farmer Michael Fox began organizing Universalist services in the hamlet of Olinda around 1860. Twenty-three men and women formed a congregation in 1880 and built this church the following year. It was one of six Universalist churches in Ontario at the time. From 1938 until 1961, when the Universalists merged with the Unitarians, it was the only Universalist church in the province. This church is the oldest in Canada used continuously by a Universalist or Unitarian congregation.

L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda. La foi universaliste, développée en Nouvelle-Angleterre à la fin du XVIIIe siecle, arrive au Canada au début du XIXe Sa doctrine du salut universel en fait une religion plus libérale et plus ouverte que la plupart des religions chrétiennes de l'époque. Un agriculteur local, Michael Fox, commence à organiser des services

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universalistes dans le hameau d'Olinda vers 1860. En 1880 vingt-trois hommes et femmes forment une congrégation qui construit cette église l'année suivante. Cétait une des six églises universalistes en Ontario à cette époque. De 1938 a 1961, lorsque les universalistes se joignent aux unitariens, elle devient la seule église univer saliste de la province. Cette église est la plus vieille au, Canada utilisée sans interruption par une congregation universaliste ou unitarienne.

Erected by Ontario Heritage Foundation.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust, and the Unitarian Universalism (UUism) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.

Location. 42° 5.222′ N, 82° 40.29′ W. Marker is in Kingsville, Ontario, in Essex County. It is in Ruthven. It is at the intersection of Olinda Side Road and Road 5 East, on the right when traveling south on Olinda Side Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2953 Olinda Side Rd, Kingsville ON N0P 2G0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda side of marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 15, 2026

2. L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda side of marker

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 colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 24 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Founding of Leamington (approx. 6.8 kilometers away); Essex Terminal Railway Caboose (approx. 15.8 kilometers away); Essex Railway Station (approx. 15.9 kilometers away); 6305 Main Street (approx. 19.2 kilometers away); First Baptist Church, Puce / Première Église Baptiste de Puce (approx. 22.6 kilometers away); Puce River Black Community (approx. 22.9 kilometers away); The Founding of Belle River / La Fondation de Belle-Rivière (approx. 22.9 kilometers away); Middle Island / Île Middle (approx. 23.6 kilometers away).

Also see . . . UU History: Our European and North American Roots.

Crossing to North America
Unitarianism
Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 15, 2026

3. Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda / L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda Marker
To the right of the church building
and Universalism came to this continent over two centuries ago. John Murray brought his Universalism with him from England, preaching his first sermon in America in 1770. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, leaders of the American Revolution, were Unitarians. All three lived for periods in France on diplomatic missions, moving in Enlightenment circles there.

In New England, Unitarianism took root in the liberal wing of the Congregational church. This wing formed the American Unitarian Association in 1825. The Universalists began forming their own association in 1785. The Unitarians were tied in with the Boston establishment throughout the 19th and well into the 20th century.

The Canadian Connection
In the 1820s, Unitarians began showing up in Canada from England, Ireland and New England. The Unitarian Church of Montreal was founded in 1842, the Universalist Halifax church in 1843, the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto in 1845.

(Submitted on May 24, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario.)

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda in 2026 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 15, 2026

4. Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda in 2026

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 24, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 17 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 24, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda⎯⎯⎯L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda

Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda
⎯⎯⎯
L’Église Universaliste Unitarienne d’Olinda