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• Honourable James Young 1835-1913, The
  Born in Galt, Young was educated locally, and from 1853-63 was editor and publisher of the Dumfries Reformer. From 1867-78 he represented South Waterloo in the Canadian parliament, and from 1879-86 was member for North Brant in the Ontario legislature. Appointed provincial treasurer in 1883, he was compelled by illness to resign the post four months later, though he remained a member until 1886. A frequent speaker and writer on commercial affairs, Young was also...

• Founder of Preston, The
  Born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, John Erb (1764-1832) was a Mennonite of Swiss ancestry. He came to Upper Canada in 1805, acquired 7,500 acres of land from the German Land Company, and settled on the site of Preston. The following year, he built a sawmill and, in 1807, a grist-mill around which the community grew. The numerous descendants of John Erb and his relatives have played an important role in the development of Waterloo County. This town, known as "Cambridge Mills," was renamed after Preston, England.

• Galt City Hall
  This attractive public building was designed and built in 1857-58 by H.B. Sinclair, a local resident, as a "Town Hall and Market House." Galt had become an incorporated town on January 1, 1857, and the first mayor, Morris C. Lutz, was elected by the new council that month. On May 13, he laid the cornerstone of this structure. It is classical in general style, and the "Italianate," particularly Tuscan, influence is quite predominant. Various additions were made in later years and, in 1963-64, a thorough rehabilitation of the building was carried out.

• Sergeant Frederick Hobson, VC 1873-1917
  An Englishman, Frederick Hobson emigrated to Canada in 1904 after serving in the South African War. Eight years later, he moved to Galt (now Cambridge) with his family. When war broke out in 1914, he joined the Norfolk Rifles, then enlisted with the 20th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his heroic action at Hill 70, near Lens, France on August 18, 1917. During an intense German...

• Tassie's School
  The Galt Grammar School was established in 1852 in a former township hall and William Tassie (1815-1866) became headmaster the following year. Previously assistant headmaster at the Gore District Schoolboard in Hamilton, Tassie had come to Canada from Dublin in 1834. Under his direction the Galt School, familiarly known as "Tassie's" attained widespread recognition and attracted students from all over the continent. In 1853 the school was moved to a stone building which forms part...