Mitchell is a community in Perth County, Ontario, Canada. Mitchell is located at the intersection of Highways 8 and 23, 20 km west of Stratford, and 60 km northeast of London. Mitchell was founded in 1836 when the Canada Company laid out a town plot and John Hicks, one of the first settlers of the area, erected a new hotel near the Thames River, where the historic Hicks House building in downtown Mitchell stands. A sawmill was built in 1842, as well as new stores and businesses, contributing to the town's growth. In 1857, Mitchell was incorporated as a village, and in 1874, was incorporated as a town with a population of 2,000. On January 1, 1998, the town amalgamated into the new Municipality of West Perth. As of 2001, the former town of Mitchell has a population of 4,022. The town's major employers include Parmalat Canada, makers of dairy products, and Cooper Standard Automotive, the Canadian centre for the company's automotive parts research and development program. Mitchell is mainly an agricultural community, with large amounts of farm land surrounding the town. Mitchell is a town that is also constantly involved in sports. They have hockey teams, baseball teams, ringette teams, and they have many chances for people who like sports to sign up. In the educational sector, Mitchell has three schools, Upper Thames Elementary, Mitchell Public, and Mitchell District High School. Upper Thames Elemantary School is a school from J.K. to 8. This school takes mostly farm kids and the ones that come from Mitchell Public. It is a school that has many activities and fundraisers. Mitchell Public School is a school from J.K. to 6, and is a school that is better for intown children. Mitchell and District High School is a school from 9-12. It is a school that has many extra-curricular activities, including music, sports and mechanics. Mitchell is home to the Mitchell Hawks, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League. Their home ice pad is located on Wellington street. The Mitchell Arena and Community Center is always filled with children and adults alike who just love to skate. Mitchell is the birth place of famous hockey legend Howie Morenz.
Places of Worship in Mitchell
- Bethel Free Reformed Church (Pastor Joel Overduin)
External links
- Municipality of West Perth
- Mitchell Advocate, the community's weekly newspaper
- Mitchell, ON Weather, from The Weather Network.
