CENTRE WELLINGTON – While much is already known about Richard Pierpoint, who was designated a national historic person by Parks Canada in 2020, the township is interested in further developing its understanding of the Pierpoint Settlement and is commencing a research project to learn more.
Pierpoint is recognized as the earliest known non-Indigenous settlement within Centre Wellington.
It is associated with the early Black Canadian community and is a significant piece of the township’s history and the history of Black Canadians.
The Pierpoint Settlement, located on the Grand River just east of Fergus, was considered as a potential Cultural Heritage Landscape (CHL) as part of the township’s recent CHL Study and Inventory (2021).
Given that physical evidence associated with the settlement has yet to be uncovered and its precise historical location is still unknown, the Pierpoint Settlement was not identified as a CHL at that time.
Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI) has been retained to conduct additional research to further understand the history, location, and significance of the Pierpoint Settlement and, in consultation with the public and stakeholders, to determine appropriate protection, interpretation, and commemoration strategies to recognize and broaden awareness of Pierpoint’s history.
“This is our opportunity to thoroughly research and understand the early Pierpoint Settlement and its history in Centre Wellington” said Mayor Kelly Linton.
“As part of the research, we are now reaching out to our community and asking our residents and the broader public to share information regarding the Pierpoint Settlement that will assist in our overall goal in ensuring significant cultural heritage resources in our community are recognized.
“Thank you to ASI and our staff for undertaking this important step in learning more about Pierpoint’s history, location and significance.”
The township understands that various individuals, academics, authors, institutions, and organizations may be able to provide information as it undertakes additional historical research into the Pierpoint settlement and its early settlers.
While ASI will be reaching out to many stakeholders identified to date, we are looking to the public to provide us with any additional information that may be useful for this project.
For more information on the Pierpoint Settlement Research Project, to share information with staff, or to learn more about the Centre Wellington Cultural Heritage Landscape Study and Inventory, visit www.connectcw.ca.
