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Oshawa - Tourism and Travel Information

In the early 18th century Indians of the Mississauga Tribe began trading furs with the French and later the English, beginning the economic history of exporting products from the region now known as the City of Oshawa. In 1842, the inhabitants of the area applied to the Government to establish a post office and a name had to be chosen. Two visiting Indians suggested the Indian name "Oshawa", the literal translation being "that point at the crossing of the stream where the canoe was exchanged for the trail". This suggestion was immediately accepted. In 1850, Oshawa was incorporated as a village with a population of approximately 2,000.

An established carriage works business, relocated to Oshawa, drawn by the flourishing rail and harbour facilities and quickly developed into the largest carriage works in the British Empire. With the automobile fast gaining popularity, 198 McLaughlin automobiles were built in 1907. In 1915, the McLaughlin’s acquired the rights to build Chevrolets. Three years later, the McLaughlin Motor Car Company and Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada were merged to create General Motors of Canada, Limited, a wholly owned unit of the General Motors Corporation, with Robert Samuel McLaughlin as President. Now a National Historic Site, the remarkable home of Col. R. S. (Sam) McLaughlin, Parkwood Estate, features characteristic inter-war years architecture and magnificent gardens.

Many of Oshawa’s cultural facilities and attractions stem from the interests of the McLaughlin’s, the founding family of General Motors of Canada Ltd. The Robert McLaughlin Gallery houses over 3,000 Canadian art masterpieces, with a particular emphasis on the works of the contemporary group "Painters Eleven."

Heritage is critical to Oshawa’s identity, and the city is proud to display fabulous murals painted by Canadian artists that depict Oshawa’s evolving character from its labour and automobile manufacturing roots, to its vibrant cultural and nature components.

In addition, four museums reflect the city’s cherished history. Scenic Lakeview Park provides the setting for the Oshawa Community Museum’s three restored nineteenth-century homes. The Canadian Automotive Museum displays over 70 vehicles in an authentic 1920s car dealership. The Oshawa Municipal Airport is the site for two of Oshawa’s most intriguing museums, the Oshawa Aeronautical, Military & Industrial Museum, and the Robert Stuart Aeronautical Collection, displaying tanks, scout cars, military hardware, photos, certificates, letters, radios, medals, and other military memorabilia from the Second World War.

Rounding out an impressive selection of attractions, Oshawa is also home to E. P. Taylor’s famous equine operation that has bred more thoroughbred stakes winners than any other in the world. The 1,500-acre Windfields Farm is located in north Oshawa, on some of the City’s most scenic land.
The annual Waterfront Festival kicks off Fiesta, a weeklong festival involving a parade, concert, international cuisine, entertainment, and Teddy Bear Picnic.

Discover a choice of excellent restaurants and fine hotels and motels. Shop to your heart`s content at the Oshawa Centre, the largest shopping venue in Durham Region, or at a myriad of specialty shops in Downtown Oshawa.