When Vittoria Was the Capital 🏛️ Traditional Cache

Very few people today are aware that the little village of Vittoria at one time many years ago, was the capital of the whole London district.  The District of London came into being in the year 1800 and it encompassed a very large part of Southwestern Ontario.  It roughly extended from the Grand River to the eastern boundary of Kent County and included all the land from Lake Erie to Georgian Bay.  At that time there were very few, if any settlers in the northern part, so that the District was mainly made up of the present Counties of Norfolk, Elgin, Oxford and Middlesex, including portions of Brant and Haldimand.

When the war had ended in 1815, the authorities decided a less exposed location was required for the London District capital. The decision was to transfer the district courts from Charlotteville (Turkey Point) to the more thriving community of Tisdale's Mills which was renamed Vittoria** within a couple years.

A site was quickly chosen for the new courthouse but until a new building could be erected, the early courts were held in the homes of various Vittoria residents. In April of 1817, while still not completed, the new courthouse held their first meetings. This courthouse was more extravagant then the previous frame building located in Charlotteville, with imported bricks from Pennsylvania and a foundation of stone. Besides the courthouse, there was a log jail along with stocks, a whipping post and gallows. The courthouse and jail also served the community in many other capacities.  It was the local school, held church services, public meetings and the Masonic Lodge.

As early as 1819 there had been a movement to have the courts relocated to a more central location within the District. A fire destroyed the building in 1825 and soon afterwards the capital was moved to London. This was a severe blow to Vittoria and any hopes of being a thriving capital vanished.  Around 1844, the Anglican Church was built on the former site of the old courthouse and still stands here today.

**The name Vittoria comes from Vitoria, Spain which was the site in 1813 of a decisive victory of the British over Napoleon.  This battle ultimately drove Napoleon from Spain and led to his downfall, defeat and expulsion to Elba.  In recognition of this victory, the settlement at Tisdale's Mills was renamed Vittoria.  It has nothing to do with Victoria which is spelt and pronounced differently. 

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