The Founding of Forest

In 1858, Timothy Resseguie laid out the first village lots, and the opening of a railway station here in 1859 on the recently completed Grand Trunk line from Guelph to Sarnia provided the nucleus around which this community grew. A general store was opened and it was followed by other commercial enterprises. An Anglican church was established in 1861 and, the following year, a post office was opened. Grist-mills and sawmills were constructed and the community flourished as a trans-shipment centre. With a population of over 750, Forest, in 1872, was incorporated as a village in accordance with a Lambton County bylaw, and in 1889 it became a town.

En 1858, Timothy Resseguie a tracé les premières parcelles du village. Par la suite, l’inauguration d’une gare de chemin de fer ici, en 1859, sur la voie ferroviaire de Grand Tronc récemment achevée, de Guelph à Sarnia, a fourni le noyau autour duquel la communauté a grandi. On a ouvert un magasin général, suivi par d’autres entreprises commerciales. En 1861, on a érigé une église anglicane et, l’année suivante, on a ouvert un bureau de poste. On a construit des meuneries et des scieries et la collectivité a prospéré en tant que centre de transit. En 1872, en vertu d’un règlement du comté de Lambton, on a constitué Forest en village. Sa population se chiffrait alors à plus de 750 habitants. En 1889, Forest a acquis le statut de municipalité.