Waterloo's history

For generations, the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek and Chonnonton (Neutral) People called this territory home, gathering, travelling, and stewarding the land. In the early 1800s, Pennsylvania Mennonite settlers arrived to establish a new colony, and over time their growing community evolved into the Village of Waterloo.

History in brief

Indigenous history

For generations, Indigenous People have lived, gathered, travelled, and cared for the land where Waterloo is now situated. This part of Turtle Island has deep connections to the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek, and Chonnonton (Neutral) People. 

In 1701, the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabek entered into the Dish With One Spoon Treaty, an agreement that promoted peace, shared stewardship, and the responsible use of the territory following the Beaver Wars. In 1784, the British Crown granted the Haldimand Tract to the Haudenosaunee in recognition of their alliance and contributions during the American Revolutionary War. 

The Haldimand Tract extended six miles (10 km) on either side of the Grand River and included the area that would later become the Village of Waterloo. Established along Beaver Creek — now known as Laurel Creek, a tributary of the Grand River — the settlement grew as new arrivals established farms, businesses, and communities.

Early settler history

Settlers began arriving in the Waterloo area in the early 1800s. Among the first were Abraham and Magdalana Erb, who arrived from Pennsylvania in 1806. Abraham held title to 1,619 hectares (4,000 acres) of land within the German Company Tract and established a sawmill and gristmill along Beaver Creek, now known as Laurel Creek in what would become the heart of the village.

The gristmill quickly became an important destination for area farmers, who travelled long distances to have their wheat ground into flour. As one of the area’s earliest industries, the mill helped establish Waterloo as a growing commercial and social centre.

The settlement took the name Waterloo, inspired by the famous Napoleonic battle won by Britain and its allies in Belgium. During Abraham Erb’s lifetime, growth remained modest, as he chose not to subdivide his land into smaller building lots. Following his death in 1830, the community expanded rapidly. The thriving settlement was incorporated as the Village of Waterloo in 1857, became a town in 1876, and achieved city status in 1948.