Heritage

Historical Statement

The County of Brant is up made of several communities along the Grand River including Paris, Burford/Harley, Cainsville, Glen Morris, Mt. Pleasant, Oakhill, Onondaga & Middleport, Scotland & Oakland, and St. George.

The county is located at the midpoint of the Grand River, which is now one of eleven designated heritage rivers in Ontario. Brant was named after Joseph Brant, chief of the Six Nations Confederacy, a confederacy of Iroquoian peoples. After the American Revolution, the land was granted to the Six Nations, who were then living in what is now Upstate New York, for their loyalty to the British Crown. They began to settle along the Grand River in 1784 before moving near Ohsweken at the southern end of the county. In 1793, European settlers arrived in Burford for the rich farmland, the Grand River’s waterpower, and easy river transportation access, and they began residing across what is now the County of Brant.

In 1852, the City of Brantford, the Village of Paris, and the Townships of Brantford, Oakland, Onondaga, South Dumfries, and Burford became Brant County. In 1877, the City of Brantford left the county to form its own municipality, leaving the rest to reconstruct into the single-tier municipality of the County of Brant in 1999. Today, the County of Brant is a thriving, vibrant place to live and visit, celebrating the natural and cultural heritage of the community.

Community Heritage Register

View a complete list of Heritage Designated Properties (PDF).

Grants

Grants provide essential funding for projects and initiatives that might not otherwise be possible. They support research, education, and community development, helping to drive innovation, address social issues, and improve public services. Grants also enable non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and small businesses to achieve their goals, expand their reach, and enhance their impact on society.

View a complete list of available grants:

• Spring/Summer Arts, Culture and Heritage Grants (PDF)
• Fall/Winter Arts, Culture and Heritage Grants (PDF)

County of Brant Museums

• Paris Museum and Historical Society (website)
• Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead (website)
• Burford Township Historical Society (website)
• St. George Museum/South Dumfries Historical Society (website)
• Brant Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (website)
• Brant Railway Heritage Society (website)
• Middleport Heritage Society (website)
• The Great War Centenary Association (website)
• Salt Springs Church Heritage Society