Elora

Elora, Ont, Unincorporated Place. Elora is a picturesque community located about 25 km northeast of Guelph at the junction of the Grand and Irvine rivers; the sheer beauty of the junction rivals NIAGARA FALLS. Incorporated as a village in 1858, Elora lost this status in 1999 when it was merged into the newly formed township of Centre Wellington.

History

Elora was founded 1832 by Captain William Gilkison of Irvine, Scotland, and named after Ellora, his brother's ship. Gilkison, a cousin of John GALT, the CANADA COMPANY promoter, was impressed by the magnificence of the limestone gorge. Development ceased in the 1870s but there remains a magnificent unspoiled array of 19th-century Ontario architecture in brick and stone to complement the natural landscape.

Present Day

Elora is the administrative centre for Centre Wellington. A large conservation area has been established along the Grand River, which is also a major recreational attraction. The Elora quarry is the setting for a unique musical performance each summer as part of Elora's annual music festival. The community's architecture and generally unspoiled 19th-century ambiance, especially along Mill Street, has attracted the attention of major movie producers as well as numerous tourists and visitors hoping to recapture a sense of times past as they view the historic mill and the shops of local crafts people and artisans.