The area now known as the Town of Ajax is situated within the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, signatories of the Gunshot Treaty of 1788 and the Williams Treaties of 1923.
European settlers established the region as Pickering Township, the name it was known by until 1941, when Defence Industries Limited (DIL) built the largest shell filling plant in the British Commonwealth to provide supplies for the Allies in World War 2.
Soon, the amount of mail that came in required the plant to open a post office, which would need a name. Employees at DIL submitted names and Frank Holroyd suggested Ajax as a tribute to one of three ships that had fought in the Battle of the River Plate in 1939. This was the first naval battle of World War 2 and took place off the coast of Uruguay between HMS Ajax, HMS Exeter, HMNZS Achilles and the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee.
The plant was closed when the war ended, but a number of former DIL employees decided that they’d like to stay. The employees were given the option to purchase the wartime houses and in 1950, the Improvement District of Ajax was incorporated. On January 1, 1955, the Improvement District of Ajax officially became the Town of Ajax.
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Continue on the Journey of the Town of Ajax history |
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Ajax History Book – Snapshots of Ajax |
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The Ajax History Book – Snapshots of Ajax is available for purchase for $20 from Ajax Town Hall (65 Harwood Ave. S.). For a relatively young municipality, the Town of Ajax has an incredibly rich history. Since the Town's incorporation in 1955, Members of Council, Town staff and dedicated residents have worked together to collect and preserve the history of the Town. The history of the Town - from its origins through to present days - has been chronicled in a series of books published over the past 40 years. The Town's first history book was published by the Ajax Historical Board in 1972 and provided a pictorial account of the establishment and early years of a new municipality. The second book, titled "A Town Called Ajax" and also published by the Ajax Historical Board, looked at the growth of the Town to 1995. Carrying on this tradition, a dedicated team of Town staff and an amazing group of community champions recently took on the enormous task of researching, writing, editing and publishing: "Snapshots of Ajax - A Pictorial History, 1791 - 2022", a collection of 700 timeless and historically significant photographs, this book captures the origins, growth and diversity of the Town from its earliest settlement into the 21st century. |
Town of Ajax Archives
In February 2010, Ajax Council formally established the Ajax Archives to collect and preserve archival materials which illustrate or document the growth and development of the Town of Ajax. The history of the community that has become the Town of Ajax is as unique as it is diverse. The photos, artifacts and records which document the inception, growth, and development of the municipality are a legacy to future generations. The preservation and conservation of the items in the Ajax Archives is an important step to ensuring this history is kept safe and is accessible to the community. In 2022, the Town of Ajax transferred the management of Ajax Archives to Ajax Public Library.
Many of the photos, documents, and history books in the collection have been digitized and can be viewed by visiting the OurOntario website. The Ajax Archives maintains a display case in Town Hall, 65 Harwood Ave. S., and a display table in the Local History section of Ajax Public Library’s Main Branch, 55 Harwood Ave. S.
The Ajax Archives is located at Town Hall and cannot be accessed by the public. To view items in the collection or for research help, please use the contact information below or visit ajaxlibrary.ca. Requests for in person visits should be submitted at least one week in advance and the visits will take place at Main Branch. At this time, the Archives primarily holds materials related to the Town of Ajax as well as the HMS Ajax. If you are researching outside of these topics, the Archives may be limited in resources.
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Additional History and Archive Resources |
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Ajax has a unique street naming policy, in that the majority of streets have been named after those that served on HMS Ajax, HMS Exeter and HMS Achilles during the Battle of the River Plate, the first naval victory of the Allied forces in WWII. Several streets have also been named after individuals who played an important role in the creation of our community. Print PublicationsThough Snapshots of Ajax is the only book still in print, the history of Ajax has been well documented. The following out-of-print publications are available through the Ajax Public Library:
OurOntario Digital Archive Quick Links
Historic Video Links
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