GALT. A Village in the township of Dumfries, prettily situated on the Grand River, in a valley surrounded by high hills; twenty-five miles from Hamilton, and eighteen from Brantford. It has very valuable water-power, by the employment of which, in milling and manufacturing, the place is fast rising into prosperity; and already begins to assume the appearance of a town. The streets are neatly laid out, and the employment of stone in building (which is procurable in any required quantity from the banks of the river), gives the houses and other buildings, a very substantial appearance. Galt contains about 1000 inhabitants, who are principally Scotch. They have a curling club, mechanics’ institute, circulating library, and fire engine company. Stages run every day to Hamilton and Guelph, and three times a-week to Goderich. A newspaper is published here every Saturday—the “Dumfries Courier.” There are in Galt five churches and chapels, viz., one Episcopal, three Presbyterian, one Methodist.
Post Office, post every day.
Professions and Trades.—Three physicians and surgeons, two lawyers, one apothecary, two grist mills (each containing four run of stones), two saw mills, two foundries, two carding machines and cloth factories, one brewery, two distilleries, one tannery, eight stores, one pail factory, one last factory, one chemist and druggist, nine taverns, two groceries, one veterinary surgeon, one printer, seven blacksmiths, one saddler, one watchmaker, five waggon makers, eight tailors, one cabinet maker, four shoemakers, three bakers, two chair factories, three tinsmiths, three butchers, two livery stables, four coopers, one gunsmith, one edge-tool maker, ten carpenters, one painter, one tallow chandler, one school. One bank agency, “Gore” (Smith's Canadian Gazetteer, 1849)