The town of Hespeler’s story is a bit different. Hespeler was developed primarily as an industrial community and housed many woollen and textile mills.

During the Depression of the 1930’s, management of the largest mill, Dominion Woollens and Worsteds, ensured that at least one member of each family living in Hespeler was employed at the mill. During the Second World War, with much of its workforce on military duty, Dominion Woollens recruited young women from eastern Canada and Northern Ontario.

Many of these women continued to work and live in the community long after the war ended and today some of the original mills are still standing, as are many of the workers homes.