What Stayner Has To Offer

Stayner’s History

Stayner was born with the opening of the railway in 1854. The first settler in Stayner was Andrew Coleman, who built the first hotel, which is now the TD Bank. Another one of the first settlers was Gideon Phillips, who was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1857 and also built a sawmill in Stayner. At this time in 1857, the village was called Dingwall, after a local lumberman. It was later named Stayner in 1864 in honour of a Deputy Postmaster General, Thomas Stayner.

The first school was built around 1860 and held students for all grades. In 1861 Stayner Collegiate Institute was built on an old farm for the older high school students. When the school opened, the barn was still standing, which was used by students who decided to skip class as a hide out, until it was removed that Spring.

Stayner grew and became a more attractive place to settle. Five churches were built in the village as it became more popular: Centennial United Church, St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, First Baptist Church, Good Shepherd Anglican Church, and Jubilee Presbyterian Church. Stayner also attracted Reinhart Vinegars, which moved from Nottawa in 1910 to its current location in the town.

For information about the town of Stayner and Clearview Township, businesses, recreation and current events, visit www.clearview.ca.