Stratford

Stratford (2001 population 29,676) is a city on the Avon River in Perth County, in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Both the city and the river were named when it was first settled in 1832 after Stratford-upon-Avon, England, of Shakespearean fame. It is the seat of Perth County.

Stratford was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1886.

Originally a furniture manufacturing city and railway junction, tourism became a large part of the local economy when the Stratford Shakespearean Festival started in 1953. The annual festival now brings hundreds of thousands of Shakespeare buffs to the area. The festival has had stars such as Christopher Plummer and William Shatner perform on its stage. The world renowned festival is played in four theatres throughout the city; the Festival Theatre, Avon Theatre, Tom Patterson Theatre and the Studio Theatre.

Stratford is home of the OHA Junior B hockey team the Stratford Cullitons. The Cullitons have been an extremely successful team and have produced NHL superstars such as Chris Pronger and Rob Blake.
The current mayor of Stratford is Dan Matheson.
The first mayor of Stratford was John Corry Wilson Daly.
The swan has become a main symbol of the city, with 24 white swans and two black swans released into the Avon River every spring by their honorary keeper, Mr. Robert J. Miller.
Thomas Alva Edison briefly worked as a telegraph operator for the Grand Trunk Railway at Stratford's railway station.
Famed Canadian news anchor Lloyd Robertson got his start in broadcasting at the local radio station (CJCS) in 1952.