Due to its location between Fort Erie and Windsor, trains also have been important in the development of St. Thomas. Railway artifacts and murals grace the downtown area. Each August the Iron Horse Festival is held to celebrate the town's railway history.
A life-size statue of Jumbo the elephant was erected in 1985 across from the Elgin Military Museum. A phenomenal drawing card for the Barnum & Bailey Circus, the real Jumbo was billed as “the largest and heaviest elephant ever seen by mortal man, either wild or in captivity.” Jumbo was killed in St. Thomas in 1885 by a locomotive; his mounted skin and skeleton nonetheless continued to tour with the circus for 2 years after his death.
City Hall, the Courthouse and the Old St. Thomas Church are some examples of the town's Victorian architecture. Recreational outlets include the historic Talbot Trail and the Trans Canada Hiking Trail.
Visitor Centers
Elgin County Tourism 450 Sunset Dr. First Floor Economic Development St. Thomas, ON N5R 5V1. Phone:(519)631-1460 or (877)463-5446
Things to Do
Elgin County MuseumSt. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre