The Town of Oakville and former Township of Trafalgar, reside on the treaty lands and traditional territory of the Mississaugas, Neutral, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee. This land is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek to share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws and philosophies of the Indigenous people with whom we share this land today.
Indigenous History of Trafalgar Township
Long before European settlement, the area now known as Trafalgar Township was a vital trail for Indigenous Peoples, including the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Mississaugas of the Credit. These Nations traversed the Red Hill Trail, a key trade and travel route that followed the original shoreline of Lake Ontario and connected to the Twelve and Sixteen Mile Creeks. This trail—still visible today near Leighland Avenue—formed the backbone of Indigenous movement and settlement in the region.
According to the terms of Treaty 22, the Mississaugas of the Credit acquiesced to the Crown’s demand for lands at 12 and 16 Mile Creeks along with northern and southern portions of the Credit River Reserve. The Treaty that transferred land to the Crown, excluded the lower reaches of the rivers, which they retained for fishing and settlement. The following year, surveyor Samuel S. Wilmot mapped the area, laying the groundwork for colonial settlement. Despite the influx of settlers, Indigenous communities continued to live and interact with the land, often requiring permits to gather wood from areas they had long stewarded.
The legacy of Indigenous presence remains embedded in the geography—many modern roads and highways, including the QEW, trace ancient Indigenous trails. Today, Trafalgar Township’s history is a reminder that Oakville-Trafalgar sits on treaty lands, and its development owes much to the original paths and stewardship of Indigenous Peoples. Their enduring connection to the land continues to shape the region’s identity.
For more information on the Treaties, we have included links to details of Treaty 22 and Treaty 14 on our website, as below: