The Full Story
LASALETTE, ONTARIO
LaSalette is a small village in Southwestern Ontario that is very special to my family, located roughly 80km East of London (Google Maps, 2021). My grandparents’ families came down from Belgium and Germany after the war and settled here for farm land (specifically tobacco and rye), so my mom and grandparents grew up here (Boone, 2021). My dad is from an area not too far from this location as well.
SETTLERS
Although some of the information is lost, we know that Our Lady of LaSalette Parish “began in 1836 when Valantine Dertinger came from Baden, Germany, to this area…About this time, as well, some of those who immigrated from Ireland settled in Windham Township. The names Dertinger, McDonald, McElhone, McMamara, Boll, Heiman, McSloy, Billo, Beal and Krohe”, some of which are my distant relatives (Diocese of London, n.d). Since then, many churches and Catholic schools have been built, LaSalette has had four schools-built overtime.
ABOUT LASALETTE
The village was named after an area in France (also called LaSalette) where it is said that Mary, the Mother of God appeared to weeping children. It is the only place in Ontario with this name and is unique to North America (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). It originally consisted of a population of twenty-four families and had two railroad tracks, offered jobs, post office (my family owned), stores and gas company (my family owned), schools, cemetery, hotels, church and blacksmith shop, some of which still exist today (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979).
SETTLERS
Although some of the information is lost, we know that Our Lady of LaSalette Parish “began in 1836 when Valantine Dertinger came from Baden, Germany, to this area…About this time, as well, some of those who immigrated from Ireland settled in Windham Township. The names Dertinger, McDonald, McElhone, McMamara, Boll, Heiman, McSloy, Billo, Beal and Krohe”, some of which are my distant relatives (Diocese of London, n.d). Since then, many churches and Catholic schools have been built, LaSalette has had four schools-built overtime.
SCHOOLS
The first school was a log cabin (1848), the second was a frame building built on the same site (1859), and the third was built from brick directly in the village (1870). It was later moved (by horses) to the current location where it was enlarged and remodeled (from a one room school house to a four room). It was known as St. Mary’s School (where my grandparents attended) and today it serves as a Parish Hall (Diocese of London, n.d). The last and final school was built in 1965 (where my mom went to school) across from the church where it remains. The school was named Our Lady of LaSalette up until a few years ago as it is no longer a Catholic school (Diocese of London, n.d).
VILLAGE TODAY
Today, the village has lost a lot of value (no store, church, school, etc.) and the goal is to bring it back to the community through residential development (Wood, 2021).
