Here, the Trail turns right off Ament Line onto Geddes Street in Hawkesville. Once the home of a significant number of Negroes, Hawkesville was the site of "Emancipation Days" where meetings were held, during the 1860's, on Temperance Island, in the Conestogo River. A stop in the village is a must, where time can be spent drinking in the history or enjoying some unique shopping. Many of the buildings date back to the 1850's and Hawkesville is home to famous summer sausage and renowned dining. A free copy of the walking tour of the village is available at the Variety Store. At the north end of the village is a small picnic area, with a beautiful vista of the Conestogo River and its Valley.
Most of the farms around the village are owned by Mennonites. Nearly half of the people of Wellesley Township belong to the Amish or Mennonite faith. The majority in the Hawkesville area belong to the conservative groups. Many use horses and buggies for transportation, while some tend to drive dark coloured cars. With about 18 different groups in the township, it is difficult to distinguish to which group many belong: Old Order, David Martin, Elam Martin, Orthodox, Markham, Ontario Conference, etc. All share the language (Deitsch), pacifist faith, food and a labour-intensive way of life to some degree. The majority in this area, with names like Martin, Frey, Bauman, Weber or Brubacher, are descendants of the Mennonites who originally lived in Woolwich and Waterloo Townships or the Cities of Waterloo and Kitchener. As farmland was replaced by development and the majority of Anglo-Saxon descendants or the original settlers moved out of the township, the Mennonites moved in.
While the majority wear distinctive clothes, others do not. One will see white meeting houses used by the most conservative groups as well as the more traditional church buildings. The people take their beliefs and lifestyles seriously, and thus many "No Sunday Sales" signs will interrupt one's Sunday shopping. However sightseeing may prove most interesting.
On other days, one is welcome to visit stores, shops or farms to shop for a wide variety of products. It is wise and considerate to leave one's camera in the car or bus as most of the conservative groups shun photo-taking as making graven images. Pictures of products, animals, equipment, etc. may be taken if permission is sought and given. Candid shots while in your vehicle are acceptable. Most people will not pose and many will turn away if they suspect they are to be "shot".
In promoting the shops of our Amish and Mennonite friends and neighbours, in no way, do we wish to see them exploited the way they are in other tourist areas. On Sundays, please refrain from parking by churches to take photographs. If one respects their ways and visits their shops for legitimate reasons, one will find a friendly host, with whom to do business. |
