Windsor-Essex: A Borderland Shaped by Industry, People, and Place

For over a century, the Windsor-Essex region has played a central role in Canada’s industrial, economic, and social history, shaped by its deep ties to the auto industry, its labour movements, and its unique cross-border relationship with the United States. Over the past century, Windsor has seen periods of economic growth and decline, major labour strikes, and shifts in education and urban development that continue to define the region today.

This exhibit explores key themes that have shaped Windsor in the 20th and 21st centuries:

• The Auto Industry: Windsor’s rise as Canada’s automotive capital, its deep ties to Detroit, and the shifting fortunes of manufacturing.
• Labour and Industry: The role of unions, major strikes, and the struggles and successes of Windsor’s workers.
• Connections to the U.S.: The impact of cross-border trade, migration, and events like Prohibition on Windsor’s development.
• The University of Windsor: The evolution of higher education in Windsor and its impact on the city’s economy and culture.
• Windsor Today: The city’s resilience in the face of globalization, economic challenges, and ongoing industrial change.

Using archival documents and photographs, Windsor-Essex: A Borderland Shaped by Industry, People, and Place highlights Windsor’s dynamic history and the forces that continue to shape its future.