In 1829, when a wooden aqueduct was built to carry the Welland Canal over the Welland River, a true urban presence of settlement came to be around that location. The settlement was called Aqueduct or The Aqueduct. On November 14, 1844, following the replacing of the wooden Aqueduct by one of stone, the name was changed to Merrittsville to honour the Honourable William Merritt.  The settlement was incorporated as the Village of Welland on July 24, 1858.  Incorporation as a town took place on January 1, 1878, and as a City on July 1, 1917.
The City of Welland is located within the centre of the Niagara Region. Via excellent highways, Welland is approximately seventy-five minutes from Toronto and within thirty minutes of Buffalo, New York. Welland is located in the heart of the Niagara District, whose fruit orchards, vineyards and vegetable gardens have given the area the title of "Garden of Canada". City of Welland