Upon the construction of Highway 6, known formerly as the Plank Road, a small village popped up around 1855 when Charles and David Hager bought most of the land in the centre of the area. David Almas owned the land on the east side of the road, while John Porter owned the land in the west end.
The building of the Canada Southern Railroad in 1870, and of the Hamilton and Lake Erie Railway three years later helped to make Hagersville a prosperous village in 1879.
Close by the rail crossing was The Junction Hotel, later becoming The Lawson Hotel after a change in ownership. Perhaps it was best known as Murph's Place when retired NHL player Ron Murphy took ownership. It was also known as the Hagersville Inn, but today it is known as The Old Lawson House. In 1852, Charles Hager built a frame hotel at the corner of the Plank Road and Indian Line. Hagersville's first post office was in this hotel and Joseph Seymour suggested the community be called Hagersville to honour the Hager brothers. As of 2020, the Lawson property offered rooms as affordable housing for many residents.
Historical plaque at the site of No. 16 Service Flying Training School
During World War IINo. 16 Service Flying Training School RCAF was established by the Royal Canadian Air Force as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan[2][3] at 274 Concession 11 Walpole 3.5 km (2.2 mi) southwest of Hagersville. No. 16 SFTS opened on 8 August 1941 and closed on 30 March 1945. After the RCAF finished with the site it was used by the Canadian Army for various purposes and was known as Camp Hagersville. The camp was closed in 1964.[4] Between the 1960s and 1990s, the camp was used as a residence for youth and then a flea market. As of 2013 the site was an industrial park. Some of the military homes are still there, and the housing area is known as "White Oaks Village". A good view of the site and the old hangars is had from Concession 10 Walpole. The base was located at 42°55′42″N080°07′33″W / 42.92833°N 80.12583°W / 42.92833; -80.12583 (Hagersville Airport).[5]
In 1990, a large uncontrolled tire fire emitted fumes of toxic smoke into the atmosphere for seventeen days. The fire itself occurred on Concession 13 Walpole, about 8km from Hagersville, but media credited it to Hagersville since it was the largest town in close proximity. The so-called "Hagersville Tire Fire" has reportedly been linked to long-term health issues, including some "rare, aggressive cancers," among firefighters who experienced the event first-hand.[6][7][8][9]
Hagersville was the birthplace of Neil Peart (1952–2020), drummer of the Canadian rock group Rush.[19]
Hagersville is the birthplace of Becky Kellar-Duke (1975-), who is a 4 time Olympian with 3 gold medals and 1 silver in Women's Hockey.
Hagersville is the birthplace of Carl Reid (1950-), Roman Catholic priest, who is Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross in Australia.
^Hatch, F. J. (1983). The Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939-1945. Ottawa: Directorate of History, Department of National Defence. ISBN0660114437.
