Oshawa City Map Poster

About Oshawa

The name Oshawa originates from the Ojibwa term aazhawe, meaning "the crossing place" or just "a cross". The most popular theory is that it was derived from the Ojibwa term aazhaway, which translates to "where there are trees standing in water", likely referring to an area where beavers created dam-like structures.Oshawa's logo is based on this legend; it depicts three beavers built out of birch bark holding a maple leaf. However, the most common explanation is that Oshawa comes from osh-awe: 'point', and -'way': 'path'. In 1843, surveyors mapping Simcoe County used the phrase as well as other native terms such as Wye River (now known as Hwy 2) and Meaford Creek (now known by its French name Rivière des Mille Îs).The area's original inhabitants were members of the Iroquoian speaking Neutral Nation who lived in this region during summer months for thousands of years before Europeans arrived.