Peterborough City Map Poster

About Peterborough

The city is home to the main campuses of two large post-secondary institutions, Trent University and Fleming College. The municipality's largest employer is the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC).The area that would become Peterborough was originally known as "Otontagan" or "Shkodeau", an Algonquin word meaning "where there are forks". It was part of a large tract of land obtained by the French crown in 1763 by treaty with Great Britain, which established Lake Ontario as its northern boundary. In 1784 it became part of Newcastle District; then Louth Township in 1846; and finally Gavan Township in 1850 when most municipal functions were transferred from Newcastle. The township would incorporate on April 14, 1855 becoming Cavan Borough; it gained town status on January 1, 1974 at which time it changed its name to Peterborough (the former City had been absorbed into Northumberland County during an amalgamation between 1906–1910).