City of Windsor to toast Hiram Walker on his 200th birthday

The City of Windsor will toast Hiram Walker this weekend to honour the man on what would be his 200th birthday.

Walker was born July 4, 1816.

City council has proclaimed the day "Hiram Walker Day" to celebrate the birth of one of Windsor's most significant contributors.

Walker was the head of a family and a distillery, both of which were deeply entrenched in Windsor. The Walker name touches facets of architecture, history, industry, neighbourhoods and pop culture.

"The City of Windsor has a tradition of celebrating its rich history and heritage, and highlighting the stories that make our city so unique," Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said in a news release. "From building his distillery on the Windsor banks of the Detroit River, to establishing the surrounding neighbourhood that would become known as Walkerville, Hiram Walker made a name for himself, and left a lasting legacy through his career, his charitable donations, and his dedication to this area."

Windsor's Chimczuk Museum has partnered with The Canadian Club Brand Centre and The Walkerville Times to present "Hiram Walker 200." It's a temporary exhibit that tells some of the Hiram Walker story through photographs and artifacts from the industrialist's personal and professional life.

The exhibit will run fromJuly 1 to August 31, 2016, and is accessible during regular operating hours when you purchase admission to the Chimczuk Museum.

The Walkerville BIA will present a two-day celebration of the Walker's life onFriday and Saturday.

From street closures, extended patios and the annual Canada Day Parade to tours of the Canadian Club Brand Centre and Willistead Manor, the weekend is filled with ways for guests of all ages to celebrate Hiram Walker. Full event details can be found at the Walkerville BIA Facebook page.

Saturday, Dilkens will be joined by representatives from the Walkerville BIA at the Walkerville Brewery to make a special announcement related to the commemoration of Hiram Walker's 200thbirthday, and his significance to the history of the City of Windsor. The event will include a toast to Hiram Walker.