May 2, 1871 - Residents of Waterloo and Berlin (now Kitchener) celebrate their German heritage in a great “Friedensfest“ (Peace Festival) marking the end of the Franco-Prussian War.

Prominent community leaders including Isaac Erb Bowman, M.P.; Moses Springer, M.L.A.; and Cyrus M. Taylor support the incorporation of The Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Company (which becomes the Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada in 1900 and part of the Mutual Group in 1988, and Clarica in 1999.) Visit the Clarica website. 

Moses Springer becomes the first president of the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company, serving as President for twelve years.  The company later integrated with and became part of the Economical Mutual Insurance Company (formerly the Economical Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berlin). 

The cannon boomed on January 1, 1857 and the village of Waterloo was born.  The cannon was cast at Jacob Bricker's foundry (which later became Waterloo Manufacturing Co.) to commemorate the incorporation of Waterloo as a village.

First village building is the “Spritzhaus“, an engine house.

A second Grist Mill (the Granite Mills) is constructed on Erb Street.