Puce, Ontario

Puce, Ontario is a small community in Essex County. It is home to the John Freeman Walls Historic Site which is a terminus of the underground railroad movement that helped John Walls escape from slavery in Rockingham County, North Carolina and settle in freelands within the British Empire.

Puce was first settled in the late 1790s and the oldest building still standing was built in 1798 and actually resides on the John Freeman Walls historic site. Some other main attractions include Big Poppa's Restaurant and Gas (formerly Michelle's Kitchen) and Maidstone Park. The town is located along Essex County Road 22 (Former Kings Highway 2).

In September, 2007, Saint Anne Catholic High School was relocated from Tecumseh to Puce.

Trivia

Puce means "Flea" in French. This is supposedly from people driving by saying "Puce is so small, if you blink, you'll miss it." However, this may be a bit of an offense, as Puce (and nearby Emeryville, Ontario) have a fair Franco-Ontarian population.