| Official Name: | Alma |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated rural community |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada#Ontario |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Alma in Canada |
| Coordinates: | 43.7303°N -80.5022°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ontario |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Wellington |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | Mapleton |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNBC Code |
| Blank1 Info: | FACPP[1] |
Alma is an unincorporated rural community in Mapleton Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada.[1] [2]
Pioneers began settling along the Elora Saugeen Road, which forms the main street of Alma, during the 1840s.[3]
Alexander MacCrea and his wife settled here in 1848, and built a store. The "MacCrae's Corners" post office was established in 1854, and MacCrae was postmaster.[4] [5]
In 1854, the settlement's name was changed from MacCrae's Corners to "Alma", after the Battle of Alma.[3]
James Ledingham and his family moved to Alma in 1864, and built a saw and chopping mill.[6]
In 1865, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was established in Alma. The church moved to a new stone church in Alma in 1892.[3]
The Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway built a line through Alma in 1870.[4] The line was eventually taken over by Canadian National Railway, and was abandoned in 1983.[7] The Alma railroad station has since been destroyed.[8]
After the railway was constructed, Alma became "a bustling service centre for the local settlers and travellers".[5] Alma was noted for having a post office, wagon maker, weaver, telegraph office, shoemaker, grist mill, several saw mills, several stores, three churches, and four hotels. In 1879, the population was 250.[5] [9]
Wallace Cummings Park in Alma was constructed in 2003 on 25ha of donated land. The park features a playground, walking trail, toboggan hill, picnic shelter, community hall, wetland boardwalk, and garden labyrinth.[10]
Alma Public School, part of the Upper Grand District School Board, is located in Alma.[11]