Originally known as Ryegate when it was first settled in 1792, Tecumseh was renamed in 1912 after the Shawnee tribe leader of the same name. It was officially incorporated as a town in 1921. Tecumseh had a large French population, and when nearby Windsor started to grow into the area, considerable angst between the English and French developed.
In 1999, as part of a County-wide reorganization, Tecumseh was merged with the Village of St. Clair and the Township of Sandwich South into a new Town of Tecumseh. In 2003, the City of Windsor annexed approximately 2,300 hectares from the Town of Tecumseh.
Food processing is a major industry in Tecumseh.