History

The Town of East Gwillimbury was incorporated in 1850. Governor John Graves Simcoe named the area in honour of his wife, whose maiden name was Gwillim. In the late 1700's, Governor Simcoe was looking for the best route north from York (now Toronto) to the British naval posts on Georgian Bay. To assist in his search for the best route, he commissioned the first survey of East Gwillimbury in 1800. 

Many of the early settlers were United Empire Loyalists and Quakers who were attracted to the area by grants of land and the ability to practice their faith in peace. Hamlets sprung up throughout East Gwillimbury due, in part, for a need for shops, churches and schools. Development occurred in five areas - Holland Landing, River Drive Park, Sharon, Queensville and Mount Albert. Early settlement of these areas dates back to the late seventeen hundreds. The historical atmosphere of the Town is enhanced by the many attractive historic buildings still in use today. 

Holland Landing

Situated halfway between Newmarket and Bradford, the community of Holland Landing was for centuries a canoe launching place for native Indians, and a post for traders of the Northwest Fur Company. In 1793, Governor John Graves Simcoe discovered what would be the future site of Holland Landing, originally known as St. Albans, and believed this area would make an ideal shipping and defense point between York (now Toronto) and Georgian Bay. In 1797, Yonge Street was completed to Holland Landing, providing an overland route from York. During the war of 1812, a pine fort is said to have been built by Simcoe near Soldier's Bay to protect against a possible American attack from the north. Although the first settlers had lived on the site since 1802, the beginnings of the village did not occur until about 1820. Growth continued through the 1830's and 1840's and included the establishment of sawmills, a large Inn and tavern, a brewery, a distillery, a tannery, a foundry, grist, flour and woolen mills, hotels, professional offices, stores and churches. By 1853 the trade in grain and lumber, the bustling activity on Yonge Street and the Holland River and the building of the new railway made Holland Landing one of the busiest centres in the watershed.

River Drive Park

In the early 1930’s Gary Thompson acquired the land on Sand Road north of the Queensville Sideroad.  He received approval to build in 1946 and he started building homes close to the river and along Queensville Sideroad.  He worked his way west in stages and more homes were built in 1949, 1952, and 1955.  The buildings were small frame cottages on small lots, with no insulation and no basement. Today, River Drive Park is ever-changing and developing.  Although some of the old cottages still remain much as they were at the time when they were built, many have taken on a new character.  The majority of the cottages now have new, coloured siding and nicely kept gardens with flowerbeds and numerous flower boxes and flower pots.

Sharon

Sharon, originally known as Hope, was settled in the early 1800's by United Empire Loyalists, many of them Quakers, enticed here by the 200 acre land grants. David Willson with his wife, Phebe, and two sons settled here in 1801. After breaking away from the Quaker Church, he established his own religious sect, The Children of Peace. They had a large congregation and developed a unique settlement with a large meeting house and Temple, schools, hotels, a post office, a general store, a cider mill and a grist mill. Many craftsmen - carpenters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, shoemakers, a seamstress and a telegraph operator - lived in the village.  For more information visit www.sharontemple.ca  

Queensville

Among the various land routes to the shores of Lake Simcoe, Yonge Street and its back concessions were perhaps most often chosen by travellers in the early days. "Queen Street", now Leslie Street, was one of these roads. It had also attracted a large group of Quakers who formed the community of Sharon and later prompted the settlement of another community to the north, originally known as Hackett's Corners but renamed to Queensville in 1843. The establishment of a school and post office was followed by the addition of a bank, hotels, various churches, several shops as well as a flour and grist mill. 

Mount Albert

As the first settlers were arriving at the oldest villages of East Gwillimbury, the only indication of human presence in the eastern section of the municipality was an Algonquin Indian trail which ran north-south over "the hill". This area was originally settled by a small number of Quakers in 1821. It wasn't long until more bush was cleared for settlement and the Indian trail was widened to form Centre Road. Growth was slow in the beginning, consisting of farms and a few homes but by the mid-1800's the village consisted of several houses, grist, flour, woollen and lumber mills, a tannery, churches, schools, several shops and two hotels. For more information visit www.mountalbert.com.