Historical Plaques of
Peel Region

Constructed of stone from the nearby Etobicoke river this building also known as the Stone Chapel, is a rare surviving example of a Union Chapel from the settlement period of Upper Canada. It was erected in 1837 through the efforts of John Silverthorn, Allen Robinet and Daniel Harris prominent early settlers of Toronto Township. It replaced a previous log structure in which Anglicans, Methodists and Presbyterians worshipped as early as 1816. The erection of such multi-denominational churches was the result of the small size and poverty of many early religious groups. Little altered on the exterior since its construction, the chapel was last used for regular services by a baptist congregation in the 1950's and is still held in trust for local Protestant denominations.

With the opening in 1805, of the Township of Toronto for settlement, the Dundas Road attracted and transported some of Mississauga's earliest settlers. The Village of Cooksville, formerly "Harrisville" then "Millbrook" developed around the intersection of Dundas and Center Road, now highways #5 and #10. One such settler after whom the village was named in 1836, was Jacob Cook. In 1820, he became the first to carry the mail between York and Niagara. In expanding this and his coach services, Cook was instrumental in making Cooksville "one of the liveliest villages west of Toronto" by the mid 19th-century.

By 1840, Cooksville had a post office. In 1852, a great fire destroyed much of this thriving rural village. That together with building of railways elsewhere throughout the Township, caused Cooksville to lose favour as a commercial way station. In 1873, Cooksville became the seat of the Township of Toronto Council. The Canadian Vine Growers Association, brickmaking and natural gas were some of the industries for which Cooksville was home. By 1950, with a population of 3500, Cooksville had become part of Toronto's suburban sprawl. In 1968, it became part of the Town of Mississauga which was incorporated in 1974 as the City of Mississauga.

Settlement of the site of Erindale began after 1820, when the Mississauga Indians gave up their land on each side of the Credit river in the second purchase and deeded this land to the crown. In 1822, Thomas Racey bought land in the area on which he planned to build mills and found a village. When Racey failed to meet his payments, most of the land was sold, but 37.5 acres was reserved for a town plot. For a time the village was known as Credit, Toronto Mission, Springfield and later Springfield-on-the-Credit. Colonel Peter Adamson, a retired British army officer and influential settler in the area, was instrumental in building the first Anglican Church for the Township in the village. The first rector, Reverend James Magrath, bought 200 acres on the north side of Dundas Street and called the farm "Erindale" after his homeland.

The little village of Springfield grew steadily. Apart from the grist mill, saw mill, stores, taverns and inns, it had a turning mill and a chair factory by 1851. After 1890 the villagers chose to call the village "Erindale" in honour of Magrath. In 1910 a hydro electric dam was completed, flooding the valley. The power plant operated until 1923 and the dam was removed in 1940. The second half of the 20th century has seen the urbanization of the area surrounding the village; from 1961 to 1963 Dundas Highway was widened to four lanes; in 1967 Erindale College , just north of the former village , opened. A few landmarks remain of "Old Erindale": St. Peter's Church (1887) and rectory (1861), the former Erindale Methodist Church (1877), the Robinson-Adamson House (c. 1830), the former Erindale Public School (1922) and the street patterns with their names commemorating the early settlers, Adamson, Robinson, Proudfoot, Thompson and Jarvis.

Born in Ireland in 1769, Magrath was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He applied to the Society for the propagation of the gospel for a colonial missionary post and emigrated to Upper Canada with his family. In 1827 he was appointed to the Toronto Mission on the Credit river where he served in the simple white frame church which had been built earlier that year. The church was consecrated and named St. Peter's in 1828. Magrath acquired considerable land in the area and here built his home "Erindale", the name later adopted by the settlement which developed nearby. Mcgrath faithfully served the parish until his death in 1851. In 1887 the original St. Peter's was replaced by this stone church designed in the modified gothic style.

The Leslie log house, built 1826, was the original home of John Leslie and his wife Esther Beatty who came to Upper Canada in 1824 from Sutherlandshire, Scotland. John Leslie leased 200 acres from King's College, lot 12, con. 5 w, in Toronto Township, on which he built on the south half a story-and-a-half log home, 26 by 36 feet. Most of the seven Leslie children remained in the area. Robert Leslie (1812-1886) was a master builder, credited with building the William Barber House, Streetsville, Oliver Hammond House, Erindale and Benares, Clarkson.

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On May 24th, 1994 the Leslie log house was moved to the present site from its original location northwest of Derry Road West and Mississauga Road. The relocation was necessary to preserve the structure by placing it in a more compatible setting than the industrial area that had developed around it. The building has been conserved as an example of the early 19th century architecture and the lifestyle led by settlers.

By 1825, six years after the first settlers came into this part of Toronto Township, a thriving community, containing grist and sawmills, a tannery and distillery, had developed here on the Credit river. Named after Timothy Street who began several of the early industries and donated the land for this community, Streetsville had a population of 500 by 1837 and was the largest village in the Home District. While several industries, notably the Hyde mills, flourished during the 1840's, Streetsville lost its dominance in the region when it failed to obtain railway connections until 1879. It was incorporated as a village, with about 1000 inhabitants in 1858 and as a Town in 1962. Twelve years later it became part of the City of Mississauga.

In 1824 Timothy Street deeded one acre of his land to trustees of the nearby Presbyterian church of Scotland. One of the earliest congregations in the area to serve Streetsville as a protesant burying ground. The first established cemetery in the village contains the graves of many of Streetsvilles, Toronto Township and the neighbouring townships pioneers. The "Scotch Burying Grounds" continued to serve Streetsville and the surrounding area until 1891 when the Streetsville Cemetery Company established a new community burial ground on the east side of the Credit river.

The gateway was erected to commemorate the 25th anniversary of incorporation of the village of Streetsville and the 10th anniversary of the City of Mississauga. The decorative stonework was originally part of a prominent 19th century Streetsville home, the Solomon J. Barnhart house, built about 1858 and demolished 1966.

Desginated under the
Ontario Heritage Act (1974)
Local Architectural
Conservation Advisory Committee

Designated under the
Ontario Heritage Act (1974)
Local Architectural
Conservation Advisory Committee

This Court House building , together with the adjacent jail and registry office, served as the judicial and administrative center for the County of Peel for more than a century. Its prominent location on a rise of land and its stately appearance reflect the growing civil pride and affluence of 19th century Ontario communities. Designed in the Italianate style by Toronto architect William Kauffmann, the court house was built by the contracting firm of Kesteven & Story. The onion-shaped dome atop the cupola is a unique feature in Ontario court house design. Opened in 1867, the building housed the county courts until 1973, when new facilities were built.

This cemetery was also known as the Providence Primitive Methodist Cemetery. The first recorded burial was in 1830. The original settlers of Woodhill and the surrounding area were interred here. Woodhill was a thriving rural hamlet by 1819. In 1967 Canada's centennial year, descendants had a cairn constructed to consolidate grave markers. Woodhill Cemetery was re-dedicated in 1996.

Born on a farm which included this site, Kennedy was educated locally and in Toronto, and became active in local politics. He served with distinction in the First World War, attaining the rank of colonel in the militia. Elected in 1919 to the provincial parliament as a Conservative member for Peel, he retained this seat, with the exception of one term, until his death. A fruit grower most of his life, he was concerned with farming and rural affairs, and served as Minister of Agriculture 1930 - 1934 and 1943 - 1952. Kennedy became Prime Minister of Ontario in 1948, remaining in until 1949. As a result of his great personal popularity and long public service, he was affectionately known as "Old Man Ontario".

On Saturday, November 10, 1979, at 11:53 p.m., a Toronto-bound Canadian Pacific Railroad Train carrying a load of dangerous chemicals derailed at this site. An unlubricated bearing caused a tanker to lose its wheels and left the track. Twenty-three cars followed the tanker and some burst into flames. As chemicals spilled on the tracks, flammable liquids and vapours ignited. One of the tank cars exploded. The resulting fire rose l,500 m into the night sky and was seen 100 kms. away. While several chemical cars derailed, it was a ruptured chlorine tank that caused the greatest concern. It was feared that the explosion of a nearby propane tank would create a massive chlorine cloud.

Fire, police and emergency services were quickly dispatched to deal with the situation. A command team of municipal, regional and provincial representatives assembled to make decisions. Police evacuated 2l8,384 residents and most of Mississauga became a ghost town. At the time this was the largest peacetime evacuation in the history of North America. Firefighters allowed the fire to burn off the gases and on Tuesday residents began returning to their homes. By Friday evening, the chlorine tank had been patched and the city reopened.

The cooperation of numerous agencies, volunteers and residents prevented a catastrophe and put Mississauga on the map. The "Miracle of Mississauga" also led to legislative changes regarding the safe transportation of dangerous goods and provided an example for the development of emergency planning by communities around the world.

The history of this burial ground is very obscure. Seemingly in use during the mid 1800's this was once described as the "Old Grahamsville Cemetery". A Wesleyan Methodist church, which was dismanteled about 1869, and Chingcuacousy school house No. 24 have both stood on this site.

The family names of the people who are resting here are:

BURGESS, LINDSAY, STODDART, BURKHOLDER, MERCER, WILLCOX, CUNNINGTON, RAMAGE, EWING, SINCLAIR

This carin in memory of the pioneers of this area was erected in 1981.

A research report on the history of this cemetery is available at the Region of Peel Archives

In 1821 George Bolton, an English immigrant purchased 200 acres of land here on the Humber River. Two years later in partnership with his uncle, James Bolton, one of Albion Township's earliest settlers, he erected a grist-mill. This provided the nucleus around which a community known as Bolton's Mills was established by 1830. A post office named "Albion" was opened in 1832. By 1850 the settlement contained a sawmill, stores, a woollen factory, tannery and blacksmith's shop and within five years a village plot was laid out. The construction of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway in 1871 stimulated the growth of Bolton which, with a population of 795, was incorporated as a village in 1872.

Born near Brampton, educated there and at the Toronto Normal School, Gage taught for a time and studied medicine for a year before joining, in 1874, the publishing house of Adam Miller and Co. In 1875 he became a partner and five years later reorganized the firm as W.J. Gage and Co. Specializing in educational books, it became one of the most successful publishing houses in Canada. A philanthropist and a pioneer in the public battle against tuberculosis, Gage established several free hospitals and sanatoria. He died in Toronto.

Gage naquit près de Brampton où il fit ses études. Il fréquenta l'école normale de Toronto et, après quelques années d'enseignement, étudia la médecine un an avant d'entrer, en 1874, à la maison d'édition Adam Miller and Co. En 1875, il acquit des intérêts dans l'entreprise et, cinq ans plus tard, la réorganisa souls le nom de W. J. Gage and Co. La compagnie, qui se spécialisa dans les ouvrages pédagogiques, devint rapidement l'une des plus importantes maisons d'édition au Canada. Philanthrope et pionnier de la lutte contre la tuberculose, Gage fit construire plusieurs hôpitaux et sanatoriums. Il mourut à Toronto.

In 1826 the government assisted a band of Mississauga, who had recently been converted to Christianity, to settle in this vicinity, and within five years laid out a village plot and constructed log cottages and a sawmill. Methodist missionaries, notably Peter Jones and Egerton Ryerson, ministered to the converts who in 1829 built a combined schoolhouse and chapel. By 1837 about 50 houses had been erected for the Indians. Three years later they had approximately 500 acres under cultivation. Pressure from local white settlement and a decline in the Indian population led to the closing of the mission and the return of the major portion of the Mississauga to the Grand River Reserve in 1847.

The Carnegie Library was constructed in 1906 in the Beaux Arts style. It exhibits classic features including a rusticated basement level constructed of large stone. The main floor which is constructed of brick, is divided near the top by a running frieze, creating the appearance of a third level, or attic. The most interesting feature is the main entrance which illustrated the architectural plasticity of the Beaux Arts style. Brick simulated pilasters create a porch-like entrance which is topped with a circular arch, branching from the running frieze.

This structure was originally constructed as a Market and Town Hall in 1854. The three arches which were later closed each contained double doors opening into the market area. Three of the four windows on the front of the second storey were used to light the council chamber. A tower to dry the fire hose and to house a bell was added in 1862.

For 55 years prior to the dedication of this building Presbyterians had been worshipping in the areas surrounding Brampton. This structure, which includes an Akron plan sanctuary auditorium, office and Sunday School, was designed by the Toronto architects, Gordon and Helliwell. It was built by Jesse Perry, constructed of Credit Valley Stone from the Chisholm quarries and dedicated October 9, 1881.
Designated by the City of Brampton under the Heritage Act

In 1822, a group of Wesleyan Methodists formed a congregation and gathered in a home on a trail that is now Main Street.
For the next 45 years, the congregation moved its place of worship several times, until the present lot was purchased in 1866.
In 1867, a 40' X 60' red brick church, complete with an 80' steeple was dedicated by the Rev. Egerton Ryerson, a noted methodist minister and educator.
The church was expanded and remodeled in 1888. Other additions were made in 1924 and 1959.
Grace Church became a member of the United Church of Canada with church union in 1925.
The church building is an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture. The sanctuary is glorified by many beautiful stained glass windows. Dedicated to the memory of some of Brampton's finest citizens. It is noted by many to be one of the most beautiful in the city.
This building has been the spiritual home for many, including the prominent families of; Archdekin, Brydon, Bull, Covert, Cooper, Dale, Duggan, Hewetson, Houck, and the family of the former Premier of Ontario, William Davis.
Its facade is a unique addition to the street scape of Main Street North, its steeple a landmark for over 120 years.
"So I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see your power and your glory" Psalm 63:2.

Chinguacousy Township, part of the Mississauga Indian tract, was surveyed in 1819. John Elliott, John Scott and William Buffy were early settlers here of a crossroads hamlet first known as Buffy's Corners. In 1834 Elliott laid out a village plot and by 1837 the community numbered 18 families. Elliott and William Lawson, a fellow native of Brampton, England, were influential in naming the village, which was incorporated in 1853, and in establishing a Primitive Methodist congregation. The coming of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1856 aided Brampton's economic development. A foundry, established in 1849, and a horticultural business, started in 1860 and later internationally known, became important industries. Chosen as the county seat in 1867, Brampton was incorporated as a town in 1873.

In May, 1915, Curtiss Aeroplanes and Motors, Ltd. established Canada's first aerodrome and flying school on this site. The school, and the Curtiss aircraft factory on Strachan Avenue in Toronto were managed by John A.D. McCurdy, Canada's first aviator. Most of the graduates went to England at their own expense, to join the Royal Flying Corps or the Royal Naval Air Service. When the Royal Flying Corps, Canada, was created in January, 1917, its first flying units were based at Long Branch. Later that year, when Armour Heights and Leaside were prepared for flying, Long Branch became the ground training school for the cadet wing of the R.F.C.

At a bend in the Credit River, just east of here, a mill site was developed in 1826. William and Robert Barber purchased the property in 1844 and constructed the Toronto Woollen Mills, one of the largest textile mills in Canada West (Ontario). Known as Barberton, the complex grew to some forty buildings, including a dye house, a general store, sawmill, and smithy. Ownership passed from the Barber family in 1882. Early in the First World War, the four-storey stone mill was converted to flour production. Other remanents of Barberton are William Barber's home across the street and workers' cottages on the other side of the river.

An accomplished British artist who gained prominence in Canadian cultural circles, Charlotte Morrell was born in the County of Essex, England. She studied art in London and, while still a young woman, achieved distinction for her paintings and illustrations. Following her marriage to Weymouth Schreiber in 1875, she came to Ontario, finally settling in this area. Here, inspired by local scenes and phenomena, Schreiber continued to pursue an artistic career. Elected the first woman member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1880, she made a vital contribution to the development of realism in Canadian painting through her high standards of craftmanship and her encouragement of younger artists. After her husbands's death in 1898, Schreiber returned to England where she spent the rest of her life.

Born in Norval, this internationally renowned artist attended Brampton Grammar School before apprenticing to Toronto painter John W. Bridgman, with whom he later formed a partnership. After studying in Paris, France from 1879 to 1883, he returned to Toronto, becoming a member of the Ontario Society of Artists and of the Royal Canadian Academy. Throughout his career, J.W.L. Forster painted over 500 portraits and historical tableaux of leading citizens and political, religious, business and historical figures from Canada and elsewhere. Upon his death, Forster bequeathed his collection and funds to establish his lifelong dream, a portrait gallery of historic and eminent Canadians. He is buried here in Brampton Cemetery.

This flour mill was built on the Credit River southeast of the village of Streetsville in the mid-1830s by John Beaty and by 1861 had an annual capacity of 12,000 barrels of flour. The mill employed four pairs of milling stones, which were replaced by roller processing in the late 1800s to produce finer qualities of flour. The Beaty family and leaseholders operated the mill until 1895 when miller Duncan Reid took over the operation, buying it from the Beaty estate in 1902. Reid, his children and grandchildren owned the mill until 1965 when Paul Helliwell purchased the complex. It was sold to Christie Brown and Company in 1969 and acquired by Kraft in 2000. The original mill, hidden inside the milling complex, and the mill dam, which survives, played an important role in Ontario's commercial and industrial history.

The only American born Father of Confederation, Sir William P. Howland was a native of Paulings, N.Y. and in 1830 settled in Cooksville. In the 1840's his extensive business interests became centred in Toronto. Howland became a British Subject in 1841. He represented York West 1857-1867 in the Legislative Assembly and 1867-8 in the House of Commons. He served as minister of finance 1862-3 and 1866-67, receiver general 1863-4, postmaster general in 1864, and the first minister of inland revenue in 1867. At the London Conference in 1866 Howland was one of the three delegates from Canada West. He was Ontario's second lieutenant-governor, 1868-73, and in 1879 was created a K.C.M.G.

Near this site on the Credit River's eastern bank, the government of Upper Canada built a "post-house" or inn in 1798, for the use of persons travelling between York and such settlements as Niagara and Detroit. Constructed of dressed timber, it was for some seven years the only building between the Etobicoke River and Burlington Beach. Local Mississauga Indians gathered here to trade salmon and furs. Here also they signed the treaties of 1805 and 1818 which ceded most of their lands to the crown for European settlement. Used as an inn until 1834, the Government House became private property in 1858 and was demolished three years later.

Born in Newmarket, Ontario, Mazo de la Roche was a prolific writer whose works include novels, short stories, plays, and autobiography. Her novel Jalna, first in a series of sixteen, won the prestigious Atlantic Monthly prize in 1927, propelling her to international fame. Thought to be inspired in part by the leafy settings of Clarkson and Benares, the Jalna novels chronicle the lives of the Whiteoaks at their family estate. The series was translated into many languages and adapted for stage, screen, and television, making Mazo de la Roche one of the most widely read and popular Canadian authors of her time.

The Dale Estate nurseries played an instrumental role in the development of Brampton, establishing its reputation as "The Flower Town of Canada." The business began in 1863 with its founder Edward Dale selling vegetables from his garden and it soon expanded to include the cultivation of greenhouse roses. By the early 20th century, the Dale Estate employed a quarter of Brampton's population and was among the largest greenhouse flower producers in the world. International success stemmed, in part, from the production of new varieties of roses and orchids, and from the famous "Autographed Rose" technique. The Dale Estate continued to prosper through the first half of the twentieth century and its numerous greenhouses and great chimney became iconic features of the local community. In the 1960s, the Dale Estate was sold and merged with another local grower, becoming the Calvert-Dale Estates. Gradually, production slowed and the firm closed its doors in 1980.

Financier, philanthropist and historian William Perkins Bull was born in Downsview, Ontario, in 1870. Bull attended Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar in 1896. He established a law practice but soon broadened his interests to include oil, lumber and land speculation. His business interests took him to England where, during the First World War, he and his wife Maria Brennan Bull established a convalescent hospital for wounded Canadian officers. Following the war he returned to Canada to continue his legal and business affairs. In 1931 Bull's interest in history was spurred when he assembled a library of rare books by Canadian authors. He began a study of Peel County's history that eventually grew into ten published volumes on Peel's cultural and natural history. Perkins Bull was considered ahead of his time in recognizing the historical value of oral and written accounts, photographs, everyday objects and the built environment. He collected pioneer artefacts and Canadian art and much of this collection, including his research, is preserved at the Peel Heritage Complex in Brampton.