The Town of East Gwillimbury dates to the late 1790s, when Governor John Graves Simcoe named it in honour of his wife, whose maiden name was Gwillim. At the time, he was looking for an overland route from York (present-day Toronto) to Lake Huron which, in the event of war with the United States, would serve as an alternate to the easily interdicted Lake Ontario-Lake Erie route.
Yonge Street was the result. Its northern terminus was at Holland Landing, from which vessels traversed the Holland River and Lake Simcoe to Barrie, where roads completed the journey west. Until trains arrived at mid-century and supplanted water transport, this route was a major commercial artery and Holland Landing became the major port on Lake Simcoe.
The earliest settlers of East Gwillimbury were United Empire Loyalists and Quakers who were no longer welcome in the United States in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. It was through their efforts that Mount Albert, Queensville, and Holland Landing were founded. Sharon (originally called Hope) is unique in that it was founded by an off-shoot sect of Quakers, known as the Children of Peace, whose influence remains highly visible thanks to the stunning Sharon Temple.
It's interesting to note that despite the well-known pacifism of East Gwillimbury's Quaker settlers, the region was at the heart of William Lyon Mackenzie's ill-fated 1837 Rebellion. Many locals were disenchanted by the province's corrupt government and joined Mackenzie and Holland Landing resident turned revolutionary, Gabriel Lount, in a march down Yonge Street. The rebellion was quickly crushed, though it did lead to reform.
After the rebellion and its brush with infamy, East Gwillimbury reverted to its quiet, agricultural ways. It remained that way until the 1970s, when the rise of suburbia shook the town from its placid slumber.
East Gwillimbury Today
While East Gwillimbury retains the characteristics of its agricultural roots, it's now a modern and growing community which successfully balances urban and rural. That, and an advantageous geographic location just north of Canada's largest city, make in an ideal place to live and work.
East Gwillimbury encompasses 238 square kilometres (almost 92 square miles), and has among the lowest population densities in York Region. The growing areas of Holland Landing, Sharon, Queensville and Mount Albert offer all the facilities of modern urban areas, but are surrounded by endless miles of picturesque farmland and wildspace.
After a rapid spike in the 1970s and early 1980s, population growth has leveled off at a sustainable and healthy 6% over the last 20 years. Today, 21,500 people call East Gwillimbury home, and this number is expected to reach 51,300 in 2021.
Currently, 40% of the population resides in Holland Landing, but planners intend for Queensville to be the centre of growth and to eventually supplant Holland Landing as the heart of the town. In time, Queensville will be home to 20,000 people, and be a modern community with new residential areas, schools, a full-range of public facilities, and a university to service upper York Region. Industrial growth will centre upon a 500 hectare industrial development site, and the new town centre will include a full range of commercial uses.
The growth of East Gwillimbury rests upon an excellent transportation network. Metropolitan Toronto is accessible in half an hour via Highway 404, while Highway 400 is also close via Highway 9 and affords a link to west-central Toronto in about an hour's time.
Inter-city commuter rail and bus service is provided by GO Transit out of the Green Lane Terminal on the northern outskirts of Newmarket. Public transportation is available in Holland Landing and Sharon through York Region Transit, which connects residents with the GO Terminal and Upper Canada Mall.
East Gwillimbury hosts a number of notable attractions. Foremost among them is the Sharon Temple, a national Historic Site, and Rogers Reservoir, with its abandoned canal lock. There are also numerous historic buildings in its principal villages, while the rolling hills are home to many fine golf courses, and the marinas nestled along the placid shores of the Holland River offer ready access to Lake Simcoe.
If you are looking for a home in this area contact Margaret Kisza at 416-543-9264 or email mkisza@sympatico.ca
