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History of Markham |
When Upper Canada was established in 1791, John Graves Simcoe was
appointed the first Lieutenant-Governor of the Province. One of his
first acts was to delineate the province into counties and townships.
Markham Township was surveyed in 1793-94, and was named by Governor
Simcoe in honour of his close friend, William Markham, the Archbishop
of York.
The first settlers arrived immediately after the land was surveyed. In
1794, William Berczy led 75 German families from New York State to
Markham Township. At the time Yonge Street was little more than a track
and Markham was isolated from the luxuries of civilization, so some of
the Berczy settlers bowed to the hardships and left after a few years.
Those that remained, however, literally founded Markham Township.
From 1803 to 1812, the largest group of settlers to arrive in Markham,
were Pennsylvanian Germans, most of whom were Mennonites. These
industrious individuals were responsible for establishing most of the
communities that today comprise Markham.
They were joined from 1815 onward by numerous Irish, Scottish, and English immigrants.
By 1860, most of the township had been cleared and placed under
cultivation. Unionville, Markham Village, and Thornhill were all well
established villages by this time, and many industries began to appear.
A further boost came in 1871, when the Toronto and Nipissing Railways
passed though, bringing rapid development and increased prosperity.
Around the dawn of the 20th century, the villages of Markham Township
began to atrophy. Local industries---everything from mills to
blacksmiths to wagon works---were no longer able to compete with larger
industries and suppliers in Toronto, and began to close. With them,
went the villages they served. Markham Township reverted to its quiet,
rural roots.
Renewed prosperity arrived in the wake of World War II. With the spread
of suburbia beyond Toronto’s borders, Markham began to grow once more.
Its rural character began to disappear in the face of tremendous urban
growth, replaced by a modern city with bright hopes for the future.
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Markham Today |
Markham, located just north of Toronto’s east end, is the largest of
the nine municipalities in York, both in terms of population and size
(211 square kilometres). The four main communities are Markham,
Thornhill, Unionville, and Milliken, but there are numerous other
historic hamlets in the township as well.
Markham
is a rapidly growing community. In 1976, it was home to 56,000, and the
population has since quadrupled to 220,000. By 2021, some 370,000
people will live in Markham, with an average 20% increase every five
years. The township has grown to keep pace, with new housing
developments and businesses, as well as quality schools, numerous parks
and recreational areas, and top notch infrastructure.
Industry is being attracted to Markham in increasing numbers,
especially technology-related businesses. Not for nothing is Markham
considered the “High-Tech Capital of Canada”. In fact, several large
corporations maintain head offices here, among them American Express
and IBM, suggesting that Markham is beginning to be considered a viable
alternative to downtown Toronto by corporate interests. This economic
vitality has an obvious impact on the nature of the community, where
the average household income is $121,000, the highest in York Region.
Part of the reason for this is the convenience of transportation in the
township. Highway 404 provides rapid access into the heart of Toronto,
less than 20-minutes away, while Highway 7 and the 407 Toll Route
provide handy east-west corridors. The TTC has many bus routes that run
through Markham and connect to Toronto’s subway system, while GO
Transit offers both bus and rail service to Toronto and the other
municipalities of York Region. Finally, Buttonville Airport, a private
airport serving small aircraft and located only minutes from Markham’s
commercial core, is increasingly being employed by corporate jets.
Despite unprecedented changes over the past 50 years, Markham is
determined to maintain its roots and history. As a result, the historic
cores of Unionville and Markham Village are among the best preserved
and most attractive anywhere in Ontario. They provide a lure to tens of
thousands of tourists every year. Other local attractions include the
Frederick Horsman Art Gallery, Markham Museum, home of numerous
exhibits and a dozen restored heritage buildings, and several premier
golf courses.
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