The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffvillle

The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville is located north of Toronto in

east-central York Region. Comprised of several smaller communities,

it is a unique country environment in the GTA. Situated along

major transportation routes and a short drive from Pearson International

and Buttonville airports, the town offers convenient access for investors and

prospective residents.

The municipality known as Whitchurch Township was established in 1792

when the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, Colonel John Graves

Simcoe, divided the province into 19 counties.Whitchurch was named after a town in Herefordshire, England, where Simcoe's wife

was born. It included the area bordered by Stouffville

Road (Main Street), Yonge Street, Davis Drive, and

Durham Regional Road 30.

Settlers from a variety of backgrounds arrived in

Whitchurch Township as early as 1794. Some of them

were squatters who obtained rights that allowed them

to own the land they had been living on illegally. Also

among the first settlers was a group of about 40

Quaker families mostly from Pennsylvania, Vermont,

and New York who settled in the northeast part of

Whitchurch in 1801. Hessian German soldiers, who

had been hired by the British to help fight in the

American War of Independence, received parcels of

land as payment for their military service. Those who

settled in the southeast part of Whitchurch near

Stouffville were mostly Mennonites from the United

States who arrived during the early 1800s.

Settlement and urban development in Whitchurch

followed the same pattern as elsewhere in Ontario,

clustering around waterways, fertile land, and natural

resources. Small villages developed at mill sites or at

the intersections of major travel routes. As local markets

grew, these hamlets developed into larger centres.

Historic hamlets in Whitchurch Township include

Gormley, Pleasantville, Lemonville, Seldom Seen,

Shrubmount, Ringwood, Baker Hill, Ballantrae,Vivian,

Hartman, Musselman's Lake, and Island Lake.

Abraham Stouffer, who came from Pennsylvania in

1804, settled on 600 acres of land in the southeast corner bordering Markham Township. At the current

intersections of Main and Market as well as Main and

Mill streets, Stouffer established saw- and gristmills.

Other businesses grew around these mills and soon

amenities, such as a church and school, were added to

the growing hamlet, which was then known as

Stoufferville. In 1832, when the post office was

established, its name was shortened to Stouffville.

Today, residents of Whitchurch-Stouffville enjoy all

the advantages of urban living in a rural environment.

They can choose from turn-of-the-century homes,

country estate properties, modern neighbourhood

developments, seniors' homes, and low-rise complexes.

Whitchurch-Stouffville combines urban amenities

with rustic lifestyles. Kettle lakes, scenic ravines, and

rolling hills provide the perfect setting for numerous

recreational activities. Prestigious golf courses and

equestrian centres await you, or you can explore the

more than 690 acres of regional forest or the Bruce's

Mill Conservation Area-over 92 hectares of

scenic conservation land complete with picnic areas

and swimming.