Dufferin County, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Dufferin County is a county
and census division
of the Canadian
province
of Ontario
. The county seat is Orangeville
, and the current Warden is Deputy Mayor Warren Maycock of the Town of Orangeville, Ontario
http://www.orangeville.ca/. The Current Chief Administrative Officer is Linda J. Dean http://www.dufferincounty.on.ca/department_info.aspx?id=23. Dufferin covers an area of 359812 acre (562 sq mi; 1,456 km²), and its population is 54,436 (2006).
Dufferin County is the highest plateau immediately west of Georgian Bay
, and as such forms the watershed between the four lakes: Huron
, Erie
, Ontario
and Simcoe
. Four rivers — Saugeen
, Grand
, Credit
and Nottawasaga
— take their rise in Dufferin or in adjacent townships and drain through the county.
The county is a lofty table-land that is about 1700 feet (518 m) above sea-level and about 1400 feet (427 m) above the level of downtown Toronto
. A continuation of the Caledon Mountains skirts the eastern side of the county. The highest peaks, however, are no match for the Blue Mountains north of Dufferin or the Caledon Mountains on the south.
The County of Dufferin, sits on the fringe of the Greater Toronto Area, about 100 kilometres northwest of Toronto. It consists of eight municipalities: three towns, Mono, Orangeville and Shelburne; and five rural townships, Amaranth, East Garafraxa, East Luther-Grand Valley, Melancthon and Mulmur. Dufferin is largely a rural county with three urban settlement areas, namely Grand Valley, Orangeville and Shelburne. The Town of Orangeville, the county seat, is situated on the southern border of the county and is the largest urban centre, with just over half the population. Although Orangeville dominates in terms of population, in area it is very small and geographically compact.
Dufferin was formed in 1881 from parts of the counties of Grey and Simcoe, on the north and east, and from the County of Wellington on the south and west. The county gets its name from the Marquess of Dufferin
, who was Governor General of Canada
between 1872-1878. (Several local comedians have joked that Dufferin gets its name from a "headache remedy for Canadian golfers"; a portmanteau of duffer
and Bufferin.) Originally an agriculturally based economy, Dufferin's economy has diversified to include commercial and retail businesses, industries related to residential and commercial construction (building, supplies, aggregates, real estate) and manufacturing. A portion of Dufferin’s economy still depends on agriculture but tourism is becoming more important as the county takes a more positive role in attracting visitors.
It consists of the following municipalities:
Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
and census division
Census division
Census division is an official term in Canada and the United States. The census divisions of Canada are second-level census geographic unit, below provinces and territories, and above "census subdivisions" and "dissemination areas". In provinces where they exist, the census division may correspond...
of the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The county seat is Orangeville
Orangeville, Ontario
Orangeville is a town in south-central Ontario, Canada, and the seat of Dufferin County.-History:Before European settlers, Orangeville was thought to be a native hunting ground...
, and the current Warden is Deputy Mayor Warren Maycock of the Town of Orangeville, Ontario
Orangeville, Ontario
Orangeville is a town in south-central Ontario, Canada, and the seat of Dufferin County.-History:Before European settlers, Orangeville was thought to be a native hunting ground...
http://www.orangeville.ca/. The Current Chief Administrative Officer is Linda J. Dean http://www.dufferincounty.on.ca/department_info.aspx?id=23. Dufferin covers an area of 359812 acre (562 sq mi; 1,456 km²), and its population is 54,436 (2006).
Dufferin County is the highest plateau immediately west of Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
, and as such forms the watershed between the four lakes: Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
and Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...
. Four rivers — Saugeen
Saugeen River
The Saugeen River is located in southern Ontario, Canada, flowing generally north-west about 160 km before exiting into Lake Huron. The river is navigable for some distance, and was once an important barge route...
, Grand
Grand River (Ontario)
The Grand River is a large river in southwestern Ontario, Canada. From its source, it flows south through Grand Valley, Fergus, Elora, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, and Cayuga before emptying into the north shore of Lake Erie south of Dunnville at Port Maitland...
, Credit
Credit River
The Credit River is a river in southern Ontario which flows from headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment to empty into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. It drains an area of approximately 1,000 km²...
and Nottawasaga
Nottawasaga River
The Nottawasaga River is a river in southern Ontario, Canada. Its headwaters are located on the Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine. It flows through the Minesing Swamp, recognized as a wetland of international significance , and empties into Nottawasaga Bay, an inlet of Georgian Bay, at...
— take their rise in Dufferin or in adjacent townships and drain through the county.
The county is a lofty table-land that is about 1700 feet (518 m) above sea-level and about 1400 feet (427 m) above the level of downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
. A continuation of the Caledon Mountains skirts the eastern side of the county. The highest peaks, however, are no match for the Blue Mountains north of Dufferin or the Caledon Mountains on the south.
The County of Dufferin, sits on the fringe of the Greater Toronto Area, about 100 kilometres northwest of Toronto. It consists of eight municipalities: three towns, Mono, Orangeville and Shelburne; and five rural townships, Amaranth, East Garafraxa, East Luther-Grand Valley, Melancthon and Mulmur. Dufferin is largely a rural county with three urban settlement areas, namely Grand Valley, Orangeville and Shelburne. The Town of Orangeville, the county seat, is situated on the southern border of the county and is the largest urban centre, with just over half the population. Although Orangeville dominates in terms of population, in area it is very small and geographically compact.
Dufferin was formed in 1881 from parts of the counties of Grey and Simcoe, on the north and east, and from the County of Wellington on the south and west. The county gets its name from the Marquess of Dufferin
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society...
, who was Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
between 1872-1878. (Several local comedians have joked that Dufferin gets its name from a "headache remedy for Canadian golfers"; a portmanteau of duffer
Duffer
Duffer may refer to:* Duffer , invisible dwarves in the Chronicles of Narnia* "Duffer", in Australian English, a person occupied in cattle raiding* Glossary of chess#D#Duffer, a weak player in the game of chessIn biology:...
and Bufferin.) Originally an agriculturally based economy, Dufferin's economy has diversified to include commercial and retail businesses, industries related to residential and commercial construction (building, supplies, aggregates, real estate) and manufacturing. A portion of Dufferin’s economy still depends on agriculture but tourism is becoming more important as the county takes a more positive role in attracting visitors.
It consists of the following municipalities:
- Town of MonoMono, OntarioThe Town of Mono is situated in south-central Ontario, Canada, at the south-east corner of County of Dufferin, just north of Caledon and northeast of Orangeville. It stretches from Highway 9 along its southern border to Highway 89 along its northern border. Its border to the west is with the...
- Town of OrangevilleOrangeville, OntarioOrangeville is a town in south-central Ontario, Canada, and the seat of Dufferin County.-History:Before European settlers, Orangeville was thought to be a native hunting ground...
- Town of ShelburneShelburne, OntarioShelburne, Ontario is a town in Dufferin County, Ontario, Canada, located at the intersection of Highway 10 and Highway 89...
- Township of AmaranthAmaranth, OntarioAmaranth is a township in Ontario, Canada with a 2006 Population of 3,845. It is named after the plant which grows abundantly within its borders. It is bordered by Mono to the east and East Luther to the west....
- Township of East GarafraxaEast Garafraxa, OntarioEast Garafraxa is a rural township in Dufferin County, Ontario, Canada, to the west of Orangeville and within relative commuting distance of Toronto, Brampton, Guelph, and Kitchener.The township includes the population centres of Marsville and Orton....
- Township of East Luther Grand Valley
- Township of MelancthonMelancthon, OntarioMelancthon is a rural Canadian township in the northwest corner of Dufferin County, Ontario, bordered on the east by Mulmur Township, Amaranth Township and East Luther Grand Valley to the south, Southgate Township to the west, and the Municipality of Grey Highlands to the north. The township does...
- Township of MulmurMulmur, OntarioMulmur is a township in Dufferin County in Southern Ontario, Canada.-Demographics:Population trend:* Population in 2006: 3318* Population in 2001: 3099* Population in 1996: 2903* Population in 1991: 2591-External links:*...
Historical townships
- Amaranth Township, area: 63471 acre (99 sq mi; 257 km²). Opened in 1821 and named from a common weed-plant (AmaranthAmaranthAmaranthus, collectively known as amaranth, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Approximately 60 species are recognized, with inflorescences and foliage ranging from purple and red to gold...
) with green or purplish flowers, or it might be named after the "un-fading flower" of the classic poets. Settled mainly between 1840 and 1873. Communities were Orangeville, Laurel, Shelburne, Waldemar, Bowling Green - Township of East Garafraxa, area: 40835 acre (64 sq mi; 165 km²). Opened in 1821. Settled mostly between 1833 and 1850. (community centre, Marsville)
- Township of East Luther, area: 38599 acre (60 sq mi; 156 km²). Settled mainly between 1860 and 1875. Community centres: Grand Valley, Monticello and Colbeck.
- Township of Melancthon, area: 74705 acre (117 sq mi; 302 km²). Opened in 1821 and named after one of the leaders of the German Reformation (Philipp MelanchthonPhilipp MelanchthonPhilipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
). A swampy township like East Luther so it was slow to be settled. Not generally settled until after 1850. Community centres: Melancthon, Corbetton, Riverview, Hornings Mills. - Township of Mulmur, area: 70291 acre (110 sq mi; 284 km²). Opened in 1822. Origin of the name is forgotten, possibly a corruption of an Indian word or name. Settled mainly after 1867. Community centres: Mansfield, Honeywood, Terra Nova, Primrose.
Source: Province of Ontario -- A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto