Grey Highlands is a municipality in the southeast corner of Grey County

Grey County, Ontario

Grey County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is in Owen Sound. The population was 92,411 in 2006. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Southwestern Ontario...

, 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....

, Canada

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...

 that was formed on January 1, 2001 by the amalgamation of the village of Markdale

Markdale, Ontario

Markdale is a community in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, in Grey County, Ontario, Canada.Markdale was first settled in 1846 and originally called East Glenelg, after a nearby township. In 1864, it was renamed Cornabus after the Islay, Scotland hometown of then-postmaster Donald MacDuffie...

 and the townships of Artemesia, Euphrasia and Osprey, which included the unincorporated hamlets of Eugenia

Eugenia, Ontario

Eugenia is a small community just north of Flesherton, Ontario and 1½ hours north of Toronto, Ontario. It is in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, part of Grey County. Eugenia is best known for its hidden lake called "Lake Eugenia" and Eugenia Falls....

 Ceylon, Maxwell, Singhampton, Priceville, Kimberley, and Feversham. The former village of Flesherton

Flesherton, Ontario

Flesherton is a community in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, in Grey County, Ontario, Canada, located at the junction of Highway 10 and Grey County Road 4...

 is also located within the municipality, having been amalgamated with Artemesia Township in 1998. According to the 2006 Census, the Municipality covers a land area of 880.6 square kilometres and has a population of 10,000.

Communities

• Eugenia
  Eugenia, Ontario
  Eugenia is a small community just north of Flesherton, Ontario and 1½ hours north of Toronto, Ontario. It is in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, part of Grey County. Eugenia is best known for its hidden lake called "Lake Eugenia" and Eugenia Falls....
  
  
• Feversham
• Flesherton
  Flesherton, Ontario
  Flesherton is a community in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, in Grey County, Ontario, Canada, located at the junction of Highway 10 and Grey County Road 4...
  
  
• Kimberley
• Markdale
  Markdale, Ontario
  Markdale is a community in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, in Grey County, Ontario, Canada.Markdale was first settled in 1846 and originally called East Glenelg, after a nearby township. In 1864, it was renamed Cornabus after the Islay, Scotland hometown of then-postmaster Donald MacDuffie...
  
  
• Vandeleur
  Vandeleur, Ontario
  Vandeleur is a community in Grey County, Ontario, located within the municipality of Grey Highlands....
  
  

Geography

The dominant natural feature of the area is the Niagara Escarpment

Niagara Escarpment

The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...

, which passes through the municipality and has several ancillary features:

• the Bruce Trail
  Bruce Trail
  The Bruce Trail is a hiking trail in southern and central Ontario, Canada.-General:The trail follows the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, one of the thirteen UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves in Canada, for almost...
  
  , a popular hiking and multi-use trail, follows the brow of the Escarpment.
• Beaver Valley
  Beaver Valley (Ontario)
  The Beaver Valley is a valley in southern Ontario, Canada, at the southern tip of Georgian Bay. The Beaver River flows north through the valley to Georgian Bay at Thornbury. It is a productive agricultural area, producing a significant portion of Canada's apple crop. It also contains one of...
  
  , a steep-sided and broad valley, was created during the last ice age. The eastern side of the valley, as part of the Niagara Escarpment, was designated a UNESCO
  UNESCO
  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
  
   Biosphere reserve
  Biosphere reserve
  The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
  
   in 1990. The west side of the valley is home to a number of downhill ski slopes
  Downhill
  Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
  
  .
• Eugenia
  Eugenia, Ontario
  Eugenia is a small community just north of Flesherton, Ontario and 1½ hours north of Toronto, Ontario. It is in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, part of Grey County. Eugenia is best known for its hidden lake called "Lake Eugenia" and Eugenia Falls....
  
   Falls, where the Beaver River crosses the Niagara Escarpment, is the location of Grey County's only gold rush.

Demographics

Population trend:

• Population in 2006: 9480 (2001 to 2006 population change: 3.1 %)
• Population in 2001: 9196
• Population total in 1996: 8620
  • Artemesia (township): 2881
  • Euphrasia (township): 1513
  • Flesherton (village): 625
  • Markdale (village): 1354
  • Osprey (township): 2247
• Population total in 1991: 7828
  • Artemesia (township): 2538
  • Euphrasia (township): 1427
  • Flesherton (village): 543
  • Markdale (village): 1370
  • Osprey (township): 1950

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 3687 (total dwellings: 5142)

Education

Elementary students (Kindergarten to grade 8) are divided into three cachement areas:

• MacPhail Memorial Elementary School serves the Flesherton area.
• Osprey Central School serves the Maxwell and Feversham area.
• Beavercrest Community School serves the Markdale and surrounding area.

All of these students go to Grey Highlands Secondary School

Grey Highlands Secondary School

Grey Highlands Secondary School is a Grade 9-12 high school located in Flesherton, Ontario, in rural Grey County. It was built in 1967 as part of a province-wide upgrade of educational facilities. Unlike typical rural high schools of the time that were designed only to graduate matriculation...

 in Flesherton for Grades 9-12.

Resources

• Split Rail Country: A History of Artemesia Volume I now online
• Split Rail Country: A History of Artemesia Volume II 1985-2000 is presently being written