Vandorf, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Vandorf is a small hamlet situated in the Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville, Ontario
, in Canada
. It is the most westerly settlement within the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. With a population of approximately 722, Vandorf consists mainly of estate residential homes and farms.
Vandorf was founded in the 19th century by the Van Nostrand family. The town was originally named "Brookdale", but the name had to be changed when postal service became available due to a conflict with another Ontario community of the same name. A town meeting was held and the name Vandorf was selected by combining "Van" (from the founding Van Nostrands) with "Dorf", selected by the predominately Dutch residents of the day and meaning "Village" in Dutch.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area around Vandorf had a rich First Nation history, including a 17th century Huron-Wendat ancestral village overlooking Van Nostrand Lake and the "Old Indian Fort" (or Aurora) site
, located at the south-east corner of Kennedy Road and Vandorf Side Road. An important north-south trail (the "Vandorf Trial") led from the headwaters of the Rouge River
to Newmarket
and Holland Landing
crossing the hights at Vandorf. "Perhaps the busiest and best documented of these routes was that which followed the Humber River valley northward ... although another trail of equal importance and antiquity and used earlier than the former by the French, extended from the mouth of the Rouge River northward to the headwaters of the Little Rouge and over the drainage divide to the East Branch of the Holland River at Holland Landing."
Downtown Vandorf is located on Woodbine Avenue, approximately 2 km north of Bloomington Road and just east of Highway 404, or via Vandorf Sideroad (2 km south of Aurora Road), which runs east / west starting at Industrial Parkway South in Aurora (westerly point) and ends at Highway 48 in Whitchurch–Stouffville (easterly point).
Vandorf has a general store, auto repair shop, community hall and a gas station. It is also home to the Vandorf Selects Pylons, a noted senior level hockey team competing in hockey tournaments throughout the province. Villagers passionately support the team, and will often attend games at home and abroad.
The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum is also located in Vandorf, part of Vandorf Park. The park is noted for hosting the Museum's annual Antique and Classic Car Show, which is open to the general public. The show is typically held the second week in August on Sunday.
For many years Vandorf Park hosted the annual Victoria Day
Fireworks display held by the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. This large fireworks display once rivaled those shown at Ontario Place
/ Canada's Wonderland. The town cancelled the fireworks event in 2010 for safety concerns.
A rail line owned by Canadian National Railway
runs through Vandorf; it is CN's primary freight corridor connecting Greater Toronto to Northern Ontario and Western Canada. This line is currently being considered for future GO Transit
train service expansion with a station in Vandorf and Gormley
(West). Future residential growth of Vandorf however is limited by provincial Greenbelt
legislation.
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....
, in 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...
. It is the most westerly settlement within the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. With a population of approximately 722, Vandorf consists mainly of estate residential homes and farms.
Vandorf was founded in the 19th century by the Van Nostrand family. The town was originally named "Brookdale", but the name had to be changed when postal service became available due to a conflict with another Ontario community of the same name. A town meeting was held and the name Vandorf was selected by combining "Van" (from the founding Van Nostrands) with "Dorf", selected by the predominately Dutch residents of the day and meaning "Village" in Dutch.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area around Vandorf had a rich First Nation history, including a 17th century Huron-Wendat ancestral village overlooking Van Nostrand Lake and the "Old Indian Fort" (or Aurora) site
Aurora Site, Wendat (Huron) Ancestral Village
The Aurora Site, also known as the "Old Fort," "Old Indian Fort," "Murphy Farm" or "Hill Fort" site, is a sixteenth-century Huron-Wendat ancestral village located on one of the headwater tributaries of the East Holland River on the north side of the Oak Ridges Moraine in present-day...
, located at the south-east corner of Kennedy Road and Vandorf Side Road. An important north-south trail (the "Vandorf Trial") led from the headwaters of the Rouge River
Rouge River (Ontario)
The Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin in the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville...
to Newmarket
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
and Holland Landing
Holland Landing, Ontario
Holland Landing is a village in the town of East Gwillimbury, located in the northern part of the Regional Municipality of York, in south-central Ontario, Canada. Its major road is Yonge Street and the village has bus service by GO Transit and York Region Transit...
crossing the hights at Vandorf. "Perhaps the busiest and best documented of these routes was that which followed the Humber River valley northward ... although another trail of equal importance and antiquity and used earlier than the former by the French, extended from the mouth of the Rouge River northward to the headwaters of the Little Rouge and over the drainage divide to the East Branch of the Holland River at Holland Landing."
Downtown Vandorf is located on Woodbine Avenue, approximately 2 km north of Bloomington Road and just east of Highway 404, or via Vandorf Sideroad (2 km south of Aurora Road), which runs east / west starting at Industrial Parkway South in Aurora (westerly point) and ends at Highway 48 in Whitchurch–Stouffville (easterly point).
Vandorf has a general store, auto repair shop, community hall and a gas station. It is also home to the Vandorf Selects Pylons, a noted senior level hockey team competing in hockey tournaments throughout the province. Villagers passionately support the team, and will often attend games at home and abroad.
The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum is also located in Vandorf, part of Vandorf Park. The park is noted for hosting the Museum's annual Antique and Classic Car Show, which is open to the general public. The show is typically held the second week in August on Sunday.
For many years Vandorf Park hosted the annual Victoria Day
Victoria Day
Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. The date is also, simultaneously, that on which the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday is recognized...
Fireworks display held by the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. This large fireworks display once rivaled those shown at Ontario Place
Ontario Place
Ontario Place is a multiple use entertainment and seasonal waterfront park attraction located in Toronto, Ontario, and owned by the Crown in Right of Ontario. It is administered as an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Located on the shore of Lake Ontario, just south of...
/ Canada's Wonderland. The town cancelled the fireworks event in 2010 for safety concerns.
A rail line owned by Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
runs through Vandorf; it is CN's primary freight corridor connecting Greater Toronto to Northern Ontario and Western Canada. This line is currently being considered for future GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
train service expansion with a station in Vandorf and Gormley
Gormley, Ontario
Gormley is a hamlet in York Region, Ontario, Canada that overlaps parts of Richmond Hill, and Whitchurch–Stouffville, two municipalities within the Greater Toronto Area. It was divided into two parts due to the construction of Highway 404. A portion of Gormley situated within Richmond Hill's...
(West). Future residential growth of Vandorf however is limited by provincial Greenbelt
Greenbelt (Golden Horseshoe)
The Greenbelt is a permanently protected area of green space, farmland, forests, wetlands, and watersheds, located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It surrounds a significant portion of Canada's most populated and fastest-growing area - The Golden Horseshoe....
legislation.