Thornhill

Thornhill is divided in half between the Town of Markham and the City of Vaughan, and runs along both the east and the west sides of Yonge Street.

In 1792, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe, announced a plan to attract settlers to Upper Canada (Ontario). The plan offered 200 acres of land to pioneer settlers, provided they undertake certain duties in return. Settlers had to clear and fence 10 acres of grant land, erect a dwelling, and clear 33 feet of land across the front of the property for a road. This work was to be completed within two years of settlement. By 1800, all the lots between what is now Steeles Avenue and Langstaff Road were granted to prospective settlers. Simcoe's policies would populate and develop communities throughout Upper Canada.

The earliest settlers were either United Empire Loyalists or Americans taking advantage of the generous terms of Simcoe's settlement offer. In 1801, Jeremiah Atkinson built the first major saw mill on the Don, west of Yonge Street in Thornhill. A gristmill was constructed in 1802 and gradually, as a result of the mill, the first signs of urban settlement began to emerge.

The years following the War of 1812 saw another wave of immigration take place. The end of the Napoleonic Wars was characterized by significant social and economic change in Great Britain. The result was a period of emigration of upper class families, newly impoverished by the upheaval, and of servicemen seeking to start a new life.
Of particular importance was the arrival of Benjamin Thorne in 1820. Thorne set up a warehouse in York dealing in the export of grain and import of iron. When William Purdy's Mill burnt down, Thorne purchased the remains and erected a larger gristmill. By 1830, Thorne was operating a gristmill, a sawmill, and a tannery. The small settlement came to be known as Thorne's Mills and then Thorne's Hill after Benjamin Thorne.

In 1828, Thorne and his brother-in-law, William Parson, petitioned the government for a post office. It was granted in 1829 and the village was officially called Thornhill, with Mr. Parson being its first postmaster. Thorne became the major influence in the economic life of the village.

Between the years 1830 and 1848, Thornhill experienced a period of sustained growth and prosperity. The business district of Thornhill developed on Yonge Street in an area between Centre Street and John Street. Stagecoaches traveled between Holland Landing (Lake Simcoe) and York (Toronto) as Yonge Street's road conditions improved with new grading and stonework. During this prosperous period, many of the old churches, which survive today, were constructed. Included among these were Trinity Church (now Holy Trinity), built in 1830 and moved to Brooke Street in 1950; the British Methodist Church on Yonge Street, which was built in 1838 and moved toCentre Street in 1852 was partially destroyed by fire in 1983.

On January 1st, 1971, the Regional Municipality of York Act came into effect, adopting the Metropolitan system of government. With the creation of a regional government administration, the Police Village of Thornhill ceased to exist and the administration of the community reverted back to the newly created Towns of Markham and Vaughan.

Today, Thornhill is a large urban community with over 49 thousands residents. Its ethnic composition is very diverse with a large Jewish, Eastern European and Italian population. It is a community that has grown expansively from its early beginnings, reaching north to Richmond Hill and south to Toronto. Its residents enjoy all modern amenities for shopping, recreational activities, schools, libraries and other conveniences.