History

A Short History of Adjala-Tosorontio

The Municipality that we see today is the result of an amalgamation on January 1 1994, of the former Township of Adjala and the former Township of Tosorontio.

Tosorontio is Huron for "Beautiful Mountain", and Adjala is the name of the wife of Chief Tecumseh.  Settlement of the townships began in the 1820's, moving up from the south.  Many communities were started in Adjala by Irish Catholics who named their hamlets after their home towns in Ireland, or after prominent pioneer families who first settled the area. 

Although many hamlets thrived earlier, their prominence declined when earlier stage coach routes were replaced by the railroad, which was routed further east and outside of the Township.

The railroad did pass through Tosorontio though, serving such hamlets as Everett, Lisle, and Glencairn.  By October 1955, the railroad faded into history as it gave way to the automobile. 

Tosorontio's sandy soils provided vast stands of pine trees, supporting as many as seven large sawmills.  Base Borden was created in the northeast corner of Tosorontio in 1916 as a major military training centre, and continues to this day.

Many earlier hamlets boasted multiple hotels, mercantiles and mills to service the surrounding areas.  Our Township has an interesting past, of which we can certainly be proud.

If you would like to further investigate our wonderful past, the following books would certainly be of interest and are available at the local libraries:

Craig, John, Simcoe County The Recent Past, County of Simcoe, 1977.

Leitch, Adelaide, The Visible Past; The Pictorial History of Simcoe County, County of Simcoe, 1967.  

Munnoch, Mary & McDevitt, Frances Vincent, Adjala, Boston Mills Press, 1993.

(Available for purchase at the Municipal Office for $30.00 each.)

Wigby, R.A., et al, The Centennial Review of the Township of Tosorontio 1850-1950, Township of Tosorontio, 1951.