Uxbridge Information & Events

Uxbridge, Ontario - Moving to Uxbridge?

# 4 in a series about Uxbridge

History and Heritage - The Old Village

The Township of Uxbridge Straddles the Oak Ridges Moraine and has distinction of holding the official designation as the Trail Capital of Canada.The Uxbridge trail system includes a network of urban trails that connect to the Oak Ridges Trail and the Trans Canada Trail. The urban Trails include the Ewen Trail, the Historic Trail, the Maple Bridge Trail, the Quaker trail, the Wooden Sticks Trail, and Country Side Preserve. In 1964 Uxbridge became the second Township to receive it's own Coat Of Arms

Uxbridge "The Old Village"

Uxbridge traces its roots back to the Catawissa area of Pennsylvania when some of the Pennsylvania Dutch emigrated to the area beginning in 1806.  Their shared Quaker heritage helped lead Uxbridge and Catawissa to being twinned, in 1982, with several visits between the two communities taking place since. The Uxbridge Friends Meeting House was built in 1820on Quaker Hill overlooking the old Village and is the oldest building still standing in Uxbridge. A short distance up the road sits the Uxbridge Museum where they hold an annual Heritage Days in late August. While several buildings are located on the site only two were built there.  Buildings moved to the site include the Scott Township Town Hall built in 1860.

Rail Travel arrived in Uxbridge in the form of the Toronto and Nippising Railroad in 1871 to transport grain and lumber. Once completed it ran from Toronto to Coboconk. For over a decade Uxbridge was the headquarters of the rail line. The rail line went through many ownership changes over the years and eventually ended up as part of the Canadian National Railway system owned by the Government of Canada in 1920. All That remains of the line today is the section from Uxbridge to Toronto as over the years sections of the rail line were taken out of service. 

A portion of the line is now operated as the York Durham Heritage Railway 

The Uxbridge Station with its very distinctive "Witches Hat" roof is owned and maintained by the Town of Uxbridge. For more history and information about the line visit The York Durham Heritage Railway web site.

Located in a valley on the north side of the Oak Ridges MoraineUxbridge became a village in 1872, and reached Town status in 1885.   After the amalgamation of the Town of Uxbridge, Uxbridge Township and Scott Township into Uxbridge Township(1973) the old village became the hub of Uxbridge Township.

Other early industries in Uxbridge included the Uxbridge Piano Company, The Gold Medal Radio and Phonograph  Company, and Several Mills.

A short Distance away is the Thomas Foster Memorial
built in 1935 by the former Mayor of Toronto.

 A little farther north is the former home of L.M. Montgomery, the author

The Uxbridge Public Library was erected in 1887 with funds provided by Joseph Gould, politician, and businessman. The Libraries centennial was celebrated with a large addition to the building.

Elgin Park

Home of the Uxbridge Fall Fair (September every year) and many other events is where Sir John A Mc Donald held the first of a series of large picnics while seeking re-election.

The sun has finally set, the story is finished, the book is closed

Like most communities Uxbridge ocassionnally struggles with the preservation of the past while moving into the future. Once a very functional part of Uxbridge's farming community the CO-OP building is no more.

Moving to Uxbridge, Ontario - The Series to date -

#1 - Employment Opportunities In The Uxbridge Area 
#2 - Arts and Entertainment 
#3 - A Community With A Heart

For More Local Uxbridge Information and Local Web Directories for For The Communities of Uxbridge, Port Perry / Scugog Whitchurch / Stouffville and Georgina Check Out Homes For Sale On My Listing Web Site

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