East Gwillimbury History
East Gwillimbury, a quaint town lying on the Holland River, nested between Newmarket and the southern tip of Lake Simcoe. The community was incorporated in 1850, and named for Governor John Graves Simcoe’s wife, whose maiden name was Gwillim. In the late 1700’s, the Governor was seeking a land route to connect York (now Toronto) to British naval posts on Georgia, and had East Gwillimbury surveyed in 1800.
Early settlers were United Empire Loyalists and Quakers, who clustered around Holland Landing, River Drive Park, Sharon, Queensville and Mount Albert. Notwithstanding the pacifist sentiments of the Quakers, the area was at the heart of William Lyon Mackenzie’s ill-fated 1837 Rebellion, supported by those disenchanted by the province’s corrupt government.
The community has grown to 24,000 residents, and the town now includes a number of growing urban areas and villages including Holland Landing, Queensville, Mount Albert, River Drive Park, and Sharon.
East Gwillimbury Attractions
Bill’s Turkey Farm
2978 Holborn Rd, Queensville, L0G 1R0
905-478-4677 Fax: 905-478-4761
Turkeys are a staple for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and they don’t get any fresher than at the Farm.
MacWilliams Farms
22645 Leslie St., East Gwillimbury, L0G 1RO
905-836-9656
Organically-grown produce, Ontario maple syrup, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, honey, and much more. Harvest season corn maze. Open Mid-March to September, daily 10 am to 6 pm.
Rose Family Farm
R.R.#3, Mount Albert, L0G 1M0
905-473-3574 Fax: 905-473-2184
Taste the freshest fries from potatoes grown, sold and cooked right on the premises. You-pick raspberries and strawberries in season. Buy pork tenderloin, sausages, ribs, schnitzel, chicken breasts, beef patties, striploin steaks, and Leadbetter Cowboy steaks at The Meat Shop, where you can also buy Empire cheese, maple syrup and jams. Open year round 9 am -5 pm, closed Sundays Nov-May, fries every weekend May-Nov.
Thompson Potato Farm
19228 McCowan Rd., Mount Albert, L0G 1W0
905-473-2169 Fax: 905-473-2320
Produce fresh from the farm, including beans, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, onions, peas. Open daily 7 am-5 pm.