A handy guide of historical King Township, the King Heritage Map & Photo Gallery displays sites of heritage interest including pioneer cemeteries, one room school houses, vanished villages and a photo gallery of 40 buildings and sites accompanied by enlightening background information.

Community History of The Township of King

The history of King Township is full of colourful characters and industrious communities. It is also a story of rich farmland and unique geography. The first peoples to arrive in King Township were native peoples who long ago discovered that the shortest route between Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe was to go up the Humber River, portage across the Oak Ridges Moraine and set the boats down again in the Holland River. This route became known of as the Toronto Carrying Place and was later used by fur traders and adventurers, including Samuel de Champlain when he toured the area in 1615.

European Settlers first arrived in King Township in the late 1700's. Most settlers came as United Empire Loyalists moving north to Upper Canada from the newly formed United States of America. Many settlers were Quakers from the state of Pennsylvania. Lloydtown and Schomberg are both examples of settlements founded by Quakers. As a group the Quakers were a hard working, peaceful and religious people. They saw the opportunity to build for themselves a new life out of the rich soil of King Township. Other settlers soon joined them and together they cleared the forests which dominated the land to build communities.

Kettleby Mill, 1842-1950.

The first communities in King Township formed along Yonge Street as it provided easy access to the wilderness of the area. Yonge Street, the first road through King, was completed in 1794. Other early communities grew up around fast flowing streams and rivers which provided good power for saw and grist mills. Kettleby, Lloydtown, Schomberg, Laskay, Eversley and Glenville are all examples of communities which owe their early existence to mills.

Main Street, Schomberg, Prior to 1900.

Through time many of the villages of King Township grew and changed but all to varying degrees still posses their own identity and histories. King Township to this day retains much of its rural character. It is a legacy of which many residents of the township are immensely proud.

Humber Trails, an example of the Rural Countryside of King.