Ontario's Historical Plaques

Here's where you can learn a little Ontario history

Founding of Port Hope

Founding of Port Hope

Photo by Alan L Brown - May, 2004

Plaque Location

In the Municipality of Port Hope in the County of Northumberland
at coordinates N 43 56.938 W 78 17.580
in front of the town hall.

Founding of Port Hope

Click here for an interactive larger map
© 2010 Microsoft

Plaque Text

Peter Smith, a fur trader, occupied a house here at "Smith's Creek" in 1788. The first permanent settlers were Loyalists brought to the Township in 1793 by a group of associates headed by Jonathan Walton of Schenectady, New York, and Elias Smith formerly of New York City. Walton and Smith were granted land after promising to build mills on the creek. The mills were operating by 1797 when Smith moved here, and in 1800 he laid out a town plot. The community's name, "Port Hope" was adopted at a public meeting in 1818, despite local pressure to call it "Toronto". A village with a board of police in 1834, it was incorporated as a town in 1850.

More
Information

More
Settlements





Here are the comments for this page.

(none yet)

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).