Ontario's Historical Plaques

at ontarioplaques.com

Learn a little Ontario history as told through its plaques

The McIntosh Apple

and

John McIntosh 1777-1846


There are two plaques about this apple
in The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.
Both can be seen on this page.


The McIntosh Apple

Photo by contributors David & Kellie Clifford - Posted July, 2009

The McIntosh Apple

Photo from Google Street View ©2011 Google - Posted January, 2011

The McIntosh Apple

Photo Source - Wikimedia Commons

Plaque Location

The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
The Township of South Dundas
In Dundela, in a park a block west of the centre of the village
on the southwest corner of Road 18 and McIntosh Road


Coordinates: N 44 56.373 W 75 18.468

Map

Plaque Text

In 1811, John McIntosh discovered an apple sapling on his land in Matilda township. By bringing about its propagation and wide dissemination, he and his family had a significant impact on Canada's fruit growing industry. The McIntosh apple not only possessed a highly desirable taste, texture, aroma and appearance, but was also ideally suited for growing in the country's colder climate. A number of well-known hybrids, such as the Cortland, Empire, Lobo and Spartan, were derived from this fruit. The McIntosh has become one of the most popular varieties grown in Canada and abroad.




John McIntosh 1777-1846

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2005

John McIntosh 1777-1846

Photo from Google Street View ©2010 Google - Posted October, 2010

Plaque Location

The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
The Township of South Dundas
In Dundela, on the north side of Road 18,
just west of the centre of the village


Coordinates: N 44 56.422 W 75 18.419

Map

Plaque Text

McIntosh's parents emigrated from Inverness, Scotland to the Mohawk Valley, N.Y., and John moved to Upper Canada in 1796. In 1811 he acquired a farm near this site, and while clearing the land of second growth discovered several apple seedlings. He transplanted these, and one bore the superior fruit which became famous as the McIntosh Red apple. John's son Allan established a nursery and promoted this new species extensively. It was widely acclaimed in Ontario and the northern United States, and was introduced into British Columbia about 1910. Its popularity in North America and propagation in many lands attest the initiative and industry of John McIntosh and his descendants.




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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.
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Posted August 31, 2011
I grew up with McIntosh apples, and they were and always will be my favorite apple. New apples come and go, but McIntosh is the best! Trish Short Lewis from northwest Minnesota on the Canadian border...

Posted July 17, 2011
Miss Markel. My name is Gerd Skof and I m the owner of the McIntosh Place. In 1987-twenty four(24) years ago, Mr. Keith Lewis lived at my place with his wife and 3 children.2 of the children were twins, just born a few months before. Now they would be 25 years old.They lived in Dundela until 2years ago. Mr. Keit Lewis lives in Williamsburg now. Mr. Keith Lewis was 24 years ago not the first tenant I had, before a lady with the name Heather Anderson, she was on a lease when the lease was up, her father was a lawyer and he bought her a farm 2 km south of Metcalfe on the eight line.I hope this refreshes your memory.

Posted May 26, 2011
Mr. Gerd Skoff. You have not owned the Mcintosh Place for 25 years. My family has lived right across the road for 23 1/2 years now and there have been several Families that have lived there as I grew up. I really like how people are posting on here but I do not agree with people lying about things that are not true, Thank you The Markell Family

Posted February 20, 2011
Hello and congratulations on 200 years of McIntosh apples! I just found out, by browsing through ancestry.ca, that I am a very distant relative of John McIntosh. My Great Grandmother was Florence Mary McIntosh, born in 1883. She married George Caldwell, a member of another large family in Dundas County. From there, my family name went through Bunting and then Maynard. Every time my wife makes an apple pie, I will now feel even prouder!
Kevin Maynard, Mississauga, ON.

Posted February 19, 2011
I would NEVER eat any other kind of apple! McIntosh forever!

Posted February 16, 2011
hi- my name is joyce mcintosh and my father's name is kenneth delos mcintosh and he was born in1909 and my grandfather's name is adelbert mcintosh bornin 1869. as a child my father and mother took me to prescott, ontario to visit my father's cousins and i believe that i am a decendent of john mcintosh thankyou joyce

Posted February 3, 2011
G'day. I am trying to locate a direct descendent of the founder of the McIntosh Apple. 2011 is the 200th Anniversary of this discovery and the apple growers in Ontario are celebrating with a Gala Anniversary Party on February 21st. To have a live member of the McIntosh Family Tree would add to the event. We have a limited budget so are looking for a descendent that lives close to Toronto. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I am also trying to confirm that the McIntosh apple is Canada's National Fruit. Celebrate 200 years!!
Thanks, Brian Gilroy @

Posted December 20, 2010
I have a piece of the very first Mcintosh apple tree. John McIntosh was a great-great Uncle of my mothers. And she inherited a piece of the original McIntosh apple tree a few decades back. Her Great-Grand mother had another piece that was lost after her death and I believe there is one in a museum somewhere in Canada

Posted October 24, 2010
We are living in Baden, Switzerland. A bio-farm on Baldeggstrasse has a small orchard with 300 varieties of apples. Much to my Canadian husband's dismay, none were Macintosh. We can find the Spartan and a Belner Rote that taste smiliar. At a country festival there were two apple growers. One spoke enough English to know that two of the apples were of the same family. So our Fall is now complete.

Posted July 22, 2010
My name is Gerd Skof and I own for the last 25 years the McIntosh apple place. Sadly many of the second and third generation apple trees collapsed during the ice storm and one very cold winter in the 1990, but I replanted many more trees, some are 50% Mcintosh apples like Cortland and Spartans. One very old Melba tree still stands and some old Lobos are producing lots of fruits every year. The old Eni Mini Pear tree still exists near the McIntosh Monument on the County road 18, this tree is originally from the experimental farm and was planted by the McIntosh Family some 90 years ago. It is a super fruit tree with 300 lbs of pears every year. Beside I planted some Bartlet Pear trees, they are producing in 2010. Many years ago in 1997 I met Harvey McIntosh, the last McIntosh who lived at the farm with his Mother Olive and Sam McIntosh, he mentioned an old blue Plum tree which I was not aware. Out of this tree I have 12 plum trees growing and fruiting. There are also wild plums on the property, some 40 trees. The trees are small, but produce plentiful of wild plums every year. There is a winegrower in Brockville, he bottles wild plum wine and sells this in his winery. Very good wine. And last not least there are berries, tons of raspberries. this year I harvested some 100 Liter,which will keep me young. The house is unique, it has some 3000 sq.ft plus of tinwalls and ceilings. Perhaps the house is a little big for me and my wife Claire and the cats.
Gerd Skof, 11551 Dundela road, Dundela, On KOE1K0

Posted September 12, 2009
Hi my name is Douglas Ed McIntosh and my big brother who unfortunately passed away at an early age had been named byhis dad clearance wilford McIntosh.John McIntosh is my great grandfather and for a time my granfather and claire his wife farmed [Quill Lake]Saskatchewan butas time went on and us kids were pretty young still we moved to Calgary Alberta,right after uncle lloyd and easter moved there. Since then most of the children are scattered from calgary alberta to vancouver and white rock British Columbia.Some are from Donnie and Cal McIntosh a lot of our parents have passed on but there are still lots of nieces nephews.Almost forgot my sister barbara ann Hunt Of cod lake and her family.Nice to see all and learn about something I personally missed as I lived in North Delta and always too busy.Any comments call Doug McIntosh at 403-452-0769.Good luck to everyone wherever you moved to or stayed.

Posted September 9, 2009
I love the McIntosh apples my name [McIntosh] I do believe that with all the talk over the years and the names and places of kids. Not to mention the farm in ontario that certain names used but also common seem to reflect a part of my Heritage in Canda only. My family has used certain names in different but always kept the names.When one is looking for the family tree and times names dates plus other things show up it makes a person wonder. If you have any input you may mail Doug McIntosh, or John Rodney Mcintosh plus by now too many to list at THE SPECIALIST in care of or Thanking you in advance Doug E McIntosh and John Rodney McIntosh

Posted July 31, 2009
Production of mcItosh is very limited and only by Hokkido in Japan. I doubt why the Japanes Shosa doesn't import of thm just like American cherry.

Posted June 12, 2009
Mac's are the only apple that I eat. It's June 12th and the store just received a shipment of Macs from a package place in Mass. These apples are very good. If this varity of apples mature in September, then where are the grocers getting them at this time of the year?

Posted May 11, 2009
Aha I'm doing a project too. Thanks for the Info :)

Posted March 26, 2009
I am doing a project about mcintosh apples I hope I could get all the information!!

Posted March 6, 2009
Did you know that McIntosh apples are the symbol of Macintosh Computers! I love Apples! APPLEESS!!

Posted February 8, 2009
I love the Mcintosh apples. there soo good and juicy. =]

Posted December 10, 2008
Apples are DELICIOUS! The info was informative! APPLES!!

Posted November 13, 2008
McIntosh is my favorite apple for eating and in making pies. It has such a delicious taste compared to other kinds of apples.

Posted November 3, 2008
I love these appples. There soo delicious :P Good Invention :D

Posted September 23, 2008
I love mcItosh apples. They are the best. The info was really useful

Posted June 11, 2008
I love apples :)

Posted June 7, 2008
Thnx 4 the info. It was really useful.

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