Bloomington, Whitchurch-Stouffville Explained

Official Name:Bloomington
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Ontario
Subdivision Type2:Regional municipality
Subdivision Name2:York Region
Subdivision Type3:Town
Subdivision Name3:Whitchurch–Stouffville
Government Type:Municipality
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Iain Lovatt
Leader Title1:Councillor, Ward 4
Leader Name1:Rick Upton
Leader Title2:Councillor, Ward 5
Leader Name2:Richard Bartley
Established Title:Amalgamation
Established Date:(With Town of Stouffville)
1 January 1971
Established Title2:As postal hamlet
Established Date2:1869
Timezone:EST
Utc Offset:−5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:−4
Coordinates:44.0067°N -79.2642°W
Elevation M:320
Postal Code Type:Forward sortation area
Postal Code:L4A
Area Codes:905 and 289

Bloomington is a hamlet in York Region, Ontario, Canada, in the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. The hamlet is centred at the intersection of Ninth Line and Bloomington Road near the eastern boundary of the town of Whitchurch–Stouffville. Neighbouring communities within Whitchurch–Stouffville include Musselman Lake to the north, Lemonville to the west, and the community of urban Stouffville to the south. The hamlet of Goodwood in the town of Uxbridge lies to the east.[1]

History

The first settlers arrived in the early 19th century, and were largely Quakers, Mennonites and United Empire Loyalists who had left the United States. The first postmaster, Samuel Patterson, registered the name Bloomington in 1869, likely after the city of Bloomington, Illinois.[2]

There are a few reminders of the old hamlet that remain:

Economy

Bloomington is still mostly agricultural area, but some land is being developed for housing and few commercial businesses.

Notes and References

  1. See the detailed 1878 map: Township of Whitchurch, Illustrated historical atlas of the county of York and the township of West Gwillimbury & town of Bradford in the county of Simcoe, Ont. (Toronto: Miles & Co., 1878).
  2. For a thorough account of Bloomington's history, cf. Jean Barkey et al., Whitchurch Township (Erin, ON: Boston Mills, 1993), 100-102.
  3. News: Stouffville couple will go to school during Doors Open . May 29, 2014 . Sandra . Bolan . Metroland Media Group Ltd. . November 20, 2021.