| Brown's Corners | |
| Etymology: | Named for local settler Alexander Brown Sr |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Ontario York |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in York Region |
| Coordinates: | 43.8497°N -79.3586°W |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [1] |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ontario |
| Subdivision Type2: | Regional Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | York |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Markham |
| Established Date: | 1842 |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [2] |
| Elevation M: | 181 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | Eastern Time Zone |
| Utc Offset1: | -5 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | Eastern Time Zone |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | -4 |
| Area Code: | 905, 289, 365 |
| Blank Name: | CGNDB key |
| Blank Info: | FEQSV |
Brown's Corners is an unincorporated community in Markham, Regional Municipality of York in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and located near the corner of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7.[3] [4] [5] The community, founded in 1842, was named for local settler Alexander Brown Sr. (1771–1851) who acquired 100acres in 1838.[6] [7] [8] Beaver Creek flows through it.
The community is mixed into another unincorporated community of Buttonville, Ontario.
Prior to 1838, the land was known as Crown patent to Lot 11, Concession 3 and was owned by King's College, which purchased the land from the British Crown in 1828.[7]
Following the establishment of the farming community, the area became vibrant in the 19th century and into the early 20th century.[9] The hub of the community was Browns Presbyterian Church, with land donated by Brown and located next to his farm. The church included an adjacent cemetery.[10] It became a United Church in 1925. The community also organized an Orange Lodge in the 1830, which continued well into the 1900s.
By the 1960s, farms began to disappear giving way to industrial and retail development in the 1970s and 1980s.
The original Brown homestead was sold in 1968 by Harvey Brown (1938–2004) to developers.[7] The historical community has all but disappeared. A few homes north of Apple Creek Drive and the church at Frontenac Drive are all that remain of the past.[11]
Lost heritage buildings of the community include the Galloway House 1858–1995, and Brown's Corners Inn or The Derry West Hotel c. 1877.
The area once was once farm land and has given way to commercial development. Outlet malls are now found near the former community. All that remains of the old settlement is the Brown's Corner United Church with the small cemetery and Alexander Brown House (built in 1858 by Brown's son) at 8980 Woodbine Avenue.
A list of business located in the area and on the former Brown's farm:
