Heritage Planning

A Brief History of King Township

 

Heritage Building image

The Township was surveyed in 1800 under John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. Named King Township by Simcoe in honour of Major John King, English Under-Secretary of State, the area remained sparsely settled until the building of roads in the 1820's. Many of the earliest land grants of 200 acre lots were to Quakers from Pennsylvania and other United Empire Loyalists. Settlement first started along Yonge Street then pushed west where mills were built along the fast flowing streams of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Services and trades grew quickly, including blacksmiths, coopers, corwainers, general stores, hotels, inns, taverns, churches, and schools. The population of 20 residents in 1800 grew to 160 in 1809, 394 in 1823, and 5,574 by 1850. By 2005, it had reached 19,500. 

Municipal Heritage Register

Heritage Advisory Committee

Heritage Advisory Committee Meetings are held as VIRTUAL MEETINGS. 

Next Meeting Date: July 10, 2025, at 6:00 pm (VIRTUAL Meeting)

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SPECTATE MEETING

Please note the feed will only be live during the Committee meeting, and the link will be activated about 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time.

King Heritage Award

2025 King Heritage Award

We are proud to announce that nominations are now open for the 2025 King Township Heritage Award. If you know an individual or group that has demonstrated exceptional conservation and promotion of local heritage, nominate them and their property today!

Nomination Period: July 7 - August 18
Submit your nomination(s) here: HERITAGE AWARD NOMINATION FORM
A picture of 2145 King Road, a vernacular Victorian home.

Heritage Grants

Heritage Permits

Heritage Impact Assessments and Conservation Plan

Township Shingle Plaque Program