Stewarttown Community Association
The voice of the oldest hamlet in Halton Hills.
History
Stewarttown: The oldest hamlet in Halton Hills.
The Esquesing Historical Society provides some insights into the history of Stewwarttown. (https://esquesinghistoricalsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Historic-Stewarttown.pdf)
Considered to be the oldest community in Esquesing Township (present-day Halton Hills), Stewarttown - first named Esquesing Village - was settled in 1819 and was the capital of Esquesing Township for over 140 years! The township was absorbed into Halton Hills in 1974. In 2024, Stewarttown celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The earliest settlers of the hamlet were Protestant Irish and Scottish immigrants including families named Thompson and Harrison. Two of of the streets in the neighbourhood are named after these families. John and Duncan Stewart settled in the hamlet in 1842, after emigrating from Ireland. The village was named after these entrepreneurs.
In 1849, private entrepreneurs started building what they hoped would be the Town Hall in Stewarttown. A delegation from Georgetown wanted the Town Hall to be built there. With no consensus, the Township purchased a different property in Georgetown, which burned down in 1968. Various buildings in Georgetown were used to conduct meetings until the present-day Town Hall was built in 1989. The township hall in Stewarttown was eventually sold to the Georgetown Little Theatre, but was destroyed in a fire in 1998.
It is said that Tom Longboat, a long distance runner from the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, did much of his training for the 1907 Boston Marathon in Stewarttown. His training included running from Stewarttown to Hornby. In that 1907 marathon, Longboat won the 24.5-mile race by a minute and a half. He shattered the previous record by almost five minutes.
The Stewarttown Flour Mill was built on a property originally owned by John Stewart. Built in 1846, the mill passed through several owners, and was eventually sold to Master Feeds in 1962. A fire destroyed the mill in 1972.
Other industries built in Stewarttown included: leather tanning, wagon makers, blacksmiths, butchers, and grocers. The hamlet also had a livery stable, cooper, broom maker, cabinet maker, pump manufacturer, and a tailor.
The historical church of St. John's has been in the Stewarttown community since 1834. It is a small and welcoming church in the midst of much urban development at the west side of Georgetown. In 2024, St. John's will celebrate its 190th Anniversary! In 2023, the church was designated by the Town of Halton Hills as being of historic value.