History:

Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census. The town is the fourth largest community within Greater Toronto after Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton.

The town gained its name from the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe, who named the area after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York at the time. The first European settlement in Markham occurred when William Berczy, a German artist and developer led a group of approximately sixty-four German families to North America. While initially planning to settle in New York, disputes over finances and land tenure there would eventually lead to Berczy to negotiate with Simcoe for 64,000 acres in Markham Township.Throughout much of Markham's history, the community has been described as an agricultural community. A turn towards a more urbanized community within the township began after World War II when the township had began to feel the effects of urban encroachment from Toronto. The completion of Highway 404 during the mid 1970s further accelerated urban development in Markham.

In 1825, Reesorville was renamed to Markham having taken the name of the unincorporated village. By 1830, a large influx of Irish, Scottish and English families began immigrating to Upper Canada, many settling in Markham. Markham's early years blended the rigours of homesteading with the development of agriculture-based industries. The many rivers and streams in the township soon supported water-powered saw and gristmills and later wooden mills. With improved transportation routes, such as the construction of Yonge Street in the 1800s, along with the growing population, urbanization increased. By 1857, most of the township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill, Unionville, and Markham greatly expanded. In 1871, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway built the first rail line to Markham, which is still used today by the GO Transit commuter services. By 1850, the first form of structured municipal government formed in Markham was created.In 1972, Markham was incorporated as a town in its population skyrocketted due to urban sprawl from Toronto. In 1976, Markham's population was approximately 56,000. Since that time, the population has more than quintupled with explosive growth in new subdivisions. Much of Markham's farmland has now disappeared, but is still found north of Major MacKenzie Drive. Controversy over the development of the environmentally sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine will likely curb development north of Major MacKenzie Drive. As of 2006, Markham comprises six major communities, which include Buttonville, Cornell, Markham Village, Milliken, Thornhill, and Unionville. Since the 1980s, the town has been recognized as a suburb of Toronto. Many high-tech companies have head offices located in Markham for the relative abundance of land, low tax rates and good transportation routes. Broadcom Canada, ATI Technologies (now known as AMD Graphics Product Group), IBM Canada, Apple Computer Canada, Motorola Canada and many other well-known companies have chosen Markham as their home in Canada. Hence, the town has been branding itself as Canada's "High-Tech Capital". An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected in front of the Markham Museum by the province to commemorate the founding of Markham's role in Ontario's heritage.

Attractions:

Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery, Markham Museum, Markham Fair, Unionville School of the Performing Arts, Reesor Farm Market, Adventure Valley, Markham Theatre, plus many more!

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Markham Communities:

0010 Langstaff South
0020 Royal Orchard
0030 Thornhill
0040 Grandview
0050 Commerce Way
0060 Aileen-Willowbrook
0070 Thornlea
0080 Bayview Glen
0090 Bayview Fairway-Bayview Country Club Estates
0100 German Mills
0110 Victoria Square
0120 Rural Markham
0130 Cathedraltown
0140 Victoria Manor-Jennings Gate
0150 Cachet
0160 Devil's Elbow
0170 Angus Glen
0180 Buttonville
0190 Unionville
0200 Miliken Mills West
0210 Berczy
0220 Wismer
0230 Markville
0240 Raymerville
0250 Village Green-South Unionville
0260 Bullock
0270 Miliken Mills East
0280 Middlefield
0290 Greensborough
0300 Old Markham Village
0310 Markham Village
0320 Cornell
0330 Vinegar Hill
0340 Sherwood-Amberglen
0350 Rouge River Estates
0360 Legacy
0370 Rouge Fairways
0380 Cedarwood
0390 Box Glove
0400 Cedar Grove

Education: