Markdale, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Markdale is a community in the Municipality of Grey Highlands
, in Grey County
, Ontario
, Canada
.
Markdale was first settled in 1846 and originally called East Glenelg, after a nearby township. In 1864, it was renamed Cornabus after the Islay
, Scotland hometown of then-postmaster Donald MacDuffie (1814–1892). In 1873, Mark Armstrong sold land to the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway on the condition that the station bear his name. Markdale was incorporated as a village in 1888. In 2001, it was amalgamated with the townships of Artemesia, Euphrasia and Osprey to form Grey Highlands.
Today, Markdale is home to several industries including Chapman's Ice Cream
and Medike Leather Products. Public services include a Ontario Provincial Police
detachment, fire department, public library – the Walter Harris Memorial Library, an arena complex and curling and golf facilities. In addition to its businesses, Markdale has several annual festivities, including the Rotary Club's Street Frolic in July and the Agricultural Society's Fall Fair in late August.
Markdale is also home to the 21-bed Centre Grey Hospital, operated by Grey Bruce Health Services. Planning and fundraising are underway for a new facility to replace the current building.
The Regal Films production of the 1958 "B" film, Wolf Dog
, starring Allison Hayes
and Jim Davis
, was filmed on location here and the former Holland Township
in 1957.
Ottawa Senators
Forward Chris Neil
was born at the Centre Grey General Hospital in Markdale on June 18, 1979.
The village was a charter member of the Central Ontario Hockey League
and participated at the senior and junior levels under several nicknames, including Markdale Majors
.
On August 20, 2009, a tornado touched down in the town and caused damage. This tornado, which hit Markdale as an F0 tornado originated in Durham
as an F2, killing an 11-year-old boy.
Grey Highlands, Ontario
Grey Highlands is a municipality in the southeast corner of Grey County, Ontario, Canada that was formed on January 1, 2001 by the amalgamation of the village of Markdale and the townships of Artemesia, Euphrasia and Osprey, which included the unincorporated hamlets of Eugenia Ceylon, Maxwell,...
, in Grey County
Grey County, Ontario
Grey County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is in Owen Sound. The population was 92,411 in 2006. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Southwestern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Markdale was first settled in 1846 and originally called East Glenelg, after a nearby township. In 1864, it was renamed Cornabus after the Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
, Scotland hometown of then-postmaster Donald MacDuffie (1814–1892). In 1873, Mark Armstrong sold land to the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway on the condition that the station bear his name. Markdale was incorporated as a village in 1888. In 2001, it was amalgamated with the townships of Artemesia, Euphrasia and Osprey to form Grey Highlands.
Today, Markdale is home to several industries including Chapman's Ice Cream
Chapman's
Chapman's is the largest independent ice cream and ice water products manufacturer in Canada . In 1973, Chandler Chapman and Penny Chandler purchased the Creamery in Markdale, Ontario, a village just south of Georgian Bay. The company started out as a small creamery with four employees and two...
and Medike Leather Products. Public services include a Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
detachment, fire department, public library – the Walter Harris Memorial Library, an arena complex and curling and golf facilities. In addition to its businesses, Markdale has several annual festivities, including the Rotary Club's Street Frolic in July and the Agricultural Society's Fall Fair in late August.
Markdale is also home to the 21-bed Centre Grey Hospital, operated by Grey Bruce Health Services. Planning and fundraising are underway for a new facility to replace the current building.
The Regal Films production of the 1958 "B" film, Wolf Dog
Wolf Dog
Wolf Dog is a Western movie, directed and produced by Sam Newfield and released by Regal Films. In August 1957, Newfield and a camera crew filmed the movie in and around Markdale, Ontario, near Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. The movie co-starred Hollywood actors Jim Davis, Allison Hayes and John...
, starring Allison Hayes
Allison Hayes
Allison Hayes was an American film and television actress and model.-Early life:Born Mary Jane Hayes in Charleston, West Virginia, Hayes won the title of Miss District of Columbia and represented Washington, DC in the 1949 Miss America pageant...
and Jim Davis
Jim Davis (actor)
Jim Davis was an American actor, best known for his role as Jock Ewing in the CBS prime-time soap Dallas, a role which he held up until his death in April 1981.-Biography:...
, was filmed on location here and the former Holland Township
Chatsworth, Ontario
Chatsworth is a township in south-western Ontario, Canada, in Grey County, located at the headwaters of the Styx River, the Saugeen River, the Sauble River, the Bighead River, the Spey River, and the Sydenham River....
in 1957.
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
Forward Chris Neil
Chris Neil
Chris Neil is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Neil currently plays right wing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League .-Early years:Neil started out playing minor hockey in the town of Flesherton, Ontario...
was born at the Centre Grey General Hospital in Markdale on June 18, 1979.
The village was a charter member of the Central Ontario Hockey League
Central Ontario Hockey League
The Central Ontario Hockey League was a highly competitive Intermediate ice hockey league in the central Grey County area of Ontario, Canada until the late 1970s...
and participated at the senior and junior levels under several nicknames, including Markdale Majors
Markdale Majors
The Markdale Majors were a Canadian Intermediate team from the town of Markdale, Ontario. An entry which competed in the Central Ontario Hockey League, later swallowed by the WOAA Senior Hockey League.-History:...
.
On August 20, 2009, a tornado touched down in the town and caused damage. This tornado, which hit Markdale as an F0 tornado originated in Durham
Durham, Ontario
Durham is a community in the municipality of West Grey, Grey County, Ontario, Canada. Durham is located near the base of the Bruce Peninsula.-Location:...
as an F2, killing an 11-year-old boy.
External links
- Markdale official website
- Municipality of Grey Highlands
- Read the Markdale Standard from 1880-1951 online
Resources
- Split Rail Country: A History of Artemesia Volume I now online
- Split Rail Country: A History of Artemesia Volume II 1985-2000 is presently being written