Map of Orangeville

John Corbit settled in the area now the western part of Broadway about 1829 and was followed by Abiathar Wilcox and his family in 1840. Later came James Griggs, who built a mill on what is now Armstrong Street, and William Newton, who built a log cabin where the Town Hall stands now. Orange Lawrence, after whom the town is named, arrived about 1844. His house, built about 1850, still stands at 8 John Street. His son-in-law, Thomas Jull, built the house at 17 Little York Street in 1857. If you want to know more about Orangeville, visit the Headwaters Country Information Centre, which has a fascinating walking tour available.

Places to see in Orangeville:

• Castle Leslie, 260 Broadway

  Castle Leslie

  Built by Guy Leslie in about 1858. Leslie immigrated from Ireland in 1843 and became Orangeville's first treasurer in 1864. The house has a hip roof and round windows on the second floor.

• Waite House, 23 Bythia (pronounced bith-EYE-a) St

  Waite House

  William Waite, a local mill owner, built this house about 1855. The siding, windows, and shutters are not original, and the portico and pillars were added in 1927.

• Orange Lawrence House, 8 John St

  Orange Lawrence House

  This is probably the oldest continuously inhabited house in Orangeville, having been built by Orange Lawrence about 1850. This house is typical of many early houses in that it has 1½ storeys. Also typical are the dormer windows added at a later date. Under the modern siding is stucco siding put on over the original logs.

• Thomas Jull House, 17 Little York St

  Thomas Jull House

  This Regency-style house was built about 1857 by Thomas Jull. He immigrated to Trafalgar Township from England in the early 1840s. He married Mary Lawrence, daughter of Orange Lawrence, and the Julls followed the Lawrences here in 1857. Jull was a member of Orangeville's first council. At one time, this house was the only house between John Street and Jull's Mill, which was on the southwest corner of Little York and Mill Streets, now Mill Square Park. Notice the hip roof and bay windows. The front of the house facing the street was originally the rear of the house. The original front has largely been covered by an extension to the house but you can still see the fine upper windows.

• Lawrence Cottage, 18 Little York St

  Lawrence Cottage

  Built for Sarah Lawrence, another daughter of Orange Lawrence, about 1860. This small, red-brick cottage has one storey and a hip roof.

• Lewis House, 230 Broadway

  Lewis House

  Although it was built about 1855 for Alexander Lewis, an early minister, he never lived here. He preferred to live in Mono Mills.

• Orange Jull House, 34 Mill St

  Orange Jull House

  Thomas Jull built this Italianate house in 1870 as a wedding present for his son, Orange. The younger Jull was the inventor of the rotary snowplough used to remove snow from railway tracks throughout North America. Unfortunately, this house is now a tavern and does not look as good as some of the other houses.

• Town Hall, 87 Broadway

  Town Hall

  William Newton had a log house on this site before it was destroyed to build the Town Hall in 1876. Originally, the building had an area for use as a market, as you can see from some of the decoration on the outside. It was renovated in 1993-4 and is still the town hall.

• Graham's Tavern, 63 Broadway

  Graham's Tavern

  Now a restaurant, most of this stone building was built about 1850, replacing a log house. Located near the important Toronto and Sydenham Road, now Highway 10, and midway between Toronto and Owen Sound, it was a natural spot for a tavern and hotel.