Historic buildings in Markham, Ontario, reflect the area's long history of human activity, beginning with Indigenous communities such as the Huron-Wendat, Petun, Neutral, and Iroquois. Europeans began to build structures in Markham with the settlement of Thornhill and Unionville in 1794, and the establishment of Buttonville and Markham Village shortly afterwards during the early 19th century.

The oldest surviving building in the municipality dates back to 1800. Most of Markham's surviving historic buildings built before 1851 are residences still used for that purpose, though a small number of commercial and institutional buildings also remain.

Existing historic buildings Most historic structures and properties are presently registered with the Markham Register of Property of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest. A number of buildings and properties listed on the registry are protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. Buildings and structures in the registry are either listed as individual properties, or as a part of a larger heritage conservation district. The oldest structure listed on the registry is Philip Eckardt Log House, built in 1800.

The majority of Markham's oldest standing structures were built as private residences, many of which are still used for that purpose. However, some residences have been re-purposed for commercial use.

Locations

Historic buildings and structures are spread throughout Markham, although several historic buildings are clustered in four "heritage conservation districts," Buttonville, Markham Village, Thornhill, and Unionville. Developments in the heritage conservation districts is required to follow municipal guidelines laid out in the heritage district's conservation plan. These conservation plans were created to protect historic buildings, and to ensure that new developments within these districts complement the "character of the neighbourhood".

In addition to the heritage conservation districts, other clusters of heritage buildings are also situated at the Markham Museum and Markham Heritage Estates. The former is an open-air local history museum; while the latter serves as the city's "subdivision last resort", an area reserved for relocated heritage buildings that cannot be retained on their existing site. The museum and subdivision are both situated near the Markham Village heritage conservation district, although they do not form a part of said district.

List of historic buildings (pre-1851) The following is a list of the oldest buildings in Markham that are still erect, up to 1850, as listed by the Markham Register of Property of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest: BuildingImageYear completedArchitectural style Listed addressHeritage districtWardRef.Philip Eckardt Log House1800 N/A - Basic Log cabin128 Harbord Street6Christian Reesor Homestead1806Georgian9035 Reesor Road520 Ruggles Avenue1809Georgian20 Ruggles Avenue1Heintzman House1816Regency135 Bay Thorn Drive1David Whaley House1820Vernacular7218 Reesor Road7Joshua Miller House1820Georgian10 Heritage Corners Lane4Christian K. Hoover House1824N/A - Basic Log cabin9350 Markham Road44130 19th Avenue1826–1850Regency4130 19th Avenue6Gapper-Duncan House1828Georgian & Regency6 Wismer Place4Johnston-Barker House1828Georgian & Vernacular53 Main Street Markham SouthMarkham Village4Byer Family Home1829Georgian10235 Highway 485Eckardt-Stiver House1829Ontario Cottage & Regency206 Main Street UnionvilleUnionville3Thomas and Sarah Hasty House1829Neoclassical11482 McCowan Road6Peter Reesor Homestead1830Georgian7273 14th Avenue7Nathan Chapman Jr. House1832Ontario Cottage & Regency9350 Markham Road4Cashel Road House1835Georgian4510 Elgin Mills Road East6John Wurtz House1835Regency8847 Reesor Road5Joseph & Sarah Henderson House1835Georgian53 Main Street Markham NorthMarkham Village4Unionville Wheelwright and Blacksmith Snop1835166 Main Street UnionvilleUnionville3George Miller House1839Neoclassical9318 Reesor Road5Thomas McMackon House1840Gothic Revival & Vernacular8328 14th Avenue7David Badgerow House1840Georgian8331 14th Avenue7Samuel Kendrick Farmhouse1840Georgian4822 19th Avenue6Chauncy Crosby House1840Georgian10451 Highway 485William Reynolds House1840Ontario Cottage & Regency7482 Highway 7 East5Adam Hagler House1840Georgian & Vernacular39 Artisan Trail2William Grant House1840Georgian & Vernacular2665 Bur Oak Avenue515 Colborne Street1840Georgian & Vernacular15 Colborne StreetThornhill1John Jacob Lunau House1840Gothic Revival12 David Gohn Circle4William Macklin House1840Neoclassical2501 Denison Street74478 Elgin Mills Road East1840Neoclassical4478 Elgin Mills Road East6Adam Clendenen House1840Georgian8 Green Hollow Court5John Reesor House1840Georgian, Gothic Revival & Vernacular1 Kalvinster Drive5St. Philip's Anglican Church Manse1840Georgian9418 Kennedy Road6Sommerfeldt Homestead1840Georgian10379 Kennedy Road6James and Sarah Osborn Double House1840Georgian61 Main Street Markham NorthMarkham Village4Old Presbyterian Manse1840Neoclassical89 Main Street Markham SouthMarkham Village4Jacob Pingle Sr. House1840Vernacular4638 Major Mackenzie Drive East6William and Elizabeth McLaughlin House1840Georgian5480 Major Mackenzie Drive East6William Read House1840Georgian9899 Markham Road411137 McCowan Road1840Neoclassical11137 McCowan Road6Abraham Koch House1840Georgian16 Moore's Court7Samuel Reesor Homestead1840Georgian7450 Reesor Road7White Hill Mills House1840Georgian7939 Reesor Road7Noble Tenant Farmer House1840Georgian11122 Reesor Road5Peterson-Jarvis House1840Gothic Revival99 Thoroughbred Way646 Timbermill Crescent1840Neoclassical46 Timbermill Crescent4Alexander McPherson House1840Georgian31 Victory Avenue8Schell House1840Gothic Revival & Vernacular11242 Warden Avenue2Buttonville Mill House18402 Yans WayButtonville 2William Cornelius Home1840Gothic Revival & Vernacular8346 York Durham Line7Tomlinson-Smith House1841Georgian7662 Ninth Line7Briarwood Farm1842Georgian4031 16th Avenue3George Pingle Jr. House1842Gothic Revival & Vernacular4022 Major Mackenzie Drive East6John Lane House1842Gothic Revival & Vernacular111 John StreetThornhill1Almira Flour and Woolen Mill1844Georgian4160 19th Avenue6John G. Mustard House1844Georgian11091 Woodbine Avenue6John Klein House/James Bowman House1844Georgian4165 19th Avenue6170 John Street1845Neoclassical170 John StreetThornhill1Almira Mill Workers Cottage1845Georgian & Vernacular4176 19th Avenue6Archibald Fenwick House1845Ontario Cottage & Regency7 Heritage Corners Lane4Crinklewood Mansion1845Georgian & Neoclassical54 Crinklewood CrescentThornhill1Lane House1845Georgian26 John StreetThornhill1Thomas Lownsborough House1845Gothic Revival & Vernacular9392 Kennedy Road6Samuel Eakin House1845Ontario Cottage & Regency10725 Kennedy Road6John Edey House1845Neoclassical4 Leahill DriveThornhill1Workers' Cottage1845Ontario Cottage & Regency260 Main Street UnionvilleUnionville3Richard and Margaret Sylvester House1845Georgian88 Main Street Markham SouthMarkham Village4Thomas Peach House1845Georgian10387 McCowan Road6Phillip Eckardt Jr. House1845Georgian60 Meadowbrook Lane311303 Warden Avenue1845Georgian11303 Warden Avenue6Robert A. West General Store1845Neoclassical7771 Yonge StreetThornhill1William Lane House1846Georgian14 Colborne StreetThornhill1Goodfellow/Arthur Lismer House1846Georgian22 John StreetThornhill1Union Mills House1846Gothic Revival & Vernacular209 Main Street UnionvilleUnionville37699 Yonge Street1846Georgian7699 Yonge StreetThornhill1St. Luke's Roman Catholic Church and Manse1847Gothic Revival15 Church LaneThornhill1First Unionville Congregational Church1847Vernacular149 Main Street UnionvilleUnionville3Warren Bishop House1847Georgian26 David Gohn Circle4Ninth Line Baptist Church1848Gothic Revival9350 Markham Road4William Morrison House1848Georgian12 Buttonville Crescent WestButtonville2Joseph Marr House1848Georgian3 Heritage Corners Lane4Ambrose Noble House1848Georgian & Neoclassical11 Heritage Corners Lane4Frizzell House1848Gothic Revival & Vernacular18 John StreetThornhill1Holy Anne's Cottage1848Georgian32 John StreetThornhill1Abraham B. Ramer House1848Georgian304 Main Street Markham NorthMarkham Village4Henry Pingle House1849Arts and Crafts11 Tannis Street631 Colborne Street1850Georgian31 Colborne StreetThornhill110701 Highway 481850Georgian & Edwardian10701 Highway 48510535 McCowan Road1850Georgian10535 McCowan Road611287 McCowan Road1850Neoclassical11287 McCowan Rd6Brother Haton House1850Georgian10754 Victoria Square Boulevard2Christian Hoover House1850Georgian11274 Highway 486Daniels Fairty House1850Neoclassical7060 Markham Road7David Burke House1850Georgian10531 Reesor Road5David Chapman House1850Neoclassical148 John StreetThornhill1Henry and Susan Wideman House1850Neoclassical10484 Ninth Line5Jacob Pingle House1850Gothic Revival & Vernacular8 David Gohn Circle4Jacob Ramsay House1850Vernacular 20 David Gohn Circle4Jacob Size House1850Gothic Revival 16 David Gohn Circle4James Collins House1850Georgian11223 Reesor Road5James Dimma House1850Georgian7933 14th Avenue7John Koch House/Formerly The Jacob Wideman House1850Georgian & Regency10062 Highway 486John Cameron Jr House1850Georgian25 Fairway Heights DriveThornhill1John Pool House1850Georgian9768 Reesor Road5John Ramer Homestead and Barn1850Gothic Revival & Vernacular6278 19th Avenue5John Stiver House1850Neoclassical1 Millbrook GateButtonville2Mills Double Cottage 11850Georgian37 Colborne StreetThornhill1Mills Double Cottage 21850Georgian39 Colborne StreetThornhill1Nicholas Reesor House and Frame House1850Georgian8724 Reesor Road5Old Driveshed in Victoria Square1850Gothic Revival10762 Victoria Square Boulevard2Phillips-Teasdale House1850Gothic Revival4 Alexander Hunter Place4Smith House1850Neoclassical7507 Kennedy Avenue8William Forster House1850Georgian527 William Forster Road5 Map of listed pre-1851 buildings +

List of notable demolished buildings (pre-1851)

The following were notable buildings and structures that were erected in Markham by 1850, but were later demolished: BuildingLocationYear CompletedCommentImage Lutheran School House Located north side of Lutheran Cemetery at Berczy Historical Settlement in Berczy Village Little details available but school offered schooling in German only led by Rev. George Sigmund Liebich School Section # 9 SE corner of Main Street Unionville and Highway 7 1832 Was main school for Unionville until #10 built 1858; location likely in vacant lot once occupied by service station. School Section #10 Main Street Unionville, now north parking lot at Unionville Public School Replaced by new schoolhouse in 1892, additions added in 1949 and 1955; demolished and replaced 1977 Union Mills Along Rouge River in Unionville 1841 Burned down 1934; located on west side of Main Street South and Rouge River (near site of Bill Crothers Secondary School) Grace Anglican Church 8th Line (Markham Main Street South) and Old Wellington Street 1848 Demolished 1963 and now site of Esso gas station. Grace Church moved to Parkway Avenue. Thomas Speight Wagon Works Factory approximately 20 Main Street North (west) and 25 Main Street North (east), Markham Village Originally on west side and later moved to east side of Main Street; operations ceased in 1917 and burned down with garage in 1922; both sites now occupied by commercial buildings Ratcliff Sawmill Lot 35, Concession 6 (Stouffville Road and Kennedy Road), Stouffville Built by William Ratcliff and remained operational until 1970s, but destroyed by fire 1982, but mill equipment saved and used in Ashmore Reesor's mill at Markham Museum. Family owned Century Mill Lumber continues to operate on site

See also History of Markham, Ontario List of oldest buildings in Canada

Notes

References

External links Markham Heritage Property Search Markham Museum and Historic Village Markham Village Heritage Conservation District - Canada's Historic Places