Mount Albert is located on the eastern boundary of the Town of East Gwillimbury.  Governor Simcoe named the three Gwillimburys, East, North and West, in honour of his wife whose maiden name was Gwillim.

Mr. Stegman first surveyed East Gwillimbury in 1800.  Lord Simcoe, who was determined to find the best route north from his fort at York (now Toronto) to Georgian Bay, commissioned the survey.

The task of completing a survey in 1800 was not easy.  The surveyor travelled on foot, carrying his equipment.  Measuring was done using chains and the survey of wet marshy lands was untaken during the winter months when water and soft ground were frozen.  

A surveyor walked up one concession and down the next, marking each lot and sometimes the measurements varied a few chains.  The side roads jog one way or another between concessions when the lot measurements varied. 

When the survey was completed, patentees applied for land grants.

In the early part of the 1800s (1806-1819), the Crown gave much of the land in and around Mount Albert as free grants to friends of the Family Compact, the governing council of Upper Canada.

In 1821, Samuel and Rufus Birchard, Quakers from Vermont, each purchased 100 acres of land, lots 10 and 11 on concession 9, from James Kinsey for $1.00 an acre.  They blazed a trail from Hope (now Sharon) to their new homestead, carrying their belongings on their back.  Others soon followed and by 1850, Mount Albert was a bustling village.

If you have old pictures or stories about the history of Mount Albert, 

please contact Maureen Taylor, (905) 473-1955

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