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1873 How the Town of Gooderham Got its Name

Gooderham Located in Haliburton County 18 km southeast of Haliburton, this place was first called Pine Lake. The name was changed to Gooderham in 1873, after George Gooderham, of the Gooderham and Worts milling and distillery interests, gave generously to a subscription to build a Methodist church here. The Gooderhams had a significant interest in the Toronto and Nipissing Railway, and William Gooderham (1824 – 89) was appointed its president that year. The distillery used the railway to transport cordwood from the north country to Toronto. The story that they provided several cases of whiskey to three local hotels and that the residents had a monstrous bash on free booze before naming the place is likely apocryphal." 

Excerpt from "Place Names of Ontario" by Alan Rayburn

“Murray Gooderham, a descendant, owned Lot 3, Con. VI in Glamorgan for many years. When a niece was settling his estate in the early to mid 80’s, she asked me how the town got its name. Of course, I told her the only story that I had heard – she was dismayed! She told me that it was the family’s belief that Gooderham was so named because the family had made a large donation to a local church. She also mentioned the family’s involvement with the railroad. I hope that since then she has found the information that Mr. Rayburn found.”

Excerpt from Gooderham and Area History newsletter no. 7, by Elva Bates 

http://stormylake.ca/history/gooderhamhistory07.html


1873 How the Town of Gooderham Got its Name

If you celebrated the way the fine citizens of Gooderham, Ontario did (or so the story goes) perhaps you too would want to rename your home town after the source of your merry making. Or did that really happen?


Owner of originalGG
Linked toGeorge Gooderham

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