Fisherville (ghost town)

Fisherville was named after the Fisher family. Jacob Fisher emigrated from Pennsylvania with 22 members of his family in 1797. They were granted a tract of land which was on both sides of Steeles, east of Dufferin street. As early as 1820 they ran a saw mill on the West Don River. They later ran a grist mill which operated with different owners until about 1912. By 1836 there was a cooperage, blacksmith a number of houses and an inn. The Plank Road came up Dufferin street in 1855 and Jacob Kurtz, also from Pennsylvania, build an inn on the south west corner of Dufferin and Steeles. The inn ran until 1945 when it was taken down.

Fisherville Presbyterian Church was built in 1856 and is the only remaining building. It is preserved in Black Creek Pioneer Village where it was moved in 1960. I was married in this church in 2007. The cemetary in these photos was for that church and it was restored in 1967 when all the stones were placed in a central display. The tomb stones tell a story of early deaths from disease and hardship.

By following the Don river south you will find the remains of the old dam from the mill shown in the Historical Atlas. Also in the woods of this park is an old dump with many broken bottles fom the late 1800's and early 1900's.