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eter Hvidsten The land mass in southern Ontario, which became Ontario County in 1853, had a brief encounter with one of the new world’s important early explor- ers. The area was visited by the great Rouge River in Pickering Township to the Holland River and Lake Simcoe. Prior to 1850, Ontario County was. part of a much larger area known as the Home District. This entire land mass at this time was largely primeval, dense forest, from Lake On- tario northward, with few villages and even fewer settlers venturing into the backwoods. In 1851 Ontario, York and Peel counties were united for judicial and municipal purposes; but in 1852 steps were taken to divide this ter- ritory and form Ontario County. In December 1853 Ontario County became an independent county and was divided into two Ridings - North and South istration by Chatles W. Jefreys French governor and explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1615. Champlain is reported to have ascended the Ottawa River, crossed into Lake Nipissing and descended the French River to Georgian Bay. Coasting along the bay, he reached the Severn River, which he followed try of the Huron India He agreed to join them in an attack on the Iroquois, south-west of Oswego in New York State. Passing through Lake Simcoe to the Talbot River, he reached Balsam Lake and followed the waters of the Trent to Lake Ontario. Afterwards communication with Lake Huron was made through Whitby and Reach Townships and through the through Lake Couchiching into the coun- Ontario - each sending one member to the House of Commons, and one each to the Local Legislature (now Queen's Park). The new Ontario County comprised of the follow- ing municipalities - Reach, Brock, Uxbridge, Scott, Scugog, Thorah, Mara and Rama Town- ships and The Creation of Ontario County Long before the Region of Durham was formed, the community we live in today was part of a larger area known as the County of Ontario. Stretching from Lake Simcoe in the north to Lake Ontario in the south, the County con- sisted of 16 townships and municipalities. These 16 com- munities, plus another three neighbouring municipalities were amalgamated to become the new Region of Durham in 1974. Following is a brief story on Scugog’s early begin- the incorporated villages of Port Perry, Uxbridge and Cannington in the north. The southern part of the county included the townships of Whitby, East Whitby, Pickering; the town of Whitby and village of Oshawa. Regular meetings of County Council were held twice yearly, in January, when the Warden was elected to office, and the second meeting in June. Each municipality was entitled to elect a Reeve, and Deputy Reeves ac- cording to the number of ratepayers on its assessment rolls. Additional Deputy Reeves were allowed for every 500 ad- ditional ratepayers. In total, 32 elected representatives attended sessions of County Council in Whitby. The cornerstone for the County Court House Building (below) was laid at 416 Centre St. South, Whitby on June 30, 1853. The building served from 1854 until 1964 as a court house and the seat for Ontario County Council. In 1967, a local Centennial project tured the building into a community centre which composed of a theatre, a banquet facility and the local historical chives. In 1979, the Centennial Building was designated as a Heritage Structure under the Ontario Heritage Act, and a Heritage Easement was registered with the Ontario Heritage Foundation in 1984, protecting the heritage value of both the property and the building. This article is part of a series of historical sketches featuring Scugog Township and the pioneers who settled and developed its towns and villages. Reprit inted from the book Scugog Exposed by J. Peter Hvidsten 24 FOCUS - OCTOBER 2007 focus@observerpub.ca