Straddling the border of Halton Hills and Caledon, Terra Cotta was first known as Tucker’s Mills with the arrival of Henry Tucker in 1855. In 1859, he sold his holdings to Simon Plewes, who started a mill. Plewes also became the first postmaster, though the role was later given to Joe Coulter. Plewes also owned one of the local stores. The village's name changed to Plewes Mill in his honour.

In 1866, when the post office opened, the name changed once again to Salmonville. The Credit River in this area used to be so full of salmon that you could take a pitchfork and take them out by the forkful, hence the name. The village’s name changed one final time to Terra Cotta in 1891 after the colour of the shale in the area.

Ben Parr was the first carpenter in the village and built many of the early homes. When Plewes died in 1876, his store passed through several hands, including Jane Smith around 1894 and Kate Icam in 1921.

View of Halton Brick Company, c. 1920. EHS01382, Esquesing Historical Society. Click on the image for more details.

The Halton Brick Company operated in Terra Cotta from 1909 to 1936. Terra Cotta Pressed Brick Company and Plants’ Brick Company also operated for a short time. The brick yards were a main employer until the Great Depression hit the village. When fire destroyed the CNR station in 1956, losing important transportation, many businesses closed.

Despite the industrial age coming to an end, Terra Cotta began to make a name for itself in other ways. The Terra Cotta Women’s Institute operated from 1931 to 1981. Tourism also picked up in the area when Toronto artist Jordanus Vander Vliet purchased a home in the area. He began offering classes that attracted artists from across the province. Other artists followed in his footsteps, opening local studios.

Jordanus van der Vliet works on a new painting of the Credit River at Terra Cotta, while Loraine Emmerson Puckering looks on, 1948. EHS01380, Esquesing Historical Society. Click on the image for more details.