Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Ontario County derived its name from Lake Ontario. It is bounded on the south by the Lake and has three harbours: Whitby, Oshawa and Frenchman's Bay. It received its municipal status January 1, 1854. Before then it was part of York County. In 1851, by proclamation, York, Ontario and Peel Counties were made the United Counties of York, Ontario and Peel. In 1852 Ontario broke away from the United Counties to form its own separate county. Peter Perry, an early settler and prominent citizen of Whitby, was instrumental in the separation. The county has two ridings: North and South Ontario. The townships within Ontario County's borders are: Whitby (and the town of Whitby), East Whitby, Pickering, Uxbridge (and the village of Uxbridge), Rama, Scugog, Thorah, Scott, Brock, Mara and Reach. There are also the villages of Port Perry, Cannington and Oshawa, which was the first village in the county. (Taken from: The Illustrated Historical Atlas of Ontario County, Ontario. Belleville: Mika Silk Screening Ltd., 1972.)