Bloomington is a hamlet in
York Region
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. The region was established after the passing of then Bill 102, An Act to Establish The Regional ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, in the town of
Whitchurch-Stouffville
Whitchurch-Stouffville (2021 Canadian census, 2021 population 49,864) is a town in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada, approximately north of downtown Toronto, and north-east of Toronto Pearson International Airport. It is in area, ...
. The hamlet is centred at the intersection of
Ninth Line and
Bloomington Road near the eastern boundary of the town of Whitchurch–Stouffville. Neighbouring communities within Whitchurch–Stouffville include
Musselman Lake to the north,
Lemonville to the west, and the community of urban
Stouffville to the south. The hamlet of
Goodwood in the town of
Uxbridge
Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...
lies to the east.
History
The first settlers arrived in the early 19th century, and were largely
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...
,
Mennonites
Mennonites are a group of Anabaptism, Anabaptist Christianity, Christian communities tracing their roots to the epoch of the Radical Reformation. The name ''Mennonites'' is derived from the cleric Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland, part of ...
and
United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalist (UEL; or simply Loyalist) is an honorific title which was first given by Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, the 1st Lord Dorchester, the governor of Province of Quebec (1763–1791), Quebec and Governor General, governor ...
who had left the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The first postmaster, Samuel Patterson, registered the name ''Bloomington'' in 1869, likely after the city of
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the List of municipalities in Illinois, 13th-most populous ci ...
.
There are a few reminders of the old hamlet that remain:
*
Bloomington Schoolhouse - located at 13681 Ninth Line was built in 1898 as School Section No. 10 (with addition from 1952) and closed before 1971 and is now a private residence.
* Bloomington Cove Care Community - located on Ninth Line south of Bloomington Side Road
*
Bloomington Gospel Church - built in 1874 the church dates back to 1833 and earlier church building on the east side of the Ninth Line
Economy
Bloomington is primarily agricultural area, however some land is being developed for housing and few commercial businesses.
References
{{Communities of Whitchurch-Stouffville
Communities in Whitchurch-Stouffville