Four Towns and Four Rural Townships

Crossroad towns have waxed and waned throughout the history of Dufferin County.  They had at least a school, a church and general store but sometimes they became commercial centres, with mills, storefronts and hotels.  You will still see roadside signs that show where a town once stood.  Today our municipal partners encompass four towns and four townships, each with its unique features.

 

Grand Valley…

a village – Grand Valley – and rural expanse in one municipality.  The Grand River twists and turns through the region, past farms and through the village.  The Grand and its tributaries form the renowned Luther Marsh an important stopping place for migrating waterfowl.

Mono…

a varied landscape of tree-covered rolling hills and the headwaters of three rivers; the Humber and Credit that flow to Lake Ontario and the Nottawasaga that bends north to Georgian Bay.  It is an escape from urban crush, a country home and busy farms.

Orangeville…

the largest town in the county, where history is celebrated and preserved and the present is lively. Its industries and small businesses, interesting downtown shops, celebrations and entertainment help make this town a home.

Shelburne…

a town that celebrates its heritage with the annual Fiddle Contest for which it is known… but Shelburne is much more… a vibrant community supporting the farms that surround it, growing into its developing neighbourhoods.

Amaranth…

the serpentine course of the Grand River flows through this region, past the farms and wetlands.  Railways have become trailways – walking paths for people and horses, winter trails for snowmobiles.

East Garafraxa…

to the south and west, East “Gary” is the keel of the county.  Its name may have come from the Old English word for triangular piece of land, a gore.  While mostly rolling farmland, the township is bisected by the Grand River and its wild, wooded valley.

Melancthon…

to the north and west, the plains of Melancthon also support potato farms, but there are beef, dairy, sheep, and horses, as well.  One of its three hamlets, Horning’s Mills, is at the head of the breathtaking Pine River Valley.

Mulmur…

to the north and east, its heights offer stunning vistas and its wooded valleys hide clear tumbling rivers, weekend retreats and the homes of working families.  The deep soil produces potatoes for the most part.