Mississauga's History
Pride in Our Past
Mississauga can trace its roots back to before European settlement – over 200 years ago. In the early 1600s, French traders encountered Native peoples around the North Shore of Lake Huron called the Mississaugas. The Mississaugas were an Ojibwa band, and by the early 1700s had migrated south and settled in the area around the Etobicoke Creek, Credit River and Burlington Bay. “Mississauga” translates as meaning “River of the North of Many Mouths”.
The First Purchase
On August 2nd, 1805, near the mouth of the Credit River, representatives for the British Crown and the Native Mississaugas signed a treaty – Treaty 13A – which saw the surrender of a vast tract of land to the British Crown. Referred to as the “Mississauga Purchase” or the “First Purchase”, the Crown acquired over 74,000 acres of land excluding a 1 mile strip on each side of the Credit River from the waterfront to the base line (modern Eglinton Avenue), and this became known as the Credit Indian Reserve. This tract of land was surveyed in 1806, named Toronto Township, and opened for settlement. It is known as the “Old Survey”.
The Second Purchase & Other Treaties
Additional treaties were signed between the Mississaugas and the British Crown, which allowed the Crown to acquire title to more land. On October 28th, 1818, Treaty 19 – known as the “Second Purchase” – was signed, which surrendered over 600,000 acres of land – which included most of today’s Region of Peel. This vast area was surveyed and opened for settlement in 1819. Known as the “New Survey”, this area was divided into the townships of Toronto, Chinguacousy, Caledon, Albion and Toronto Gore. Two other treaties were also reached with the Mississaugas; on February 28th, 1820, treaties 22 and 23 were signed, which saw the surrender of much of the Credit Indian Reserve lands set aside in 1805. Collectively they are referred to as the “Credit Treaties”. The Mississaugas relocated out of this area in 1847 and settled on the New Credit Reserve near Brantford.
Settlement
Gradually settlers began to take up lots in throughout the old and new surveys, and over time small settlements became established. The settlements developed into the villages of Clarkson, Cooksville, Dixie, Erindale, Malton, Meadowvale Village, Port Credit and Streetsville. Over time, other communities blossomed, such as Lakeview and Lorne Park, while others disappeared entirely – the “lost villages”. These “lost” hamlets and villages include Barberton, Britannia, Burnhamthorpe, Derry West, Elmbank, Frogmore, Hanlan, Harris’ Corners, Hawkins’ Corners, Lisgar, McCurdy’s Corners, Mount Charles, Nunan’s Corners (Catholic Swamp), Palestine, Pucky’s Huddle, Richview, Sheridan, Snider’s Corners, Summerville and Whaley’s Corners.
Faith in Our Future
The Town of Mississauga was created in 1968, and the City of Mississauga was incorporated in 1974 through the amalgamation of the Town of Mississauga and the villages of Port Credit and Streetsville, and portions of the townships of Toronto Gore and Trafalgar. Mississauga has grown to be Canada’s sixth largest city.