Sharon, Ontario

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For the community in Middlesex County, see Sharon, Middlesex County, Ontario.
Sharon
Unincorporated community
The Sharon Temple
Location of East Gwillimbury York Region.
Location of East Gwillimbury York Region.
Coordinates: 44°6′22″N 79°26′4″W / 44.10611°N 79.43444°W / 44.10611; -79.43444Coordinates: 44°6′22″N 79°26′4″W / 44.10611°N 79.43444°W / 44.10611; -79.43444
Country Canada
Province Ontario
Population
 • Estimate () 3,000
Postal code L0G 1V0
Area code(s) 905

Sharon is a former village which has been incorporated into the municipality of the Town of East Gwillimbury, Ontario, Canada, formerly the Township of East Gwillimbury. The municipal offices of the town are located in Sharon.

The community's most historic building is the Sharon Temple, the one-time meeting house of the Children of Peace (or Davidites). It is part of the musical, political, religious and architectural heritage of Ontario, and is now a museum and National Historic Site of Canada. The museum hosts a number of concerts and educational programs, and has hosted the Words Alive Literary Festival since 2007.

In the mid to late 1980s, housing developments were built in the area around Sharon. Further developments have continued slowly around Sharon since 2002.

Prominent residents have included wrestling legend Whipper Billy Watson, comedian John Candy, Olympian Veronica Brenner, and Barkley Good, creator of the 1990s pet training seminars "Joyce: Be Good!".

History[edit]

The village of Sharon grew around the farm of David Willson (Lot 10, Second Conc.), the leader of the Quaker denomination known as the Children of Peace. The Children of Peace constructed a series of meeting houses on Willson's farm, which became the core of the utopian community they called Hope. They changed the name to Sharon in 1841 to acquire a post office.

Transportation[edit]

Sharon has bus service by York Region Transit, as well as commuter train service from GO Transit through East Gwillimbury Station in the southwestern corner of Sharon.

The area is served by Highway 404 which is accessed via the Green Lane interchange. Before 2001, the nearest interchange was a couple of kilometres south at Davis Drive in Newmarket. Plans exist to extend the highway through East Gwillimbury and further north.

Surrounding communities[edit]

Notable People[edit]

Notable people from Sharon include:

See also[edit]

External links[edit]