York Mills was an important transfer point when the road opened in 1796 for boats navigating the Don River. The river also supported a number of mills where farmers ground their grain into flour and sawed wood into usable lumber.  

 

Two of the earlier settlers who helped shape York Mills Heights include John Armour and  Andrew McGlashan.

 

John Armour settled in the area in the 1830’s and built a farm where the Armour Heights Community Centre is located currently. The land was later sold to Colonel F.B. Robins in 1911 with plans to create a first class residential district with its own polo field and bridle path (the bridle path being the modern Yonge Boulevard).

 

When WWI started the land was donated to the air force to build a training school for America and Canada. Even Amelia Earhart was a frequent visitor to the Armour Heights Airfield; while visiting her sister she discovered her love of flying at Armour Heights. 

 

Andrew McGlashan settled in the Cricket Club area in the early 1800’s where they operated a tannery. The property was ultimately sold in 1907 to William George Gooderham, who started the Gooderham and Worts distillery (the home of the current Distillery District). Here he discovered fresh spring water, which he ended up bottling and selling worldwide until the 1920’s. During this time, he also helped form the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club that opened in the mid-1920’s and remains to this day.