A Brief History of Milton, Ontario

The town of Milton Ontario began as mill town on afrom the Miltons, there was one other family, the
mill pond, but that’s not how it got its name. TheFosters, who owned substantial property within the
area was first settled by Jasper and Sarah Martintownship. The land was split into north and south of
from Newcastle England. The future town grew fromMain Street, with the Martin family owning land to the
a parcel of land 100 acres in size that was granted tonorth and the Fosters to the south. The land where
the Martin family.the current town hall now stands was donated to
Running through this plot of land was Sixteen Milethe town by Hugh Foster, thus the name of the
Creek, which Jasper quickly recognized as the key tobuilding (Hugh Foster Hall).
his future success. He built a grist mill on the creek asIn 1857, Milton was incorporated as a town after it
well as creating a pond to harness the power of thewas chosen as the county seat for the Halton
water, a great attraction for those wishing todistrict. The town expanded its borders, taking in
process their farmed goods. The mill became theparts of the former territory belonging to the town
centre of a population base that numbered 100 overof Esquesing as well as the village of Campbellville and
the next seventeen years, and the “town”several other outlying areas. This annexation
was referred to as Martin’s Mills. This title wascontinued well into the 20th century, when Milton
replaced around 1837 twice, becoming first Mill Townannexed parts of Oakville and Burlington.
and then Milton.In recent years the addition of parts of the Niagara
Although it may seem as though Milton is a naturalEscarpment has meant that Milton has become a
jump from Mill Town, the name actually came aboutmajor tourist hot spot, built around the idea of
as a tribute to the Martin’s favourite author Johnenvironmental and historical conservation.
Milton (writer of Paradise Lost, among others). Aside