Peterborough County GenWeb - Historical Maps of Peterborough County

Peterborough County GenWeb

Historical Maps of
The County of Peterborough



PETERBOROUGH COUNTY, situated to the north of the more heavily populated section of the Provice near Lake Ontario, has been through several metamorphoses since it was known as the "Back Lakes" district.

Fifteen townships make up the County of Peterborough, eight in the south and west with independent councils, and seven in the less-developed nothern and eastern sections joined with their immediate neighbours to form three municipal governments.


Until 1841, when the Colborne District was established. Peterborough was part of the old Newcastle District.

In October of that year, the area north of Rice Lake was separated from the Lake Ontario region known as "The Front", and the Colborne District was proclaimed, its borders containing all of the present Peterborough and Victoria Counties and part of Haliburton. The townships included in this political union were: Smith, Otonabee, Asphodel, North Monaghan, Ennismore, Douro, Dummer, Harvey, Burleigh, Anstruther, Chandos, Belmont, Methuen, Galway, Cavendish, Verulam, Emily, Ops, Fenelon, Mariposa, Eldon, Bexley and Somerville.

In 1850, the Colborne District was reorganized into two political divisions, the northern part of which was known at first as Peterborough County, and in the following year the name was changed to the United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria. For a further ten years the poitical union continued with most of its power centered in Peterborough, but in 1861 Victoria was granted independent status. Haliburton County separated in 1874, drawing its twenty-three townships from both of the formerly United Counties, leaving the composition of the townships in Peterborough County as it is today.





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