Speyside is an unincorporated community in

Halton Hills, Ontario Halton Hills is a town in the Regional Municipality of Halton, located in the northwestern end of the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada with a population of 62,951 (2021). There are many natural features within these bounds; they include th ...

, Canada. Once a thriving pioneer community, little remains of the original settlement. The

Bruce Trail The Bruce Trail is a hiking trail in southern Ontario, Canada, from the Niagara River to the tip of Tobermory, Ontario. The main trail is more than long and there are over of associated side trails. The trail mostly follows the edge of the Nia ...

and Speyside Resource Management Area are located near the settlement.

History

Early settlers believed a local creek resembled the

River Spey The River Spey () is a river in the northeast of Scotland. At it is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom and the third longest and fastest-flowing river in Scotland. It is an important location for the traditions of salmon fishing an ...

in Scotland, and named the new settlement "Speyside". Between the 1850s and 1870s, Speyside had a hotel (the Stewart Hotel), two general stores, a village hall (used as a school), a tannery, a blacksmith, two saw mills, and a stone quarry. The settlement planned for seven streets that were never constructed. The population in 1874 was 200. Speyside had a post office from 1873 to 1914. By 1908, the population had declined to 40. An oak tree in Speyside is recognized for its historic importance. The tree was grown from an acorn of an English oak growing in Royal Park in Windsor, England. The acorns were sent across the Commonwealth to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The acorn was planted at a nearby school in 1937, and then transplanted to the school in Speyside when it opened in 1960. The school closed in 1986.

References

{{Halton region Neighbourhoods in Halton Hills