Early land surveyors allocated Durham as a town site based upon the water resources provided by the Saugeen River. In May 1842 Archibald Hunter and his party established themselves on land on the east side of the Garafraxa Trail north of the Durham Road. Hunter's cabin site later became the site of Hunter's Tavern - an important stopover for pioneers coming into the Queen's Bush. Initially the town grew up near Hunter's Tavern at the junction of the Garafraxa Trail and old Durham Road [Upper Town]. By the turn of the century the town's present business district was established in Lower Town. There was always a friendly rivalry between the Upper and Lower Town camps.
A mill site [Upper Dam] established on the Saugeen River played a significant role in the development of the town. Agents of John Edge Esquire of Ireland purchased large blocks of land at Hutton Hill and the block of land along the upper banks of the river [Edge Survey]. Later dams were established by Peter Paterson [Lower Dam] and the McGowan family [Middle Dam].
The Town of Durham was incorporated in 1872.
Earliest Locatees in the Town of Durham
Brown, Daley, Douglas, Hunter, Jackson, Jones, Legate, May, Matthews, Stewart, Vollet