Fruit and other industries

From Canada's first commercial winery, Cooksville's Clair House, to the Pallett orchards in the Dixie area, township residents had created a rich tradition of fruit-growing.

Appleton, Appledoorn, Appleton, Appledale, Appleville singular and Applesville plural, Apple Credit and Appleview. Ten residents suggested Applewood, the name of a central subdivision, and another chose Applewood Village. Fruit Acres, Glen Orchard, Orchardvale, Orchard Park and Orchard Peel were also submitted.

Other industries also received plaudits, including the Malton-inspired Town of Jetport, and Sheridan-inspired Town of Research and Town of Science.

Sir Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965, shortly before the naming process. Forty-nine residents asked to live in the Town of Churchill, and 12 wanted the Town of Winston. Those names, and others including Winstown, Winstonia and Sir Winston Township, were all seriously considered by township staff, who advanced them to a shortlist. Other ideas included Churchill Port, Churchillton, Churchillvale, Churchill Heights, Spencer, Winston Spencer and Winchurch. (Sir Winston's full last name was Spencer-Churchill.)

The acclaim eventually led to Winston Churchill Boulevard, which in turn resulted in the Churchill Meadows neighbourhood, decades later.

Politicians

Before Hazel McCallion broke onto the political scene, residents heaped their adoration on Thomas Laird Kennedy. The Cooksville resident served as MPP for Peel from 1937 to 1959, and the interim premier of Ontario during 1948 and 1949. Forty-six people suggested “Kennedy,” while others offered Kennedytown, Kennedia, Kendale, Kennedyville, Kenville, Kenmore, Kennedy Valley and Colonelville, the latter for his rank in the First World War.

Similarly adored was Peel MP Gordon Graydon, but since he was from Brampton, he only merited a few nominations for Graydon, Graydonville and Graydontown. Kennedy's young successor, Peel MPP and then-Ontario minister of education Bill Davis, inspired the nominations of Davis and Davisville.

Credit where Credit is due

Lots of names based on the local Credit River received support from residents. Thirteen people suggested the town be simply named Credit River, while 57 chose Credit Valley. Other popular options were Creditvale (34 nominations), Creditville (22) and Crediton (14). Among the other variants? Creditstreet, Creditsourne, Creditgrove, Creditbanks, Credit Heights, Creditlands, Clarkson Credit, Cooksville Credit, Creditlea, Creditsound, Credit Park and Credits.

Imitation and aspiration

At the time, Peel County communities included the Town of Brampton, the Township of Albion and Township of Caledon. Yet residents suggested south Peel be named Bramportville, Albion and Caledon. Inspiration from further away included Anaheim, Albany, Athens, Kyiv and Rome.

Some residents focused on the area's geographic relationship to Toronto, with West Ende, Westhaven, West Toronto, West Forks, Westville, Westland Mark, West Summit, Westview, Westerham and West Huron. Others felt squashed by Hamilton even further east, leading to Middle, Midvale, Middleton, Middleboro, Midtown and Midway.

The eternal quest for peace was represented in United, Unity, Unison, Unitastown, Universe, Unitron and Utopia. Looking to the future spurred on the names Nutown, Progress, Towersville, Urbana and Power City.

Honourable mention for oddity

Some of the oddest suggestions? Virgan Varlix, Your Town, Our Town, Leepkroy (“York Peel” backwards), First, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Crusoe Island, Mild, Moses, Karen, Bemuse and Amalga.

Mississauga

In the end, there was a clear favourite. Mississauga received 486 nominations, not counting variants like Missauga, Missaga, Mississaguay, Mississauganay, Mississauga on the Credit, Tomissauga, Port Mississauga and New Mississauga. The name was already used by the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, established in 1906, and by a fledgling newspaper called the Mississauga News, established 1965.

Council narrowed the naming suggestions down to “Sheridan” to help tout the soon-to-be-town's modern research park to investors, and “Malton” already known for its airport and aviation industry. Council was unenthused by the prospect of “Mississauga,” leading to canvassing by the newly formed “Committee for Mississauga.” Reluctantly, council put Mississauga on the ballot with Sheridan. On election day, the Indigenous name won with 73 per cent of the vote.

Interested in the actual processes in which Mississauga became a town and got its name? The Region of Peel Archives recommends the How Mississauga Got Its Name article series by Richard Collins, which was published in parts by the Heritage Mississauga's Heritage News newsletter in 2010 and 2011.



