Dollar, Ontario

Dollar is a former community of Markham Township, now the city of Markham and town of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada and was located near the corner of Leslie Street (3rd Line) and 15th Avenue (Highway 7). In 1869, Dollar was granted a post office, which was located on the north-west corner of Line 3 (Leslie Street) and 15th Avenue.[1] In 1871 Dollar also had general store, a blacksmith shop and a church. The Zion Wesleyan Methodist Church was built about 1870 on Lot 10, Concession 3, on the east side of Line 3, just south of the intersection.[2]

Dollar
Dollar Location of Dollar
Coordinates: 43°50′41″N 79°22′56″W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Regional Municipality	York
Municipality	Markham
Elevation	200 m (700 ft)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern Time Zone)
Area code(s)	905, 289, 365

With the arrival of the railroad through Markham Village and Unionville in the 1870s, the importance of smaller communities like Dollar began to fade. When rural mail delivery was instituted in 1914, Dollar was put on Rural Route #2, Gormley.

In 1962 the name "Dollar" was rescinded and the hamlet ceased to exist. On January 1, 1971, the north side of Ontario Highway 7 was annexed to the town of Richmond Hill. The last three historical homes were demolished in 1972 to prepare for the construction of the Best Western Parkway Hotel Toronto North (Richmond Hill). Today the former hamlet of Dollar is in close proximity to Ontario Highway 404. The site of the former post office is now the Times Square shopping centre. The city of Markham is planning for significant future development on the south side of the intersection.

References

1. See the detailed 1878 map, "Township of Markham," Illustrated historical atlas of the county of York and the township of West Gwillimbury & town of Bradford in the county of Simcoe, Ont. (Toronto: Miles & Co., 1878).
2. See Isabel Champion, ed., Markham: 1793-1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), pp. 233; 230; 225; 339; 158f., 180f.