In 1801 a prominent Quaker by the name of David Willson led a group of families on a journey from Pennsylvania to Ontario. Their ultimate destination was East Gwillimbury where they were offered large parcels of farmland in exchange for helping to build roads and establish homesteads. Appropriately they named their community Hope. The Willson led Quakers established their own sect called The Children of Peace. This was a community based on the values of ethics, equality and social justice. The Children of Peace established Ontario’s first farming co-operative and credit union and grew prosperous in the process. They were also forerunners in Ontario, seeking social justice through political reform and providing shelter for those in need.

When a post office opened in 1841 the community changed its name from Hope to Sharon. The Sharon name was an appropriate choice for this prosperous farming community as it has a biblical reference to a fertile plain in Israel. The focal point of the community was the Sharon Temple constructed in 1931. The Sharon Temple featured the first organ in Ontario. In 1918 Sharon Temple became a museum. It was subsequently designated as a National Historic Site in 1990. Today, the Sharon Temple stands proudly adjacent to the Town of East Gwillimbury Civic Centre. It is a reminder of the families who first settled here and their many accomplishments that helped pave the way for future generations.