The
town of Gooderham was founded in 1873. The original name of the
community was Pine Lake, the current name of the lake where the
community sits. The story about the name change from Pine Lake to
Gooderham varies but all have the same theme.
According
to one popular story, around 1885, an enterprising liquor salesman from
Toronto breezed in with a sample keg from the Gooderham & Worts
Distillery.
His intent was to persuade the three hotel owners to retail his
brand. The evening spent with "Gooderham's best" made such a
lasting impression on the population that the post office address of the
village was changed to Gooderham.
A
few kilometres south of Gooderham on County Road 597 (Buckhorn Road), is
Greens Mountain. The view from Greens Mountain is one of the most
spectacular views in the county. At one time there was a fire watchtower
on its heights. The cement foundations can still be seen although the
tower was taken down years ago.
The
I.B. & O. ( Irondale, Bancroft & Ottawa) railway had a station
in Gooderham until the early 60's. Although the station is gone, the
rail bed exists from just east of Gooderham (Wolf Lake Road) to
Wilberforce, which offers good hiking and cycling options.
The
Bear Lake Diggings site is close to Gooderham, as are many other
opportunities for the rock and gem enthusiasts.
The
present community of Gooderham offers access to a public beach on Pine
Lake, gas station, grocery store, liquor store, and a hardware store
with lumber and building supplies.
There is a restaurant in town as well as another one about 3 km
east of the community on County Road 503, which is open 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
Gooderham
is a picturesque and full service community with excellent access to the
many lakes surrounding this quaint town in Haliburton County.
