Kleinburg is comprised of a narrow section of hilly landscape situated between two branches of the Humber river. The historic village is bounded by Highway 27 on the west and Stegman’s Mill Road to the east.

The settlement of many early villages in Ontario was directly related to the establishment of a local industry. Kleinburg, like many riverside villages developed around the existence of numerous mills. The mills built by John N. Kline were the largest between Toronto and Barrie. Kleinburg also became popular as a resting stop for farmers or merchants on their way to, or from Toronto. The original Humber (Indian) Trail used by the early traders remained the most efficient route to Toronto. The Humber Trail in Vaughan, runs along what is today Islington Avenue and extends down to Dundas Street in the City of Toronto.

Humber River Trails

The Toronto Carrying-Place Trail, also known as the Humber Portage, was a major portage route in Ontario, linking Lake Ontario with Lake Simcoe and the northern Great Lakes. The name comes from the Mohawk term Toron-ten, which means, “the place where the trees grow over the water”.
The Toronto end of the trail runs up the eastern bank of the Humber River and splits in Woodbridge, with one fork crossing the east branch of the Humber and going up the west side of the river to the vicinity of Kleinburg where it re-crosses the river. The other fork stays on the east side of the river and is angled cross-country to King Creek, joining the other fork before crossing the river near Nobelton. From there it runs north over the Oak Ridges Moraine to the Holland River, and from there it runs northeast into Lake Simcoe. Once into Lake Simcoe, the trail continues north through straights on the north end of the lake into Lake Couchiching. From there, the trail follows the Severn River into Georgian Bay. Many of the First Nations tribes lived in the area around and to the north of Lake Simcoe, which were easily reachable via the many rivers leading to the lake. A second arm of the trail runs from the Holland River to the southeast, eventually into the Rouge River Valley, then Lake Ontario from there.

Binder Twine Festival

Kleinburg is home to the Binder Twine Festival, held yearly in the month of September. The tradition of the Binder Twine Festival originated with Charles Shaw Jr. who, in the 1890′s, began the distribution of binder twine to the local farmers. Binder twine was used to tie together sheaves of wheat. The farmers would purchase from Charles Shaw Jr. their yearly supply of binder twine. Legend states that the Shaws gave their binder twine customers a dinner in appreciation of their business. The modest dinner eventually became a large community festival complete with games, refreshments and entertainment. The Binder Twine Festival was held once a year until 1930 and was subsequently revived in 1967.

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection offers its visitors a unique and truly Canadian experience. From the art within its walls, to the surrounding landscape, the McMichael Gallery is the perfect gallery for a proper introduction to Canada’s art, its people, their cultures and history. The McMichael Gallery’s permanent collection consists of nearly 6,000 pieces of art created by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, their contemporaries, and First Nations, Métis, Inuit and other artists who have made a contribution to the development of Canadian art. Through a network of outdoor paths and hiking trails, visitors can explore the newly installed Sculpture Garden as well as the unique McMichael Cemetery where six Group of Seven members and gallery founders Robert and Signe McMichael have been laid to rest.
www.mcmichael.com

Kortright Centre

The Kortright Centre for Conservation is Ontario’s premier environmental and renewable energy education and demonstration centre. Since 1982, the Kortright Centre has been a centre of excellence in the field of sustainable technology. The sustainable technology education programs are anchored around The Power Trip Trail, a 1.6 km trail which links a variety of demonstrations on renewable energy, energy efficiency, wastewater treatment and sustainable building design. The centre hosts nearly 135,000 visitors annually and offers over 50 environmental education programs for schools and 30 sustainable technology workshops for public, trades and professionals.
www.kortright.org

Copper Creek Golf Club

Designed by renowned Canadian Architect Doug Carrick, Copper Creek has been voted the best public golf course in the GTA and is currently ranked the 36th best course in all of Canada. Set amid the rolling hills and forests of the Humber River Valley, Copper Creek has a 40,000 square foot clubhouse, featuring event seating for up to 550 people. The clubhouse and grounds feature glorious gardens, an expansive terrace and gazebo, as well as lavish outdoor seating.