Books published by History Press

The settlement of Simcoe County began in the early 19th century. As more families arrived, church buildings of various faiths were built. Most early churches were plain and made from local materials. As villages and towns arose and residents became more prosperous, church buildings became larger and more embellished. With the later migration of the rural population to larger centres, churches are often the only remnant of the past life of many hamlets and crossroads communities. Some continue as places of worship, their original architecture untouched. Some have been altered, often converted to other uses. Many are abandoned or demolished with a cairn erected to mark the location. For over twenty seven years, Eileen Murdoch has travelled throughout Simcoe County taking pictures of these landmark places of worship. Her photographs are an important record of this legacy of church buildings.