One of Cooksville’s most well-recognized historic landmarks was the Revere House. The building, which served at first as a hotel, was built c1830 by the Walterhouse family. The building was once smaller, but in 1891 it is believed that Edway Walterhouse had the structure moved closer to the road and added a second storey and balcony.

The Revere House served the community as a hotel for many years, before becoming home to the Sterling (Union) Bank from Port Credit in 1907. In 1911 Bell Telephone’s first local exchange office for Toronto Township opened in the building. The Revere house later became home to Ward’s Rexall Drugstore, operated by Alfred Ward. The Revere House was rented to a succession of jewelry stores and beauty salons and Bill’s Men’s Wear. The building was torn down in 1965 when the intersection was widened.

Built in 1852 by Jacob Cook, this two-storey, red brick building is Cooksville’s oldest surviving commercial building. Jacob Cook oversaw the operation of the general store amongst his many other enterprises until his death in 1873. George McClelland rented the building in 1873 from Jacob’s son, Miles Washington Cook, and operated a general store. George’s business prospered. In 1910 Alfred Scott purchased the store and renamed it Scott’s Grocery.

Alfred had the first gas pump installed in front of the store in 1911. In 1912 the store was purchased by William Copeland. Renamed Copeland’s General Store, the building operated as a grocery and feed store, and William became Cooksville’s Post Master in 1922. As more and more cars began to appear, William opted to sell his corner lot to the British American Oil Company. In order to continue the grocery business, the store was moved 80 feet to the east in 1927. In 1948 William’s son Charles took over the store, and daughter Violet became the Post Mistress. The old store continues as a commercial enterprise today.

Crofton Villa was originally the home of Miles Washington Cook, Jacob Cook’s son. It was built around 1890. In 1903 the property was purchased by George Shepard, who had a successful clothing business in Toronto. In 1922 Martin Crofton purchased the property and converted the large house into an inn, restaurant and banquet hall. In 1947 the property was acquired by Edward Waller, who operated Waller’s Restaurant and the Cooksville Rod & Gun Club. A new building was built next door in 1968, and the old Crofton Villa was torn down.

In November of 1933 Jimmy Newman purchased Hillside Dairy in Cooksville, which had been established by Price & Sayers in 1924. In 1938 Newman expanded his operation, retiring the horse and wagon, and purchased delivery trucks. He also equipped his operation with modern pasteurization and homogenizing machinery, becoming one of the first dairies in the Province to do so.

Milk from the dairy was delivered every morning in Cooksville, Port Credit, Dixie and Streetsville. In 1949 an ice cream parlour was added, and Cooksville Jersey Dairy became a popular place to visit. By the late 1950s, the dairy employed some 50 people and operated 30 milk trucks, serving most of southern Peel. Newman sold the dairy business in 1969, and the dairy was torn down for the building of a new post office building.

Historic Cooksville was home to several blacksmith over time. In 1807 John Belcher operated a blacksmith shop, followed by Michael Readman in 1832. In 1850 Isaac Walterhouse ran a large blacksmith shop at the northwest corner of Hurontario and Agnes streets. Isaac passed on the blacksmithing trade to his son Lewis. Frank Walterhouse, Lewis’ son, was the last to run the blacksmith shop in 1920. The building was later converted to a house, and was eventually torn down about 1978.

Throughout its history, Cooksville has been home to several bakery establishments, but perhaps the best known was Henry Fullwood’s Model Bakery. Henry Fullwood arrived in Cooksville in 1917, and his business was an immediate success. In 1918 the building was lost to fire. By 1921 Fullwood was back in operation with his Cooksville Model Bakery.

He specialized in fresh bread, mince pies, butter tarts and soufflés. In 1923 he won a gold medal in London, England, and at the bakery he added a tea room and refreshment parlour. By 1928 the Fullwood Fruit Cake was shipping abroad, including to American markets. Henry Fullwood retired in 1958 due to ill health, and briefly the building became home to a shoemaker, and was demolished in 1958.

Philip Pardy was born in Somerset, England, and settled in Cooksville in 1888, where he opened a harness shop. Philip and his wife Jemima were active members of the Cooksville Methodist Church. Philip Pardy’s Harness shop operated for over 40 years, and while his primary business was with making and repairing harnesses and saddles, he was also known to repair shoes.

Philip was well-liked by all who knew him, and children from the village often gathered to watch him work and listen to his stories. In 1934 Philip celebrated his 83rd birthday while still working at his craft: “I have good health. I have never got rich, but neither have I been poor. I always have enough to eat and plenty of work, because I always do the best possible job for a reasonable price, making a fair profit.” Philip Pardy passed away in 1935.

In 1839, a post office was opened in a house at the northeast corner of Dundas and Cook streets with J.H. Savigny listed briefly as Post Master, followed by Frank Morley. With the registration of the Post Office, Cooksville officially received its name. Frank Morley was succeeded by John Peaker in 1871, who built a new post office building on the same location.

This building was in turn purchased by Herbert Shaver in 1898, who, in addition to being the Post Master, also ran a tinsmith shop from the small addition on the side. Herbert Shaver built the present building in 1914. The small side addition may have enclosed the original post office and tinsmith shop. The building later became a doctor’s office.

Early parishioners travelled for religious services to Dixie Union Chapel, a short distance to the east along Dundas Road, which had been established in 1816. In 1821 the Methodists of Cooksville held their first services in a small log cabin that belonged to a group associated with the Independent Order of Rechabites. In 1844, the Methodists decided to build their own meeting place and constructed a lath and plaster building on Agnes Street. This new church was formerly opened in 1845. Services continued in the Agnes Street church until 1886, when the congregation decided to erect a new church on the south side of Dundas Street. This church was badly damaged in the cyclone of 1923, but was quickly rebuilt.

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Samuel Harris bought the old Agnes Street church building and moved it adjacent to his home on the north side of Dundas Street, where he used the building for commercial purposes. After 1924, his son Gordon Harris carried on a Real Estate Business from the old building. It later became home to the Cooksville Library for a short time. The old church survived the fire of 1852, and was torn down in 1991.