Duffins Creek is one of Durham Region’s most historic waterways, carrying centuries of cultural and ecological significance. Long before European settlement, this creek was central to the lives of the Mississauga Anishinaabek, who called it Sin-qua-trik-de-que-onk, meaning “pine wood on side.” In modern Ojibwe orthography, its name is Zhingwaatigotigweyaa-ziibi, reflecting deep ties to the land and water. For Indigenous communities, the creek was a lifeline, a source of food, travel and spiritual connection.
Early French missionaries referred to it as Rivière au Saumon, or “Salmon River,” because its waters teemed with Atlantic salmon. These fish were so abundant, they sustained Indigenous peoples and later settlers. By the late 19th century, however, salmon disappeared due to deforestation, mill dams and overfishing – a reminder of the many aspects of environmental change.
In 1791, surveyor Augustus Jones mapped the area for the Government of Upper Canada, naming the creek after Mike Duffin, an early European trapper. His survey marked the beginning of settlement and transformation of the region.
Today, Duffin Meadows Cemetery lies within the Duffins Creek watershed, connected by Urfé Creek, a tributary of the watershed’s east branch. The cemetery’s rolling meadows and ponds echo the natural heritage of this water system, while restoration efforts aim to bring back native species like Atlantic salmon, a tribute to the creek’s lasting legacy.
Sources:
• Duffins Creek – Wikipedia
• Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program
Photos:
• Duffins Creek Iron Bridge in 1912, by Herington & Son, Trenton, Ontario, public domain
• Black and white photo from a postcard dated 31 July 1908. The photo depicts the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) bridge over the Duffins Creek in 1908, in Pickering Village, public domain via Wikimedia commons
