Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (1860)
8795 Keele Street

Quick Facts:

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• The original log building built July 22 1819, the current building was built in 1860.

• Rev. Jeremiah Fishburn who was known as a church builder, took initiative in constructing multiple churches. In 1860 he built the present Zion Lutheran Church, a two story building made with brick. "The cost of the building amounted to $1,485.90"

• 1790's, the German settlers the Keffers and Fischers arrived from Pennsylvania and received deeds to the land

• They established a Lutheran congregation in 1806, Vaughan's oldest congregation.​

• The church served both Lutherans and Anglicans from 1833 until 1839 Paster Mayerhoffer and his followers were locked out - because of this split, MIchael Keffer donated land for an Anglican church and led led to the formation of St. Stephen's congregation in Maple.

• In 1850 Adam Keffer walked from the church to Pennsylvania to plead to the Synod in Pittsburgh for a pastor (Pg 158) since they had trouble finding a full time pastor.

• Before 1850 only German services were offered.

• Between 1850 - 1853 Rev. Charles Frederick Diehl introduced English Services.

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Research contributed by Kathy Tran.

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Sources:

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City of Vaughan, Cultural Services. Register of Property of Cultural Heritage Value (As per Part IV, Subsection 27, Ontario Heritage Act), 2005.

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Somerville, Patricia, and Catherine Macfarlane.  A History of Vaughan Township Churches. Vaughan Township Historical Society, 1984. 
 

“Zion Lutheran Church of Maple.”  Zion Lutheran Church of Maple, www.zionmaple.ca/.