MARA TOWNSHIP, ONTARIO

(Redirected from Mara, Ontario)
'Mara Township' is a geographic township and former municipality located in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is currently part of Ramara Township.
Mara Township was named in 1820. The origins of the name are unclear. One possibility is that it may named for (Marah, named in the biblical book of Exodus) as the place where Moses sweetened the bitter waters for the Israelites. Or, it may be derived from the Spanish ''marea'', which means tide. Lieutenant-Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland named a number of places with words of Spanish origin, and this may have been one.
The township was originally part of York County but was transferred to Ontario County upon its formation in 1852. It was originally amalgamated with adjoining Rama Township, but Rama was incorporated as a separate municipality in 1869.
Ontario County was dissolved upon the formation of the Regional Municipality of Durham in 1974. Both Mara and Rama Townships were transferred to Simcoe County.
As part of the municipal restructuring of Simcoe County, Mara and Rama Townships were amalgamated to form Ramara Township in 1994.