Perm

Introduction

Perm was a small community located in Dufferin County, first settled in the 1830s. Following construction of a township hall in the 1850s, it quickly became an important township centre. The township used the hall for meetings and the establishment of local bylaws.

Perm was never large nor did it have a lot of commercial activity. There was a store, post office, and blacksmith. Shingle and sawmills came later on. There was also an Orange Lodge, Methodist Church with a cemetery, and two schools.

Despite its importance in the early days, very little of Perm has survived. Church union in 1925 left the United Church with numerous duplicate facilities. For obvious reasons, the church chose to retain the better and larger buildings. Consequently, they sold or demolished any unwanted buildings. Evidently, the Methodist Church in Perm didn’t make the cut for whatever reason. Following completion of the union, the United Church demolished the building. In light of the situation, they marked the former site with an historical plaque on the cemetery grounds. Viewers can still find bits of the church foundation.

The cemetery is well maintained. Fire destroyed one of the schools. The other still stands and is now a private home. Learn more