Modern Mississauga presents Wayback Wednesday - The history of Caven Street

Modern Mississauga and Heritage Mississauga have come together to present an ongoing series called “Way Back Wednesday’s."
We’ll share information about the history of Mississauga here and answer your questions.
Today’s topic is the history of Caven Street.

Caven Street in Lakeview is named for the Cavan family who farmed on the north side of Lakeshore Road near Cawthra Road. Thomas Cavan arrived in 1827 and purchased a 200-acre farm here. Over time the family built a substantial brick house, and the farm became known as “Maple Shade Farm”. Thomas willed the property to his 3 sons, and the farm was split into three long, narrow farms. The sons (Hugh, James and William) opted to vary the spelling of the family surname to differentiate between the brothers’ adjacent farms: Cavin, Cavan and Caven.

Hugh Cavin and William Caven were engaged in the stonehooking trade for a time, and had the stonehooker vessel Mary E. Ferguson. James Cavan farmed the home farm and was a trustee for the local school. The Cavan/Caven/Cavin family lived and farmed in the area for at least four generations, and the Caven Street was named for this early settling family on part of what was their original family farm