Remembering Cody’s Tavern, a Lost Mississauga Landmark

Former Cody Tavern in the distance, Dixie Auto Wreckers in the foreground, 1955, courtesy of the Toronto Public Library.

We have explored a bit about the Cody family and their famous descendant, the American showman “Buffalo Bill” Cody before in this series, but today’s article will focus on a building they left behind that served as a well known landmark for generations of residents and travellers.

Cody’s Tavern was located on Lot 10, Concession 1, SDS. The property was first patented by The Crown to Sarah Grant on May 19, 1807 – one of the earliest land grants here in historic Mississauga. On May 27, 1807, Amasa Grant, Sarah’s husband, sold the 200-acre property to Philip Cody. In modern terms Cody’s property was located on the south side of Dundas Street and just east of Cawthra Road.

Philip Cody Sr. (1770-1850) was born in the United States and was amongst the earliest settlers in historic Mississauga. In 1807 or 1808 Philip oversaw the construction of the first inn on the property which was “a substantial building with a comfortable front porch.” Philip Cody served as a Sergeant in the 2nd York Militia during the War of 1812, and his inn served as a local meeting place and muster point for the local militia. As his business prospered, it is likely that a new inn was built, possibly between 1815-17, which was a larger, two-storey stone structure. This building became known locally as Cody’s Tavern, and stood until circa 1958. Philip was also involved in acquiring and donating land on the north side of Dundas Street for Dixie Union Chapel and Cemetery.

Former Cody Tavern, 1955 in background, image courtesy of the Toronto Public Library

Philip Cody Sr. and his wife Lydia had at least 12 children: Elizabeth (1798-1847), Alice (1800-1885), Sophia (1801-1879), Elias (1804-1854), Nancy (1806-1899), Elijah (1807-1886), Martha (1809-1889), John (1811-1844), Isaac (1811-1857), Joseph (1814-1880), Lydia (1815-1902) and Philip Jr. (1816-1846). The first three children were born in York (Toronto), while the remainder were born here in historic Mississauga. Cody’s Tavern, as it was known, was both an inn for travellers and the home of the Cody family. Their son, Isaac Cody, was the father of “Buffalo Bill” William Cody (1846-1917).

In 1829, Philip Cody and most of the Cody family left historic Mississauga and moved to Ohio. Philip sold the west half of the property, including his tavern, to Joseph Farr on November 28, 1829.

Joseph Farr (1788-1870) and his wife, Annie (Ann Humphries, 1807-1864), are known to have been actively engaged in their community. Their inn was a place of community gatherings, meetings, and socializing. Annie and Joseph Farr were well regarded for being honest and generous, albeit shrewd. There are references to them lending money, with strict terms of repayment with interest. The Farr’s tavern was known for its excellent stock of liquors and fine accommodations. Together, Annie and Joseph operated the inn for 31 years. While they did not have any children of their own, they did adopt two daughters: sisters Mary Louise and Annie Watts.

In 1860 Joseph Farr sold the tavern and property to his son-in-law Jehoiada Haines. Jehoiada married the Farr’s adopted daughter Annie. Jehoiada and Annie raised eight children here: William, Ann, Elizabeth, Joseph, Charlotte, Lizzie, Emily and Florence. For the Haines family, the old Cody tavern was both their home and an inn, offering a few rooms for travellers. Following Jehoiada’s death in 1881, the property passed to his widow, Annie, who continued operating the inn. Following Annie’s passing in 1890, the inn and property passed to their children. In 1914, Jehoiada and Annie’s son, Joseph Haines, sold the tavern to Burton Gardiner (1854-1929), and then registered a subdivision on the remaining property (Plan G-14). Haines Road today remembers the name and property of the Haines family.

It is interesting to note that “Buffalo Bill” Cody did visit nearby Toronto at least twice with his Wild West shows, in 1885 and 1897 respectively, and we know from newspaper accounts that he was very familiar with his family’s connections to Canada and the immediate area. When he was in Toronto, the former Cody Tavern, built circa 1815-17 by his grandfather Philip, was still standing and was still being operated as an inn by the Haines family – one wonders if he might have visited his ancestral home.

The story of the old Cady-Farr-Haines tavern fades into obscurity after the 1914 sale to Burton Gardiner. We do not know when it ceased to operate as an inn, but it almost certainly was converted solely into a house sometime between 1900 and 1921. Burton Gardiner, who purchased the property in 1914, was a farmer, and there is no reference to his operating an inn, hotel or tavern. Burton Gardiner died in 1929. There are references to the old tavern being converted to apartments sometime after the Second World War, before the property was expropriated in 1958 for the widening of Dundas Street, after which the old hotel, by then a dilapidated and weather-worn building of faded memories, was demolished.

But for generations of residents and travellers the hotel was a well-known landmark, where many new arrivals to historic Mississauga would spend an evening, have a meal, or join with neighbours to discuss the issues of the day.

If you have any pictures or stories of the former Cody Tavern, we would love to hear from you!

Special thanks to Jeff Hassall and Max Woxland for providing some of the lead-up inspiration for this article, and to Nick Moreau from the Region of Peel Archives. The only two photographs sourced to date that show the former inn, both taken in 1955 shortly before it was demolished, are from the Digital Archive Collection of the Toronto Public Library.