The historical community is situated in the south-east of Markham and north-east of the former suburb of Scarborough, now part of Toronto.

Archaeological initiatives spearheaded by the University of Toronto and the Royal Ontario Museum led to a wealth of First Nation artifacts like arrowheads and pottery being unearthed.

On the west half of Lot 2 Concession 8, there is even a dark patch of soil that demarcates the position of an age-old Iroquois longhouse.

[1] A postal station was established in 1869 along what is now Passmore Avenue, but the name Magdala was not accepted and the post office became known as Armadale.

Between 1840 and 1860, the hamlet thrived as a small mercantile center boasting two blacksmith shops, a hotel and a post office.

The fortunes of the bustling community were brought to a premature end when the establishment of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway, built in 1871, which by-passed Armadale.

Only the historic Armadale Free Methodist Church (1880), and several residential houses remains as a reminder of the hamlet's early settlement.

South of Steeles Avenue, in the Scarborough portion of Armadale, The land has remained undeveloped with many abandoned farms and apple orchards.