The name “Gordon Woods” came from the street name Gordon Drive, and the wooded nature of the surrounding area. It is part of the Town of Cooksville. Cooksville was formerly called Harrisville, after Daniel Harris, the earliest settler at the intersection of Hurontario and Dundas. Cooksville was renamed in 1836 to honour its leading entrepreneur, Jacob Cook. He was the mail carrier and operator of stagecoaches as far as Kingston and Goderich.