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Founding of Ajax, The
In 1941, the Canadian Government established here a shell-filling plant operated by Defence Industries Limited. At peak production, over 9,000 persons from across Canada lived and worked on this site. The community was named for H.M.S. Ajax, the British cruiser that, with H.M.S. Exeter and H.M.S. Achilles, defeated the German pocket battleship "Graf Spree" in December 1939 at the Battle of the River Plate. After the Second World War, Ajax became a temporary campus of... -
Founding of Markham, The
The earliest settlers in this part of Markham Township, including several "Pennsylvania Dutch," arrived on the Rouge River shortly after 1800. Within ten years, Nicholas Miller had erected mills around which a community known as Markham Mills had developed by about 1820. A village plot (Reesorville) was laid out north of the mills in 1826 by Joseph Reesor. Two years later, a post office named Markham was opened. By 1850, the village had a population... -
Founding of Newmarket, The
In 1801, Joseph Hill, attracted by the water-power potential of the Holland River, built a grist-mill on the site of present-day Newmarket and opened a general store. The settlement here in 1803-1804 of Elisha Beman, a major local landowner and entrepreneur, provided a strong stimulus for the community's growth and, within a few years, the village had emerged as the market centre for the rich, surrounding agricultural region. The arrival of the Ontario, Simcoe and... -
Founding of Pickering, The
Between 1801 and 1807, a settlement developed here in Pickering Township where the Danforth Road crossed Duffin's Creek. Among the early settlers was Timothy Rogers, a prominent Quaker and colonizer who built a saw and grist-mill in 1809. A post office was established in 1829 but the hamlet of Duffin's Creek developed slowly. The construction of the Grand Trunk Railway, completed in 1856, and growing agricultural prosperity stimulated the community's development as an important grist-milling... -
Founding of Richmond Hill, The
Settlers came to this district about 1794 after the construction of Yonge Street north from York (Toronto). The settlement prospered as a way station for travellers. Known as Mount Pleasant, the community was renamed, following a visit in 1819 by the Governor-in-chief of British North America, the Duke of Richmond. Mills along the Don River preceded the establishment of tanneries and carriage works. The first church, erected by Presbyterians, opened in 1821, the post office... -
Founding of Shelburne, The
Settlement of Melancthon Township began in the late 1840s and coincided with the construction of the Toronto-Sydenham Road. By the 1860s, settlers had moved into the Shelburne area and, in 1865, William Jelly, one of the community's earliest inhabitants, established the British Canadian Hotel, commonly known as Jelly's Tavern. Within a year, the settlement included a post office named Shelburne, reportedly after the Earl of Shelburne. In 1872, Jelly and his brother John ordered the... -
Founding of Stouffville, The
In 1805-06, Abraham Stouffer (1780-1851), a Pennsylvania Mennonite, acquired 400 acres of land in this area. By 1824, he had built a saw and grist-mill on Duffin's Creek, near which a hamlet developed and, in 1832, a post office named Stouffville was established. The community grew steadily and, in 1852, a village plot was laid out. By 1864, Stouffville, with a population of about 700 inhabitants, contained several prosperous industries, including carriage-works, harness works and... -
Founding of Thornhill, The
Settlement began here after the opening of Yonge Street in the mid-1790s and, by 1802, a grist mill and sawmill were operating on the Don River. The community developed slowly until 1829 when Benjamin Thorne built a large flour mill, tannery and store. Within a year, the village also contained a post office named "Thornhill," a church, school and tavern. Thornhill's growth as a milling and agricultural centre suffered after 1846 when the loss of... -
Founding of Uxbridge, The
The settlement of this area was stimulated by the arrival about 1806 of approximately twelve Quaker families from Pennsylvania. About 1808, Joseph Collins completed the first saw and grist-mill around which a community developed. The mill was bought in 1832 by Joseph Gould. A post office named Uxbridge was opened in 1836 with Joseph Bascom as Postmaster. In 1844, Gould, industrialist, landowner and later first member of the Parliament of Canada for Ontario North, erected... -
Ontario Historical Society, The
The foremost historical organization in the province, The Ontario Historical Society, originally called the Pioneer Association of Ontario, was established on September 4, 1888 largely through the efforts of the Reverend Henry Scadding. It initially operated as a federation of local groups and was primarily concerned with the promotion of British Canadian nationalism through the study of history. Reorganized in 1898 and incorporated with an expanded mandate the following year, the Society became increasingly involved... -
Ontario Human Rights Code
The Ontario Human Rights Code came into effect on June 15, 1962 and established equal rights and freedom from discrimination as primary elements of provincial law. The first legislation of its kind in Canada, the Code was designed to affirm and uphold the "inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family" by providing a legal mechanism to combat discrimination. The Code was inspired by principles of individual liberty... -
Ontario's First Parliament Buildings
In 1793, it was decided to move the capital of Upper Canada from Niagara to York (now Toronto). Two single-storey brick parliament buildings were constructed near this site. Opened in June 1798, the buildings were used for court proceedings and religious services in addition to parliamentary sessions. During their occupation of York, April 27 to May 2, 1813, American troops set fire to the parliament buildings. By 1820, they had been repaired and a connecting... -
Peel County Court House
This court house building, together with the adjacent jail and registry office, served as the judicial and administrative centre for the County of Peel for more than a century. Its prominent location on a rise of land and its stately appearance reflect the growing civic pride and affluence of 19th-century Ontario communities. Designed in the Italianate style by Toronto architect William Kauffmann, the court house was built by the contracting firm of Kesteven & Story... -
Pendarves - Cumberland House
Renowned Toronto architectural firm Cumberland & Storm designed this building as the family home of senior partner Frederic W. Cumberland. Completed in 1860 and named Pendarves, the original Italianate villa-style structure stood on spacious grounds with its main entrance facing east towards the new University of Toronto campus. In 1883, it was substantially redesigned by William Storm. After the 1912 closure of Government House on Simcoe Street, Toronto, the Ontario Government leased Pendarves as the... -
Peter Matthews c.1789-1838
Peter Matthews farmed the lands immediately northeast of here in the early nineteenth century. On December 2, 1837, neighbours asked him to lead men from the area to join an uprising against the government in Toronto planned by William Lyon Mackenzie. Matthews supported democratic reforms, was popular in his community, and had served in the War of 1812. He agreed to the request and played a leading role in the confused events of the Rebellion... -
Pontifical Institute of Mediæval Studies, The
In the 1920s, Professor Étienne Gilson, a noted French mediævalist, and Henry Carr, C.S.B., of St Michael's College, conceived a unique plan for a graduate centre for mediaeval studies. When it was founded in 1929, the Institute of Mediaeval Studies was the only specialized institution in its field. In 1939, as war threatened European centres of learning and cultural heritage, Pope Pius XII granted the Institute a papal charter. The Pontifical Institute's initial emphasis on... -
Princes' Gates, The
This entrance to the Canadian National Exhibition grounds was built in 1927 to commemorate 60 years of Canadian Confederation. The stone and concrete gates were designed by the Toronto firm of Chapman and Oxley and are a fine example of monumental architecture in the beaux-arts mode. Sculptor Charles D. McKechnie created the statues. The Winged Victory atop the central arch is flanked by figures representing the CNE's commitment to progress through industry, education and the... -
Queen's Park, Toronto
Officially opened by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) during the Royal Tour of 1860, Queen's Park is an early example of the public park movement in Canada. Landscaped according to a picturesque design, its sweeping drives curved past maple, oak, elm and white pine, while Taddle Creek ravine and McCaul's Pond formed the park's western boundary. Located to the northwest of the city, visitors gained access to the park through two gated... -
Queen's Rangers, The
The young province of Upper Canada (Ontario) required troops to defend it and to build public works essential to its development. The Queen's Rangers was the first regiment raised in Britain specifically for service in the colony. It arrived in 1792 and was stationed in York (Toronto) in 1793. Over the next three years, the regiment constructed government buildings and fortifications. It also cut important roads through the forest, including Yonge Street north to the... -
R.S. "Sam" McLaughlin, C.C. 1871-1972
Born in nearby Enniskillen, McLaughlin apprenticed in his father's Oshawa carriage works when he was sixteen. Convinced of the potential for growth of the automobile industry, he established in 1907 the McLaughlin Motor Car Company, the first major automobile manufacturer in Canada. This company became part of General Motors in 1918 with McLaughlin as president of the American corporation. A noted philanthropist, he provided funds to build the McLaughlin Planetarium at Toronto, erect buildings at... -
Reid Mill
This flour mill was built on the Credit River southeast of the village of Streetsville in the mid-1830s by John Beaty and by 1861 had an annual capacity of 12,000 barrels of flour. The mill employed four pairs of milling stones, which were replaced by roller processing in the late 1800s to produce finer qualities of flour. The Beaty family and leaseholders operated the mill until 1895 when miller Duncan Reid took over the operation... -
Reverend Henry Scadding 1813-1901, The
Scadding was born in Devonshire, England, and came to Upper Canada in 1821. Educated at Upper Canada College and Cambridge University, he was ordained to the Anglican priesthood at St. James Church, Toronto, in 1838, and the same year became Master of Classics at Upper Canada College. In 1847, Scadding was appointed first rector of the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity, where he served until 1875. He lived in this town house, which complements... -
Right Honourable Lester Bowles Pearson 1897-1972, The
Born in the Newtonbrook Methodist parsonage, which stood nearby, Pearson was educated at Toronto and Oxford Universities. He served overseas from 1915 to 1918 and, in 1928, joined the Department of External Affairs. During a brilliant diplomatic career, he was Canadian Ambassador to the United States and later Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs. Appointed to the cabinet in 1948, he was elected to Parliament for Algoma East. In 1958, he became leader of the... -
Robert Alexander Laidlaw 1886-1976
A prominent Ontario businessman and philanthropist, Laidlaw, who is buried here, was born in Barrie and raised and educated in Toronto. He joined his father's firm, the R. Laidlaw Lumber Company Limited, following his graduation in 1908, and during a long and successful business career, served it and other important Canadian corporations. Laidlaw is best remembered, however, for his philanthropic work. He made major contributions to leading health-care, educational and cultural institutions, including the Hospital... -
Royal Tour of 1939, The
The Royal Tour of 1939 was the first visit to Canada by a reigning British monarch. Between May 15 and June 15, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth travelled by train across the country. They arrived at the North Toronto Station on May 22 and, at Queen's Park, Lieutenant Governor Albert Matthews and Premier Mitchell Hepburn officially welcomed Their Majesties to the provincial capital. Throughout their visit, the King and Queen were greeted with brilliant...