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Meeting House of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) 1810, The
In 1800, an extensive grant of land in this vicinity was made to Timothy Rogers and Samuel Lundy who, with other members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), settled here in 1801 - 1803. Originally under the religious jurisdiction of the Philadelphia and New York Yearly Meetings, the settlers were organized in 1806 as the Yonge Street Monthly Meeting of Friends. In 1807 Asa Rogers deeded two acres of land for a burial ground... -
Newcastle Fish Hatchery 1868, The
On this site in 1866 Samuel Wilmot began to experiment with the artificial breeding of salmon. His success led the federal government in 1868 to enlarge Wilmot's project into Ontario's first full scale fish hatchery, one of the earliest in North America. The station and rearing ponds, built to restore Ontario's declining salmon fisheries, reached its maximum production in 1876 when 1,500,000 eggs were hatched. By this time, hatcheries were in operation in Quebec, Ontario... -
Ontario Ladies' College
Opened in 1874 by the Governor-General, Lord Dufferin, the Ontario Ladies' College was established in "Trafalgar Castle", former residence of Nelson Gilbert Reynolds, Sheriff of Ontario County. Built in 1859, "Trafalgar Castle" was visited in 1869 by Prince Arthur and Sir John A. Macdonald. The college, under the jurisdiction of the Methodist Church, offered a diploma, and matriculation for university entrance. Additions to the school were named in honour of Dr. Egerton Ryerson in 1877... -
Osgoode Hall
In 1829-32, the Law Society of Upper Canada erected the east wing of this imposing building. Named after William Osgoode, the province's first chief justice, the Regency structure housed law courts and judicial offices, and provided accommodation for lawyers and students. It was severely damaged during the six years in which provincial troops were stationed here following the Rebellion of 1837. Plans for its reconstruction were drawn up by Henry Bowyer Lane, an accomplished Toronto... -
P.L. Robertson Manufacturing Company, The
The first firm in the world to produce socket-head screws, the P.L. Robertson Manufacturing Company was formed in Hamilton in 1907 and relocated here the following year. It was established by an Ontario inventor Peter Lymburner Robertson and, using an ingenious process he had developed to punch square holes into cold metal, it manufactured the innovative new screw for industrial markets. In its first two decades the company steadily expanded operations. By 1930, when the... -
Queen Street Mental Health Centre
The first permanent mental health facility in Upper Canada, the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, forerunner of the present Centre, was officially opened on January 26, 1850. It was housed in what was then a technically advanced building with central heating, mechanical ventilation and indoor plumbing designed to treat patients in a humane environment. The institution was ably managed by Dr. Joseph Workman, who earned an international reputation as a mental hospital administrator, from 1854 to 1875... -
Queen's Park, Toronto
In 1859, the city leased land here from King's College, and in 1860 a park, named after Queen Victoria, was opened by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII. Queen's Park was long considered as a location for new parliament buildings and in 1879-80 their construction was authorized by the Ontario Legislature and city council, and an inconclusive design competition was held. In 1886 the commission was awarded to Richard Waite of Buffalo, one of... -
Reverend James Magrath at St. Peter's, The
Born in Ireland in 1769, Magrath was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He applied to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel for a colonial missionary post and emigrated to Upper Canada with his family. In 1827 he was appointed to the Toronto Mission on the Credit River where he served in the simple white frame church which had been built earlier that year. The church was consecrated and named St. Peter's in 1828... -
Reverend Thomas Greene at St. Luke's, Wellington Square, The
St. Luke's Church was built in 1834 on land originally patented by Chief Joseph Brant. Consecrated in 1838 by the Right Reverend C.J. Mountain, Anglican Bishop of Quebec, the church was a simple two-storey, frame building, with tower, plain gothic windows and box pews. St. Luke's first permanent rector, Reverend Thomas Greene, was appointed the year of the church's consecration. Greene (1809-1878) had been brought to Canada from Ireland in 1836 by Bishop Stewart's Upper... -
Robert Holmes 1861-1930
Robert Holmes spent a lifetime drawing and painting Canadian wildflowers, depicting many varieties in watercolours. Holmes was born in Cannington and is buried here. After studying at the Ontario School of Art and the Royal College of Art, his teaching career at Upper Canada College, the Central Ontario School of Art and Design, and its successor, the Ontario College of Art, spanned forty years. Holmes was a president of the Ontario Society of Artists, a... -
Robert McLaughlin 1836-1921
Robert McLaughlin, a pioneer of the Canadian vehicle industry, was born in the family homestead on this property. In 1867, despite lack of technical training, he built two cutters in his driving-shed which stood near this site. His business prospered and in 1869, he established the McLaughlin Carriage Works at Enniskillen. His enterprise, which expanded rapidly, was moved in 1877 to Oshawa where it became the largest carriage-works in the British Empire. In 1907, the... -
Samuel Lount 1791-1838
Born in Pennsylvania, Lount came to Upper Canada in 1811 and eventually settled near Holland Landing, where he became a prosperous farmer, blacksmith and surveyor. A Reformer, he served as a member of the Legislative Assembly for Simcoe, 1834-36, and the following year took an active part in William Lyon MacKenzie's uprising. Lount was in joint command of the rebel forces assembled at Montgomery's Tavern north of Toronto and became a fugitive after their defeat... -
Sharon Temple
Erected 1825-32, its architecture symbolizes the religious beliefs of its builder, David Willson, born in New York State 1778. Disowned by the Society of Friends (Quakers), he established hereabouts the Children of Peace (Davidites) in 1812, a small sect which retained some Quaker mysticism while placing great emphasis on ceremony, music and practical education. Most Davidites were strong political reformers and several joined Mackenzie's force in the Rebellion of 1837. Following Willson's death 1866, the strength of the sect diminished and its last service was held here 1886. -
Sir Ambrose Thomas Stanton, M.D., K.C.M.G. 1875-1938
A distinguished authority on tropical diseases, Stanton was born near here and educated at Trinity Medical College, Toronto. In 1907, after serving as house surgeon at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London, England, he accepted a position at the Institute for Medical Research in present day Malaysia. There, working with Henry Fraser, the institute's director, Stanton made the revolutionary discovery that beriberi, a debilitating and fatal disease, was caused by a dietary deficiency. He... -
Sir Daniel Wilson 1816-1892
A scholar of diverse interests and talents, Daniel Wilson was noted in Britain as the author and illustrator of studies of old Edinburgh and of Scottish prehistory. In 1853 he was appointed to the chair of history and English literature at the University of Toronto. Wilson introduced history, English and anthropology courses at the university and was active in the Canadian Institute, a leading scientific society. He vigorously defended the university's independence against political interference... -
St. Andrew's Church
A superb example of "carpenter's Gothic" architecture, this building was constructed to serve a Church of Scotland congregation organized about 1829. It was built during the rectorship of the Rev. Donald Ross by John McDonald, a local contractor, and opened for service on November 11, 1862. St. Andrew's tall, pointed openings and central, projecting tower demonstrate how strongly its design was influenced by early Victorian architecture of the Gothic Revival. It is distinguished by its... -
St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's was begun in 1874 to serve a Church of Scotland congregation organized in 1830. An outstanding example of Romanesque Revival architecture, this massive church was designed by William Storm (1826-92), a noted Toronto architect. The style was associated with medieval architecture in Scotland, and the distinctively Scottish flank tower turrets further emphasized this significant connection. Constructed largely of Georgetown sandstone, St. Andrew's was dedicated on February 13, 1876, and later enlarged by the... -
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 1840
Built by the volunteer labour of the local congregation on land granted by the Crown in 1835, and designed in the neoclassical manner, St. Andrew's was started in 1840 and completed by 1853. This limestone and granite structure replaced an earlier log church which stood in the vicinity. Services in St. Andrew's, which were held even before its completion, were conducted in both English and Gaelic. The Reverend David Watson, D.D., inducted in 1853 as... -
St. Anne's Anglican Church
Built in the Byzantine style, St. Anne's was designed by the noted Toronto architect Ford Howland to serve a large and vigorous parish. It was constructed in 1907-08, replacing an earlier building which stood on the site. In 1923 the interior was richly decorated under the supervision of architect William Rae and artist J.E.H. MacDonald. Members of the Group of Seven and their associates executed the fine paintings in the dome and surrounding the altar... -
St. Lawrence Market
In 1803, Lieutenant Governor Peter Hunter established a public marketplace here where farmers from nearby townships sold produce and livestock to residents of the town of York (now Toronto). A wooden building was constructed in 1820 and replaced in 1831 by a brick building, which was also used for city council meetings. The market expanded south of Front Street in 1844 with the construction of the Market House and City Hall. It was enlarged again... -
St. Michael's Cathedral
The cornerstone of St. Michael's Cathedral was laid on May 8, 1845, by the Most Reverend Michael Power, first Catholic Bishop of Toronto. Designed by William Thomas, the building is an adaptation of the 14th century English Gothic style. It was consecrated on September 29, 1848. Though the transepts remain unfinished, St. Michael's adheres to the ancient cruciform shape of religious structures. The interior of the cathedral had undergone a number of transformations. The great... -
St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Anglican Church
A fine example of Gothic revival architecture in the style of early English parish churches, St. Stephen-in-the-Fields, named for its original rural setting, represents the work of two of Ontario's most important 19th-century architects. The church was designed by Thomas Fuller who later gained renown in fashioning Canada's first parliament buildings and was erected in 1858 by local landowner Robert Denison. Gutted by fire in 1865, it was rebuilt to plans submitted by the prominent... -
Stephen Butler Leacock 1869-1944
This internationally-known author and humorist is buried in the churchyard. Born in Swanmore, Hampshire, England, Leacock came with his family to this township in 1876. Graduating from the University of Toronto in 1891, he taught at Upper Canada College and, in 1901, began lecturing in political science at McGill University, heading that department, 1908-1936. Though Leacock wrote extensively on political science, economics and history, he achieved his greatest distinction as a humorist. Some of his... -
Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway, The
This pioneer railway received its charter in 1868, and the first sod was turned at Weston on October 5, 1869, by Prince Arthur, third son of Queen Victoria. The main line from Toronto to Owen Sound via Orangeville was completed in 1873 under the direction of chief engineer Edward Wragge, and a branch line to Teeswater was added the following year. The first train went into operation on the southern section in April, 1871. The... -
Toronto Island
Toronto Island is part of a sand-bar which begins on the mainland near Woodbine Avenue and extends westward for about 5.5 miles before turning northward toward the main shore. The building of the bar began with the formation of Lake Ontario about 8000 years ago. Eroded from the Scarborough Bluffs, the sand was shifted westward by wave action during easterly storms. Eventually a long curving peninsula was formed, creating the large natural harbour on which...