Saturday, July 6, 2019

Every year we are encouraged to get out and visit one of the historic places in our area to appreciate the fact that every place has a story to tell.  They are often our opportunity to travel back in time to see how previous generations in lived in our city.  This year Historic Places Day falls on Saturday, July 6, 2019.  We have been to many of the ones in the GTA and present the review below to give an overview of some of the places we have available to us.  Each one contains a link to an extended article with additional pictures and a Google Maps link for the location.  We hope you enjoy the presentation and will be motivated to check out one or more of the sites.

Fort York is the oldest historic site in Toronto as it stems from the original settlement of York in 1793.  The fort was partially destroyed in the War of 1812.  Link: Fort York

Spadina House and Casa Loma are adjacent to each other and provide an opportunity to see what life was like in the 1920s.  Spadina House is featured in the cover photo while Casa Loma is seen below.  Link: Spadina

Colborne Lodge was built in 1837 and is open to the public in High Park.  It features original furniture as well as many of John Howards’ original paintings.  Link: Colborne Lodge

The Scarborough Museum is located in Thomson Memorial Park and houses a wide range of pioneer exhibits from the area.  Admission is free.  Link: Scarborough Museum

Black Creek Pioneer Village lets you step back to the log-house beginnings of the Stong Family in North York.  Link: Black Creek Pioneer Village

Mackenzie House was the home of William Lyon Mackenzie who was the leader of the Rebellion of 1837 in Toronto.  The home provides the opportunity to see a 19th century print shop in action.  Link: Mackenzie House

Also related to the Rebellion of 1837 is Gibson House in North York.  The original Gibson property was burned and this home was built in 1851 when David returned from exile in the USA.  Link: Gibson House

Todmorden Mills reflects a milling community of the 19th century and boasts the second oldest mill building and the first of three paper mills in the area.  Link: Todmorden Mills

The Evergreen Brickworks is housed in the buildings where the bricks for many early Toronto buildings were made.  Link: Don Valley Brick Works

Our early railway history is preserved at Roundhouse Park near the base of the CN Tower.  The John Street Roundhouse was built in 1929 and had 32 bays.  Link: Roundhouse Park

When the people of the town of York changed their name to Toronto in 1834 this building was the post office.  It now serves as a postal museum where you can see the way the post office looked nearly 200 years ago.  Link: Toronto’s First Post Office

The Legislative Buildings at Queens Park represent the history of the Government of Ontario.  There are many historic statues on the ground of the park.  Link: Queens Park

Right on the waterfront is a small park which commemorates one chapter in the history of immigration to the city.  Ireland Park has several statues that depict the plight of the Irish who landed near there.  Link: Ireland Park

There are hundreds of historic places across Canada that you could visit.  You can look for one near you at this link.  https://historicplacesday.ca/places/

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