The town of York, founded by Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe on August 27, 1793, with a population of around 10,000 became incorporated as the City Of Toronto on this day in 1834. So, you might ask, why use the name Toronto? Toronto was derived from “le passage de toronto”, which at the time was a portage route up the Humber River and down the Holland River to the “Lac de Toronto” (Lake Simcoe). The lake was named after the Huron/Iroquois word for “fishing weirs”.
Since those early days the city has seen tremendous growth and change. Events over the years have helped to establish what Toronto is today; 1869 the establishment of Eaton’s, 1879 the first Canadian National Exhibition took place, 1893 the opening of Queen’s Park, the Ontario Legislative Buildings and the original Union Station, 1911 the formation of the Toronto Blueshirts (later to transform into the Maple Leaf’s), and 1976 the opening of the iconic CN Tower. Toronto can even proudly boast that it was the location for the first of Babe Ruth’s many professional home runs (September 5, 1914 at Hanlan’s Point Stadium, for those of you that are curious!).
So Happy Birthday Toronto and check out some pictures of Toronto from over the years.
Skyline between 1885 and 1895
Toronto Street looking north between 1885-1895
Yonge Street looking south 1885-1895
First brick house in York near King and Frederick Streets 1880s
Boer War C Company returning, King Street east of Yonge 1901
ROM 1922
Old Union Station Pre 1940
Miniature Ocean Liner (sometime before 1940)
Looking North from the Bank of Commerce Building 1957
Christmas Bus 1957
Downtown in the 1960s
Yorkville Avenue in 1975
Placing the top on the CN Tower