York

York, Ont, is an urban community within the city of TORONTO and is separated from Etobicoke by the Humber River.

The township of York was first surveyed in 1791 and the first settlers took up land in the township in 1796. By the early 1800s the community had grown to include a grist mill, several sawmills and taverns. The mouth of the Humber River served as a port for Lake Ontario commerce and a number of industries were operating on the river by the late 19th century. This area, close to the lake shore, continued to develop because of its proximity to the growing city of Toronto. By the early 20th century it had become an essential part of the Toronto urban area. In 1983 the township of York and the town of Weston incorporated into the city of York. On 1 January 1998, city status was dissolved when York was merged into the new city of Toronto.

Author DEBORAH WELCH and MICHAEL PAYNE

Links to Other Sites
Historica-Dominion Institute
The website for the Historica-Dominion Institute, parent organization of The Canadian Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. Check out their extensive online feature about the War of 1812, the "Heritage Minutes" video collection, and many other interactive resources concerning Canadian history, culture, and heritage.

Toronto in Time
Peer into Toronto's past through a fascinating collection of "then and now" photographs and stories featured in the "Toronto in Time" app (available on iOS and Android devices). From The Canadian Encyclopedia and the Historica-Dominion Institute.

Toronto
The official website for the City of Toronto, Ontario.

Toronto Public Library
The website for the Toronto Public Library. Check out the library's many collections on music, history, science fiction and fantasy, genealogy, and many other themes that may be of interest to you.

History of Ontario's Legislative Buildings
This historical overview of Ontario's legislative buildings is from the website for the Government of Ontario.

Military History in Built Up Areas: The Battle of York, 1813
An account of the 1813 American amphibious attack on the provincial capital of Upper Canada at York. Includes recent arial photographs that show the location of Fort York in the City of Toronto. From the War of 1812 Magazine.

Bicentennial Commemoration of the War of 1812
The City of Toronto website for local attractions and events that are part of the Bicentennial Commemoration of the War of 1812.

Beyond the Pale
A librarian recalls the War of 1812’s invasion of York, and US soldiers’ looting of the first-ever Toronto Library. From the Walrus magazine.