Harvest time at the John Lawrence farm on the northwest corner of Yonge and Lawrence circa 1895. Courtesy of Toronto Public Library Digital Archives. For nearly 100 years, various members of the Lawrence family played…
1829, The Lawrences
Author: Gary Schlee
1816, “When I was your age, we had to walk miles to school!”
January 24, 1896 snowstorm. Courtesy City of Toronto Digital Archives, Fonds 200, Series 36, File 3, Item 6b. The Bedford Park neighbourhood didn’t acquire its first public school until 1911 — conveniently enough, called Bedford…
1813, The War of 1812
Painting of Fort York, 1804. Library and Archives Canada, C-014905. For nearly 20 years, the settlers around the town of York expected an invasion by the Americans. Yonge Street had been conceived in 1793 as…
1811, Hill’s Tavern Reflects an Imbibing Society
Sketch of the Sun Tavern on Yonge Street, circa 1830, typical of an early 19th century tavern. Illustration courtesy of Toronto Public Library Digital Archives. Thomas Hill opened the neighbourhood’s first tavern – near today’s…
1804, The Area Gets its First Sawmill
York Mills plaque, Sam Heron’s Mill. Source torontoplaques.ca. Hauling lumber, McGlashan Road, Hogg’s Hollow, c 1896. Courtesy Toronto Public Library Digital Archives. As the pioneer farmers continued to push the treeline back from Yonge Street,…
1804, The Neighbourhood 200 Years Ago
Leonard Marsh and Mary Kendrick, Marriage Bonds 1803-1806 (RG 5, B 9, Vol. 13), Public Archives Canada. Attempting to describe what most Bedford Park area properties looked like exactly 200 years ago isn’t too difficult.…
1800, Seneca Ketchum, the Neighbourhood’s First Merchant
Illustration of Seneca Ketchum’s younger brother, Jesse Ketchum, 1782 – 1867. Reproduced courtesy of the Toronto Public Library Digital Archives. When Seneca Ketchum arrived in the village of York in 1796, he really wasn’t in…
2019/2020 Volunteers
A great big thank you to everyone who has volunteered with us this 2019/20 year. We had a great group of people who have taken on so many tasks: from way back when at the…
1799, First Business Short-lived
John Kendrick House in York, Bloor Street West between Avenue Road and Bedford Road. 1897 photo reproduced courtesy of Toronto Public Library Digital Archives. On December 7, 1799, Duke William Kendrick formally announced the launch…
1796, The Water Dogs
Castle Frank home of Governor Simcoe, built by the Kendrick Brothers, 1795 photo reproduced courtesy of Ontario Digital Archives. The rush was on. The Government of Upper Canada was giving away 200-acre lots flanking Yonge…