Old Toronto
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Old Toronto is the part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that corresponds to the boundaries of the City of Toronto prior to 1998. It was incorporated as a city in 1834, after being known as the town of York, and being part of York County. Toronto periodically grew in size by annexing adjacent land and municipalities.
Skyline of Old Toronto from the Toronto Harbour
Coat of arms
Residents celebrate the incorporation of York into the City of Toronto in 1834.
The Horticulture Building, used for the Canadian National Exhibition. The building was built in 1907 to replace the Exhibition's second Crystal Palace.
York, Upper Canada
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York was a town and the second capital of the colony of Upper Canada. It is the predecessor to the old city of Toronto (1834–1998). It was established in 1793 by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe as a "temporary" location for the capital of Upper Canada, while he made plans to build a capital near today's London, Ontario. Simcoe renamed the location York after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, George III's second son. Simcoe gave up his plan to build a capital at London, and York became the permanent capital of Upper Canada on February 1, 1796. That year Simcoe returned to Britain and was temporarily replaced by Peter Russell.
View of York from the harbour looking north, in 1803
Depiction of the Queen's Rangers of York cutting trees down during the construction of Yonge Street, 1795.
A depiction of the Battle of York in April 1813. The battle saw an American force supported by a naval flotilla land on the lake shore to the west, and advanced against York.
View of King Street, c. 1829. The settlement's courthouse, jail, and St. James Anglican Church are visible to the left of King Street.