YORK, UPPER CANADA

'York' was the name of Toronto, Ontario, between 1793 and 1834.

Contents

History

War

End of York

Legacy of the name "York"

See also

History

The town was established in 1793 by Governor John Graves Simcoe, on the site of an existing settlement named Toronto. He believed it would be a superior location for the capital of Upper Canada, which was then at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake), as the new site would be less vulnerable to attack by the Americans. He renamed the location York after Frederick, Duke of York, George III's second son. York became the capital of Upper Canada on February 1, 1796.

War

York was attacked by American forces during the War of 1812, pillaged, and partially burned down on April 27, 1813. (For details, please see Battle of York.)

End of York

On March 6, 1834, York was incorporated as the City of Toronto. The first mayor of Toronto was William Lyon Mackenzie. However, Toronto was part of the regional division of York County from the late 18th century until the establishment of Metro Toronto in 1954. After 1954, York County was the area north of Steeles Avenue and later renamed York Region in 1971.

Legacy of the name "York"

The York name continues in Toronto. Several neighborhoods or larger districts of the City of Toronto still use the names of former municipalities all named directly or indirectly after the original Town of York:

★ The Township, then Borough, then City of North York

★ The Township, then Borough, then City of York

★ The Township, then Borough of East York

★ The Village of Yorkville
And in addition to a host of minor businesses and street names, these "York" names are well known:

★ York University, in North York

★ The Fairmont Royal York Hotel, downtown

★ "Muddy York", a nickname for the city

★ Royal York Road and subway station, in Etobicoke

★ York Mills Road and subway station, in North York

★ Yorkdale shopping mall and subway station, in North York

★ North York Centre subway station, in North York

★ York Street, downtown

★ Old Fort York, the former garrison of the city, now a historic site
Outside of Toronto, major roads and highways in neighboring communities that lead to Toronto still bear the name 'York,' such as Highway 7 in Guelph, called York Road within the city limits

See also

★ York United Kingdom