A glimpse of Toronto's history: opportunities for the commemoration of lost historic sites Introduction List of lost historic sites Note on aboriginal sites Selected lost historic sites Acknowledgements Toronto is a culturally rich and exciting city, which, according to most observers, is on the threshold of a dynamic future. Despite its fine reputation and promise, Toronto has never viewed itself as a "historic city." We have tended to collectively take the view that history happened somewhere else. And yet from Scarborough to Etobicoke, and from North York to the waterfront, Toronto has a fascinating past.

Local historians estimate that Toronto has in excess of 3,000 lost historic sites along the waterfront alone. Our history dates back over 10,000 years to include aboriginal villages, campsites, middens, and burials. It includes French forts dating back 300 years, followed by the English fort and Town of York, which began over 200 years ago. From the 1800s to the early 1900s, Toronto witnessed wars, rebellions, and upheavals, as well as tremendous growth in population, industry, and commercial enterprise.

As the city has grown and developed, many of our earliest and most important historic sites have vanished and the general public’s awareness and understanding of the people, places, and events that helped Toronto grow and gave it character has severely diminished.

What's on this Web site
Only 14 of the 250 lost historic sites are described on this Web site. The printed full report, "A Glimpse of Toronto’s History: Opportunities for the Commemoration of Lost Historic Sites" provides a description of 250 sites and maps to locate each site. Also, sites are categorized in 14 themes, as well as listed alphabetically. The 14 themes are; natural heritage; aboriginal; military; public buildings; education; health care; cemeteries; religious; transportation; hotels, taverns, restaurants; recreation; agriculture; business, industry; and residences.