Toronto: A Short Illustrated History of Its First 12,000 Years

by Ron Williamson (Editor)

In this illustrated history of Toronto, Peter Carruthers's preface introduces the theme of Toronto as a middle geographically a meeting point between Canada's vast natural resource wilderness, such Atlantic Ocean seaports as New York and Montreal, and the sprawling continental Midwest, and since prehistory, a place of meditation and exchange between different cultures and peoples. With the stage thus set, Robert MacDonald's first chapter takes us back 12,500 years, in its description of the geological and ecological history of the area's ancient landscape. Ronald F. Williamson then pieces together the little-known archaeological record that tells us about the lives of the aboriginal people who made temporary camps and villages along the river valleys and lakeshore. Carl Benn describes the colonial transformation of York at the edges of the great struggles for empire during the 1700s, and its growth into the most important urban, institutional, cultural and commercial centre in Upper Canada during the early 19th century. Christopher Andreae transports us to its age of industry, the century of technological and industrial evolution between the first local railway's start in 1851 and World War II's end. Finally, Roger Hall brings Toronto into the twenty-first century, analyzing the forces that saw the city shuck its staid and sanctimonious image as a good place (in Northrop Frye;s words) to mind your own business and emerge as a vigorous, multicultural metropolitan centre that continues to re-invent itself.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Canada

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2008

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a general overview of Toronto's history, from the last Ice Age to the 1980s. It's a nice-looking book and a decent introduction to Toronto history, but if you're at all familiar with that history, it probably won't add anything new to your knowledge. Rather understandably, since it's covering "12,000 years", all topics are covered extremely generally. I think it could have benefited greatly from some more personal touches (such as highlighting more individuals and their roles in Toronto history instead of vague general trends). The authors also made some odd choices in what they highlighted and left out - for instance, the brief mention of the Upper Canada rebellion in 1837. The rebellion was mentioned as an example of the highly polarized politics of the time - but the authors never explained what they were actually rebelling about! Similarly, the CN Tower is just thrown into a list of significant architectural achievements in the modern era - seems weird not to expand at least a little on Toronto's most recognizable landmark. There's a reason the book has the CN Tower on the cover and not the other buildings listed casually beside it (Massey College, the TD Tower). Also, sometimes the illustrations show significant events that aren't mentioned in the text (like the huge 1904 fire!). That said, if you are new to Toronto history, this is a good, easy-to-read introduction. Even if this is a familiar topic, the chapter on pre-European contact life in Ontario is a particularly well-researched and informative read, and I really appreciated the fascinating artifacts and archaeological methods that were highlighted.

[Virginia Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking back 12,000 years, this book provides a good introduction to Toronto's geologic and ecological history and the lives of the early Indigenous peoples. The book then looks at the settlement of Toronto and its growth into a urban, industrialized, commercial centre. Excellent read for anyone interested in Toronto history and archaeology.

[Kristine Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first 3 chapters of this book, Toronto's Natural History, Before the Visitors which explored the first people to inhabit the Toronto and what we know of them (not much) and Colonial Transformations. I loved reading that remains of mastodons that became extinct about 10,000 years ago were found at College and Yonge Streets when College Park was built, and in 1910 during sewer construction at Bathurst and Dupont. The second chapter written by Ronald Williamson who is the pre-eminent archaeologist in Toronto, described the different native tribes that inhabited the area and where some of their villages and ossuaries have been found. Interestingly, when I googled to get more information about these sites, I learned that they are generally kept secret because they do not want anyone pilfering sacred artifacts or remains that undoubtedly exist not too many inches below the surface. Hopefully, when Toronto opens up a new interpretive center on the first parliament building land, they will reserve some space to discuss and showcase some of the artifacts that have been found from that time. Unfortunately, the remaining of the book, The Age of Industry and Toronto in the Twenty First Century was not as interesting - too much to cover is such short chapters.