The North York Historical Society discovers, disseminates, and preserves historical information, protects heritage sites, and arouses interest in the unique past of North York (part of the City of Toronto).
Join us online Thursday July 23th 2020, for a special talk with author and historian Dan Buchanan! Author and historian Dan Buchanan presents an engaging 45-minute talk based on his new book The Wreck of HMS Speedy: The Tragedy That Shook Upper Canada. The loss of HMS Speedy in 1804 was a disaster of immense proportions for the fledgling province of Upper Canada. and much of it happened in York, the former Toronto. It is a story that has been told many times in the past but Buchanan takes a different tack. He digs deep into contemporary documents to uncover the conflicts and forces and prejudices that conspired to send the Speedy to its fate. Who were the twenty people on board and why were they there? What did they leave behind? Buchanan then enhances this Canadian history story with never-before published details about the efforts in the early 1990s to discover the remains of HMS Speedy in Lake Ontario. With exclusive access to the personal papers of Ed Burtt, the diver who undertook three years of exploration in the water south of Presqu’ile Point, Buchanan helps us understand what was found and what it might mean. Why was Ed Burt 99.99% sure he had found the remains of HMS Speedy? This presentation will answer that question and leave you with more to ask.
The handsome life-size golden lion sculpture (c. 1834) from the landmark Golden Lion Hotel, soon to be back on display at North York Central Library,… Read more
‘Phillips made a fortune supplying glass to multi-millionaire Oshawa automaker,’ writes Susan Goldenberg If only the walls at Phillips House, on Buchan Court at Sheppard… Read more
Businessman Rupert Edwards turned down more lucrative offers from private developers, writes Susan Goldenberg “Grab That Park!” the Toronto Star urged in an Aug. 6,… Read more
The Society recently received a special donation of an album of photographs taken at a re-enactment of the Battle of Montgomery’s Tavern which took place… Read more
North Yorker Edith George is fundraising to saving a magnificent and historic red oak tree in North York’s Humbermede neighbourhood. Please have a look at… Read more
On Saturday July 20, 2019, the North York Historical Society was proud to join Councillor Shelley Carroll and Heritage Toronto to unveil a new historical… Read more
Here are some North York history books to explore. Most of these are available through Toronto Public Library. Published by the North York Historical Society… Read more
Andrew Lowe, the Toronto Public Library’s (TPL) North York History Librarian, presented an illustrated overview of the extensive Native Peoples Collections available in the TPL… Read more
The NYHS is pleased to have contributed to the Cultural Loops Guide “Explore North York: Art, History and Nature Self-Guided Tours,” published in 2016. The Cultural… Read more
