In the late 1960s, there was a sense of buoyancy in much of Canada due to the country's economic growth. This blog post looks back at scenes in Ontario among affluent and high-profile partygoers at the time. Below are photos are from Toronto Public Library (TPL)'s Digital Archive Ontario, a... Continue reading

Maps are important historical documents. Not only do maps represent geographies, they reflect the worldviews of when they were made and who made them. Many early maps of North America are available on Digital Archive Ontario, a free site of digitized items held by Toronto Public Library. This blog post... Continue reading

Note: This article includes historical materials from the collections of Toronto Public Library. Who tells the story, and how the story is told creates tensions when trying to present content written by settlers about Indigenous people. These materials can reflect offensive historic attitudes, and in some cases, were created by... Continue reading

In the 1920s, Cobalt, Ontario was world famous. It was home to some of the most productive silver mines in the world. Over 600 million troy ounces (around two million kilos) of silver were produced there from 1903 to 1926. Below are images of Cobalt during its time as a... Continue reading

There was nothing great about the Great Depression except its length and penetration into every corner of Ontario from 1929 to 1939. Below is a brief overview of work camps, or "relief camps", in Ontario — and what led to them. Features photos from Digital Archive Ontario, a database of... Continue reading

The Grange was just another manor for Toronto's elite until 1911. It then became the property of the Toronto Art Society — home of the future Art Museum of Toronto, renamed the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in 1965. Let's look back at the history of The Grange with photos... Continue reading

Canada’s 2016 Census revealed that visual artists in Canada earned on average $21,100 per year. More than 75% of that income was derived from employment not associated with creating and selling art. This income level seems dismal. So we've put together some resources for aspiring artists who are looking to... Continue reading

Note: This article includes historical materials from the collections of Toronto Public Library. Who tells the story, and how the story is told creates tensions when trying to present content written by settlers about Indigenous people. These materials can reflect offensive historic attitudes, and in some cases, were created by... Continue reading

Machine-guns are towed on boggans by the white-shrouded figures and; when needed; can be set up and in action like a flash (1941). Photo from the Toronto Star Photograph Archive. A Brief History Equipped with cross country skis, troops fighting for Finland pushed back and defeated Soviet forces in the... Continue reading

Toronto Harbour, looking west, 1812 The War of 1812 came to the town of York — now Toronto — on April 27, 1813. Departing from New York's Sacket's Harbor, Commodore Isaac Chauncey's squadron positioned itself at three strategic locations. Map show the movements of American fleet. From the publication, The... Continue reading

The United States congress declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. Britain had drawn the ire of the Americans by blockading their trade with France, stirring up uprisings from Indigenous populations and impressing (press ganging) US sailors born in Britain into the British navy. Map of Upper and... Continue reading

Crystal Palace (1858-1879), King St. W., n. side, at present Sudbury St. Unknown Picture, 18-?, English It was not named the Canadian National Exhibition until 1912, although the fair started back in 1858 with erection of a crystal palace at Shaw and King streets called The Palace of Industry. Sanford... Continue reading

'Arrow' & 'Gorilla', of the R.C.Y.C. fleet, opposite Toronto, Ont. Armstrong, William, 1822-1914 Picture, 1880 In 1852, eight men founded a boat club in Toronto harbour. A year later, they named it the Toronto Yacht Club. Out of patriotism to the British Crown, the club applied for a Royal Warrant.... Continue reading

Map of the British plantations, 1739 United Empire Loyalists (or Loyalists) is an honorific that was given in 1789 by Lord Dorchester, the governor of Quebec and Governor General of British North America, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America during or just after the American Revolution. The... Continue reading

Muskoka is a region in Ontario bounded by Georgian Bay to the west, Haliburton to the east and Simcoe to the south. Its main lakes are Muskoka, Rousseau and Joseph. It was named for Chippewa chief Mesquas Ukee who negotiated the land claim for the territory with the British in... Continue reading