Historical Buildings in North York

Historical Buildings in North York

Every city has some really neat history – whether it’s from stories or statues, or even entire parts of a city. It’s always interesting to hear about how a particular part of the city you’re in came to be, so here’s some of the historical buildings you can’t miss out on in North York.

Gibson House
This museum is located at 5172 Yonge Street in North York. What makes this particular property historical is it was originally purchased by David Gibson, who was an immigrant from Scotland and an active member of the 1837. After that time, he was banished from the area, although he continued to own the land. Eventually he was pardoned so he could come back and live in his home. Today, this house is one of several museums open to the public that is run by the City of Toronto. While the area surrounding this house has been under construction for years, this house is protected by the Heritage Act and cannot be torn down or renovated, so it’s a piece of history in an otherwise incredibly new neighbourhood.

Daniel Strong Log House
This historical site is located within the Black Creek Pioneer Village, and is set alongside the Strong family farm. The majority of the Strong family buildings have been left on their original sites, maintained over the years to ensure authenticity but haven’t been touched or updated otherwise. The Black Creek Pioneer Village can be found at 1000 Murrary Ross Parkway in North York.

Osgoode Hall
Named after William Osgoode, this building was originally designed to house the regulatory body for lawyers in Ontario, along with being home to its own law school. Sitting on 6 acres of land, and located at 130 Queen Street West, this building has an incredible history in the province. During the rebellion, in 1837, it was a barracks for troops fighting in the war. Over the years it has been renovated, with additions made to the original structure but it is still a sight you can’t miss out on seeing – even if you never plan on going to law school.

Miller Tavern
This historical building, located at 3885 Yonge Street, was originally called the York Mills Hotel in the 1860s, but its history is much more interesting than just a name change. During the early 19th century, this tavern was known to offer food and shelter to soldiers returning from the War of 1812. The building that is standing today was built in 1857 to replace an earlier building that had been ruined by a fire. What’s even more interesting is who built it: John and William Hogg. Name sound familiar? It should – these two are also credited with developing the exclusive subdivision known as Hogg’s Hollow in Toronto, which is filled with exquisite homes. This tavern was also known to be home to several gambling rings during prohibition in the early 20th century – although it was often raided by police and shut down several times. This tavern is definitely worth stopping by to see, even if you just have a beer or two. 

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