archaeology
Claremont Archaeology Festival
Dig in and experience Ontario History from the ground up!
Archaeological excavations at the Graham House (ca. 1870) provide the cornerstone of the First Annual Claremont Archaeology Festival. The homestead of local Blacksmith George Graham and his family, this site features fieldstone foundations and thousands of artifacts relating to domestic family life and the trade of the blacksmith. Attendees are encouraged to dig in and experience Ontario History from the ground up. Registration for one hour time slots (included with the admission price) is required.
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Archaeology in Toronto
Michael Redhill's novel Consolation, a tale of Toronto told in two centuries, was the starting point for a group of presentations by local archaeologists at the Society for Historical Archaeology annual meeting in Toronto earlier this month. David Robertson of Archaeological Services, Inc., was inspired by this book to herd these cats into a morning's exploration of Toronto's past through their presentations.
The pace and scope of archaeological investigation of this city has increased since the Archaeological Master Plan was introduced in 2005 and digs have been going on all over the city. The presenters gave us some insight into the following places:
Our Waterfront's Archaeological Heritage
The plans for our archaeological sites by the water
By Rhan-Ju Song, PH.D, University of Toronto Scarborough
As clearly evident in tourist postcards, Toronto's position on the shores of Lake Ontario is key to its identity, vitality and global appeal. The CN Tower, Rogers Centre (Sky Dome), Royal York Hotel, C.N.E., and Ontario Place are just a few examples of the landmarks familiar to local residents, as well as visitors. However, the (pre)history of Toronto's waterfront is far older than most people realize, from indigenous settlements and activity dating back 10,000 years, to a lively industrial period that began 200 years ago.
The Eastern Waterfront late 1800s (City of Toronto Archives, Series 376 Item 44a)
The Need for a University of Toronto Archaeological Master Plan
An open letter to President Naylor
Dear Professor Naylor,
I am writing to you on behalf of Heritage Toronto in strong support of the suggestion from Archaeological Services Incorporated that an archaeological master plan for the land holdings of the University of Toronto be undertaken.
There are several registered archaeological sites located on the grounds of the Toronto campus and potential for other archaeological resources on these and other lands owned and managed by the University.
In order to avoid future disturbance of potential sites and knowing in advance of highly sensitive areas, it is suggested that the University of Toronto would benefit from an Archaeological Master Plan for its total land holdings. The Master Plan would provide a guide and data base of registered archaeological sites as well as areas of high potential for archaeological resources. It may be possible that such a plan could be put together as part of an academic process whereby students would benefit from the study and the University would have a document and policy that would be to its benefit as it grows and develops into the future.
The First Ten Thousand Years
James Gardens and the Humber Valley Village - Four Thousand Years of Occupation
With its rustic woodland trail following the west bank of the Humber River, James Gardens is one of the most attractive parks in the city. Frederick Thomas James purchased the land in 1908 after which he spent four decades transforming his estate known as Red Gables into a family sanctuary. Upon his death, his family sold the property to the City of Toronto on the condition that these lands become a public park.
The estate was eventually encompassed within the Humber Valley Village neighbourhood, which was developed as part of Home Smith and Company's "Humber Valley Surveys." This large land assembly consisted of 3,000 acres along the Humber River from the Queensway north to Eglinton Avenue and included in addition to Humber Valley Village neighbourhood, the Kingsway, Baby Point, Old Mill and Princess Anne Gardens-Manor developments. The St. George's Golf Club off of Islington Avenue was also developed by Home Smith and Company.
On the (Toronto) Waterfront
The Archaeological Conservation and Management Strategy
Our waterfront is on the tips of people's tongues lately, with the proposed dismantling of the eastern Gardiner Expressway and the plans for a Toronto Museum. With all this focus on the waterfront's future, now is the time to take scope of its past.