Resources

Documentary Videos

1812 On The Niagara Frontier

1812-on-the-niagara-frontierThe War of 1812 had its centre on either side of the Niagara River. Some of its bloodiest battles were fought there and today the majority of  forts and other sites surviving from the War are found near Niagara. This video introduces viewers in both the U.S. and Canada to Forts Niagara, George and Erie; to the Erie Maritime Museum; Brock's Monument; the Laura Secord Museum; and Lundy's Lane. But it also includes a significant segement on Fort York, Toronto.

A production of WNED-TV, Buffalo/Toronto, with contributions through the Central Canadian Public Television Association. 27 minutes. Produced by Andy Grant. Broadcast originally on April 23, 2013.  PBS, On The Niagara Frontier, video

 

The Winter March

The Winter March, based on the wartime journal of eighteen year old Lieutenant John Le Couteur, dramatizes the 34 day 1100 km epic trek of the 104th Regiment from New Brunswick to Upper Canada during the War of 1812. Released for the bicentennial of this historic journey, this award winning 'Heritage Minute' film was produced by high school students and shot at Fort York with actors from the Friends of Fort York's Summer Guard.

Produced by Patrick Y. Lee and Eamonn O'Keeffe. Winner of Historica Canada's Heritage Minute Contest. 2013.


Image Credits

HOME PAGE

Banner Image Spool

Fort York Entrance
Courtesy of Sid Calzavara

Main entrance to the Visitor Centre
Courtesy of the City of Toronto

Fort York Guard, Fife and Drums
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

West Gate, Fort York
Taku Kumabe, www.smaku.com

Fort York Guard, Squad

Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

Officers' Mess, Fort York
Taku Kumabe, www.smaku.com

Fort York Guard, Artillery
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

The Encampment, Luminato
Taku Kumabe, www.smaku.com

Officers' Mess Kitchen

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Fort York, East Gate

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

Fort York Guard with His Royal Highness Prince Charles and 
Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Credit: Mark Blinch, Reuters

Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Indigenous Arts Festival, Fort York

Credit: David Hou for Kaha:wi

Broken Social Scene, Field Trip, Fort York

Credit: Lucia Graca / Field Trip Music & Arts Festival

Le diner en blanc

Taku Kumabe, www.smaku.com

"Melting Point", 2014
by LeuWebb Projects with Jeff Lee and Omar Khan, Toronto.

Photography courtesy of Nick Kozak.

Battle of York Commemoration, 2013

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Battle of York Commemoration, 2013

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Movies under the Stars, Fort York

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

Watertable
Credit: Tom Ridout, www.Industryous.com

American re-enactors, Fort York War of 1812 Festival Weekend

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

Native re-enactors, Fort York War of 1812 Festival Weekend

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

British military surgeon display, Fort York War of 1812 Festival Weekend

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart



American re-enactors, Fort York War of 1812 Festival Weekend

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

North wall, Fort York

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

West Gate, Fort York War of 1812 Festival Weekend

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Sunset flag lowering ceremony, Fort York War of 1812
Festival Weekend
Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

Blockhouse No 1

Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Regency Dancers, Simcoe Day

Courtesy of Kathy Mills



Re-enactors, Fort York War of 1812 Festival Weekend

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Artillery display

Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Fort York Guard, Simcoe Day

Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Fort York Guard, musket volley

Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

West Outer Wall Earthwork

Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design
Banner Image Spool

Courtesy of Nathn Ng
Design - Ted Smolak, Arena Design

ABOUT US

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Fort York Guard, Fife and Drums
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

OUR VISION

Toronto waterfront, 2009
Courtesy of Wittington Properties, Bernard Dupuis

OUR MANDATE

View of West Gate Fort York, 2011
Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

JOIN US

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Fort York Guard, Squad
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

GEORGIAN MESS DINNER

Georgian Mess Dinner, place setting
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Georgian Mess Dinner 2011, menu
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

DONATE
Photo montage

Fort York Guard, 2005
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

The Fife and Drum Newsletter
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Georgian Mess Dinner, Invitation
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Spacing Magazine Ad
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

Coming Down is Easier But More Dangerous
George E. Desbararts, 1868, A Picnic to Montmorency
LAC, Acc. No. 1989-511-4

HMS Nancy Exhibit
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

CONTACT

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Cannon
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

SEARCH

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Blockhouse No 1
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

HISTORY OF FORT YORK

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Gun Storage Shed In Ordnance Supply Yard, Garrison Rd., 1899
City of Toronto Archives, Becker colln., Fonds 70, series 327, sub-series 1

History of Fort York Images

Portrait of Colonel John Graves Simcoe, Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, 1791-96
Jean Laurent Mosnier (1743–1808)
Toronto Public Library

York Barracks, Lake Ontario, May 13, 1804
Lieut. Sempronius Stretton
Library and Archives Canada, C-14905

Attack on York, 1813
Benson J. Lossing, 1869, The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812
Archives of Ontario Library, 971 .034 LOS, pg 590

Death of American General Zebulon Pike
Library & Archives Canada, C-007434

Gov. Gen. Lord Bessborough inspects a cannon at the restored fort's re-opening in 1934.
CTA, G&M fonds, 33489

Aerial view of Fort York looking east.
Courtesy of Wittington Properties, Bernard Dupuis

NEWS AND EVENTS

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Royal Canadian Mounted Police at Fort York
Courtesy of Kathy MIlls

NEWS

Visitors Centre Illustration
Courtesy of Patkau/Kearns Mancini

Fort George Guard
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

EVENTS

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GALLERY 1932–Present

WATERTABLE ART INSTALLATION, 2009
Credit: Tom Ridout, Industryous.com

PLAN YOUR VISIT

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Fort York Guard, Artillery
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Simcoe Day, 2008
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Directions

Directions Map
Courtesy of Kevin J. Hebib, City of Toronto

Rent Our Facilities

East Gate panorama

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart

Broken Social Scene, Field Trip, Fort York

Credit: Lucia Graca / Field Trip Music & Arts Festival

Blue Barracks, Fort York

Credit: City of Toronto

Officers' Mess

Courtesy of Andrew Stewart



Le diner en blanc

Taku Kumabe, www.smaku.com

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

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North Earthworks
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

STRUCTURES
Photo montage

West Gate and South Soldier's Barracks
ntvwebfolio.com

Officers' Barracks and Mess
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Blue Barracks and Mess
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Blockhouse No 1
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Brick Magazine
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Circular Battery
City of Toronto, Staff

Stone Magazine
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Fort York Site Map
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

EXHIBITS
Photo montage

Soldiers' Barracks Room - 1815
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Officers' Barracks Mess Dining Room
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Officers' Room
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Officers' Mess Kitchen
Courtesy of Eva MacDonald

HMS Nancy
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Soldier's Trade Exhibit
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

Watertable Installation
Courtesy of Nicoll Bruun-Meyer

Fort York Site Map
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

FORT YORK GUARD
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Fort York Guard, musket exhibition
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

Photo montage

Fort York Guard
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

Fort York Squad
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

Fort York Drums
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

Fort York Squad
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Royal Artillery
Credit: Richard Lautens, Toronto Star

Music Images

The Duke of Glocester’s Band, 1811
Anonymous

The Beating of the Drum
Samuel Potter, published London, 1815

Sheet music from The Beating of the Drum
Samuel Potter, published London, 1815

VOLUNTEER WITH THE GUARD
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Fort York Guard, musket exhibition
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

Photo montage

The Fife and Drums
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

The Guard at the Garrison Ball
Credit: Jennifer Roberts, photographer

Simcoe Day
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
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Fort York Guard, musket exhibition
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

Photo montage

Simcoe Day
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

The Fife and Drums
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

Simcoe Day
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

The Fife and Drums
Courtesy of Matthew Blackett, Photographer

FORT YORK COMMUNITY GARDEN
Photo montage

Garden celebration
Courtesy of Mark D'Aguilar

Garden equipment shed
Courtesy of Mark D'Aguilar

CANTEEN MUSEUM GIFT STORE
Photo montage

Canteen images
Courtesy of City of Toronto

VOLUNTEER AT FORT YORK
Photo montage

Volunteer greeters at Doors Open
Courtesy of Kathy MIlls

Officers' Mess Kitchen
Courtesy of Christine Martin

Volunteering out of Fort York National Historic Site - the 10th Royal Veteran Battalion c. 1812 comprising former members of The Fort York Guard - Interpretive and Curatorial Staff from 1976-86. 
Courtesy of Ward McBurney

York Regency Dancers
Courtesy of Kathy Mills

Battle of York Commemoration
Courtesy of Christine Martin

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

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Soldier's Trade Exhibit
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

RESOURCES

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West Outer Wall Earthwork
Courtesy of Ted Smolak, Arena Design

GALLERY

Credits appear with each image in the Gallery

FOUNDATION

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1812 and 1914 soldiers in front of the Visitor Centre main entrance. Credit: Stephanie E. Calvet.

Ribbon-cutting for the Visitor Centre, 19 Sept 2014.
Credit: Kathy Mills.

Visitors in the main exhibits gallery. © 2014 Jean-Marc Robin

Fort York Guard in front of the Visitor Centre on opening day. Credit: Stephanie E. Calvet.

Links

History is the love of many and we've collected links to a variety of online resources that would be of help and interest to those who link the future to the past.

Neighbourhood Organizations

Bathurst Quay Residents Association

Draper Street

Ireland Park Foundation

Liberty Village

Niagara Neighbourhood

Park People

The Bentway

Wellington Place Neighbourhood Association

Other Historic Sites

Canadian Historic Places

Discovery Harbour, Penetanguishene

Fort Erie

Fort George National Historic Site

Friends of Fort George

Fort Henry

Fort Malden

Fort McHenry

Fort Niagara

Fort Wellington

Friends of Chrysler's Farm Battlefield Memorial

Laura Secord, Homestead

Rideau Canal World Heritage Site

Sacket's Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site


Re-Enactor Corps

Butler's Rangers

Crown Forces 1812

Glengarry Light Infantry

Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada

King's Royal Regiment of New York

Loyalist Drums

Royal Scots Grenadiers

Royal Yorkers

The British Brigade

1st Royal Scots Regiment of Foot

8th (King's) Regiment of Foot

10th Royal Veteran Battalion

41st Regiment of Foot

Education

Canadian Encyclopedia

Canada's History

Canadian History: Pre-Confederation

Canadian Museum of History

Canadian War Museum

MilitaryHeritage.com's War of 1812 Website

History - War of 1812

Archives of Ontario, War of 1812

Archives of Ontario 1812, Ely Playter's War of 1812 Diary

Canadian War Museum - 1812 Virtual Exhibition

Historica Canada, War of 1812

Military Heritage - War of 1812

Ontario Historical Society War of 1812

The Canadian Encyclopedia, War of 1812

The Canada History Project, War of 1812

The Canadian War Museum, War of 1812

The Fortress Study Group

The War of 1812: Detailed Chronology of War

History - Toronto

Archaeology, City of Toronto

City of Toronto Archives

Exploring Toronto's Past

Heritage Toronto (City of Toronto)

Hidden Waters Blog (Garrison Creek)

Toronto Ward Museum

Town of York Historical Society

History - General History

Archives Canada Electronic Collections

Canada, A Peoples' History

Canada History

Heritage Mississauga

Historica Canada

History of Canada - Virtual Library

Ontario Model Soldier Society

Royal Canadian Military Institute

Toronto Archives

Toronto's Museums

Museums of the City of Toronto

Royal Ontario Museum

Toronto's Historic Sites, Calendar of Events & Exhibits

Living History - Food

Culinary Historians of Ontario

Historic Food

Living History - Social Groups

Danceweavers

York Regency Dancers

Living History - Sutlers

JAS Townshend

Linda's Early Fashions

Historic Merchants

The Discriminating General


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Historical Essays

In many ways, the history of Fort York is the story of Toronto. This page brings together articles and writings of some of Toronto's most respected historians on
the subject of Fort York. Browse the articles by clicking on the links below.

Fort York Cemeteries

Strachan Avenue Military Burying Ground, Stephen A. Otto
The History of These Graves, Michael J. Rudman

Toronto Defences

On the Many Sketches of Toronto Blockhouses, Stephen A. Otto
An American Spy's Report on Fort York, 1840, Edited by Carl Benn
Regiments and Corps at Fort York (ca. 2000), Compiled by David Spittal
The Regiments Contact Report (2006), Douglas Dodds
The Blockhouses of Toronto: A Material History Study, Carl Benn

Miscellaneous

The fort will endure, it's the city we have to worry about, John Bentley Mays
Defending Fort York in the 20th Century
, Stephen A. Otto
Loyal and Patriotic Society Famous Medal, Carl Benn


 

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What's On File

Board members, academics, and some of Canada's most respected historians regularly publish articles chronicalling Fort York and the surrounding city. Historical Essays, Management Documents and Plans for the 2012 Bicentennial are available on-line as well as an ongoing list of sites of interest to Fort York and its role in Canadian History

Subscribe to The Fife and Drum newsletter to have our latest newsletter delivered right to your inbox. Catch up on earlier newsletters by accessing our archives.

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fife and drum Mar 2023Welcome to The Fife and Drum: The Newsletter of The Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common

Now delivered electronically to more than 3000 readers our quarterly newsletter was first published in 1996 for members of The Friends, a group formed in 1994. The Fife and Drum expanded in 2004 when Birthplace of Toronto, a newsletter written by Fort York staff, joined as a separate section.

In each number you will follow news of the fort: maintenance and enhancement of the National Historic Site, celebrations and special events, school visits, historic gardening and cooking, donations of unique artefacts, expanding research collections, and the activities of the young men and women who serve in the Fort York Guard. A calendar of Coming Events alerts you to the next quarter's walks and talks, performances, and opportunities to participate. Readers can expect discerning book reviews, recipes tested in the fort's kitchen, and invitations to authentic period dinners enjoyed in the barracks.

Since Fort York is at the heart of one of the most dynamic areas of our city, staff and Friends monitor and report on potential and ongoing development. Equally attentive to the fort's legacy as Toronto's birthplace each issue features at least one article based on original historical research or archaeological fieldwork.

The Fife and Drum editorial team welcomes a wide audience and encourages new writers to send proposals for articles of up to 800 words on topics central to Fort York. For further information contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sign up to have the The Fife and Drum delivered right to your inbox and catch up on earlier newsletters by accessing our archive below.

adobe-readerThe Fife and Drum is published in PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat to read.
If you do not have a copy of Acrobat, simply click on the Adobe image to download Acrobat Reader.

The Fife and Drum Archive