Islington Village
The Village of Islington was originally called “Mimico” after Mimico Creek which ran through the village at today’s Islington Avenue. While proximity to Mimico Creek was one factor in attracting settlers to the area, of much greater importance was the opening of Dundas Street, a road designed to connect York (now Toronto) with all of southwestern Ontario. It was cut through the forest by Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe’s Queen’s Rangers in 1793. However, the original route of Dundas Street was further south than it is today. Starting at the King’s Saw Mill on the Humber River, it ran along today’s Old Mill Road and Bloor Street until it dipped south just west of Islington Avenue and continued west in a swampy valley below the Lake Iroquois shoreline, about where the CPR tracks are today.
In mid-1814, during the War of 1812, Dundas Street was resurveyed and moved further north to its current route, starting at what was then Cooper’s Mills on the Humber River and following a route on higher, dryer ground above the Lake Iroquois shoreline. This improved road facilitated the movement of troops and war supplies to the Niagara Peninsula and southwestern Upper Canada, and it also facilitated the settlement of land along its route.
In Upper Canada, one in every seven lots was set aside as a clergy reserve, meaning the lot would be leased out to earn money for the only Protestant church recognized at that time – the Church of England. In the Islington area of Etobicoke, rather than scatter these lots around the concessions as was customary, ten 100-acre lots were bundled together into one large clergy block of 1000 acres bound by today’s Bloor Street, Kipling Avenue, Rathburn Road and Royal York Road. All of Islington Village lies within this former clergy reserve, meaning that all early residents were lessees. It was not until about 1830 that the Clergy Corporation began to release some clergy reserve lots for sale to private individuals, with most having been sold off by about 1850.
In mid-1814, during the War of 1812, Dundas Street was resurveyed and moved further north to its current route, starting at what was then Cooper’s Mills on the Humber River and following a route on higher, dryer ground above the Lake Iroquois shoreline. This improved road facilitated the movement of troops and war supplies to the Niagara Peninsula and southwestern Upper Canada, and it also facilitated the settlement of land along its route.
In Upper Canada, one in every seven lots was set aside as a clergy reserve, meaning the lot would be leased out to earn money for the only Protestant church recognized at that time – the Church of England. In the Islington area of Etobicoke, rather than scatter these lots around the concessions as was customary, ten 100-acre lots were bundled together into one large clergy block of 1000 acres bound by today’s Bloor Street, Kipling Avenue, Rathburn Road and Royal York Road. All of Islington Village lies within this former clergy reserve, meaning that all early residents were lessees. It was not until about 1830 that the Clergy Corporation began to release some clergy reserve lots for sale to private individuals, with most having been sold off by about 1850.
Islington Village quickly became the hub of a road network that consisted of Dundas Street, Islington Avenue (put through from Dundas Street north to Albion Road in 1844,) the Etobicoke and Mono Sixth Line Plank Road (a toll road incorporated in 1846 that ran from Dundas Street, along today’s Burnhamthorpe Crescent and Burnhamthorpe Road, northwest to Mono Township,) and Montgomery Road (built by Thomas Montgomery as a shortcut for his customers to use on their way to and from grist mills on the Humber River at Bloor Street.) The conjunction of these roads made Islington an ideal service centre for the surrounding farming community and for travellers – a place to locate stores, services, taverns, a post office, churches and schools.
By 1835, William Weller of Cobourg was offering regular winter stage coach service between Toronto and Hamilton along Dundas Street through Islington. By 1846, the village had 150 residents, as well as 2 churches (Methodist & Anglican); a sawmill on Mimico Creek; 1 general store; 1 doctor; 2 taverns; 1 blacksmith; 1 butcher; 1 baker; 1 tailor; 1 shoemaker; 2 wheelwrights; and 2 carpenters.
When Etobicoke became an independent township with its own elected counciI in 1850, the township municipal offices and related services were located in Islington. While Islington was never incorporated as a village or town, it had the status and perks that came with being the centre of Etobicoke Township’s government.
In 1859, village residents wanted a post office, but the name ‘Mimico’ had already been assigned in 1857 to the Etobicoke community with the same name on Lake Ontario. A meeting was held in Thomas Smith’s Inn (on southwest corner of today's Dundas and Islington) to select a new name for the village. Unable to agree on any one name, the men attending the meeting invited Elizabeth Smith, the innkeeper’s wife, in from the kitchen to pick the village’s new name. She selected the name of her birthplace - Islington, near London, England – to which there was unanimously agreement. On July 1, 1860, the Islington post office opened in Musson’s General Store with Thomas Musson as postmaster.
The village grew in waves that were closely related to the development of convenient transportation. In 1877, the Credit Valley Railway opened, running south of and parallel to Dundas Street. This rail service meant that commuters could now take a 25 minute ride to or from Toronto by train, and mail now arrived and left by train.
Islington Avenue was discontinuous between Bloor and Dundas Streets because the township council felt it was too expensive to build a bridge on Islington over the creek. In 1879, Canning (now Cordova) Avenue was opened to provide a connection between Dundas and Bloor, and also to provide access to the new Islington railway station built that year on the west side of Cordova, north of the tracks. This new road gave the community’s residents, store owners, and local farmers easier access for delivering their goods and receiving supplies. The Credit Valley Railway was bought by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883, and CPR still operates on the same route through the Islington area.
An electric interurban rail line, called the Toronto Suburban Railway, ran through Islington from 1917 to 1931. After crossing Islington Avenue beside the CPR tracks, continuing west it ran behind the buildings on the south side of Dundas, and then crossed to the north side of Dundas where Cabot Court is today. From there it ran behind the buildings along the north side of Dundas into Peel County and on to Guelph.
Starting in 1921, Russell Fife operated a 15¢ jitney bus service along Dundas Street between Keele Street and Cordova Avenue, later extended west to Six Points.
Perhaps the most dramatic changes in Islington happened after World War II. The post-war suburban boom, with an accompanying large investment in roads and automobiles, filled in any remaining farmland north and south of Dundas Street with streets and houses. Apartment buildings arrived in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1960, a bridge was built on Islington Avenue over Mimico Creek, and Islington Avenue was finally open between Dundas and Bloor Streets. The subway’s arrival at Islington Avenue in 1968 brought unprecedented access to downtown Toronto, resulting in even more development. Apartment buildings, condominiums, and “monster homes” replacing smaller houses have become the norm today.
Researched and Written By Denise Harris
By 1835, William Weller of Cobourg was offering regular winter stage coach service between Toronto and Hamilton along Dundas Street through Islington. By 1846, the village had 150 residents, as well as 2 churches (Methodist & Anglican); a sawmill on Mimico Creek; 1 general store; 1 doctor; 2 taverns; 1 blacksmith; 1 butcher; 1 baker; 1 tailor; 1 shoemaker; 2 wheelwrights; and 2 carpenters.
When Etobicoke became an independent township with its own elected counciI in 1850, the township municipal offices and related services were located in Islington. While Islington was never incorporated as a village or town, it had the status and perks that came with being the centre of Etobicoke Township’s government.
In 1859, village residents wanted a post office, but the name ‘Mimico’ had already been assigned in 1857 to the Etobicoke community with the same name on Lake Ontario. A meeting was held in Thomas Smith’s Inn (on southwest corner of today's Dundas and Islington) to select a new name for the village. Unable to agree on any one name, the men attending the meeting invited Elizabeth Smith, the innkeeper’s wife, in from the kitchen to pick the village’s new name. She selected the name of her birthplace - Islington, near London, England – to which there was unanimously agreement. On July 1, 1860, the Islington post office opened in Musson’s General Store with Thomas Musson as postmaster.
The village grew in waves that were closely related to the development of convenient transportation. In 1877, the Credit Valley Railway opened, running south of and parallel to Dundas Street. This rail service meant that commuters could now take a 25 minute ride to or from Toronto by train, and mail now arrived and left by train.
Islington Avenue was discontinuous between Bloor and Dundas Streets because the township council felt it was too expensive to build a bridge on Islington over the creek. In 1879, Canning (now Cordova) Avenue was opened to provide a connection between Dundas and Bloor, and also to provide access to the new Islington railway station built that year on the west side of Cordova, north of the tracks. This new road gave the community’s residents, store owners, and local farmers easier access for delivering their goods and receiving supplies. The Credit Valley Railway was bought by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883, and CPR still operates on the same route through the Islington area.
An electric interurban rail line, called the Toronto Suburban Railway, ran through Islington from 1917 to 1931. After crossing Islington Avenue beside the CPR tracks, continuing west it ran behind the buildings on the south side of Dundas, and then crossed to the north side of Dundas where Cabot Court is today. From there it ran behind the buildings along the north side of Dundas into Peel County and on to Guelph.
Starting in 1921, Russell Fife operated a 15¢ jitney bus service along Dundas Street between Keele Street and Cordova Avenue, later extended west to Six Points.
Perhaps the most dramatic changes in Islington happened after World War II. The post-war suburban boom, with an accompanying large investment in roads and automobiles, filled in any remaining farmland north and south of Dundas Street with streets and houses. Apartment buildings arrived in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1960, a bridge was built on Islington Avenue over Mimico Creek, and Islington Avenue was finally open between Dundas and Bloor Streets. The subway’s arrival at Islington Avenue in 1968 brought unprecedented access to downtown Toronto, resulting in even more development. Apartment buildings, condominiums, and “monster homes” replacing smaller houses have become the norm today.
Researched and Written By Denise Harris