Toronto — From York to the Distillery District
Fort York National Historic Site
Listen at the stop, then read the transcript and follow the sources behind the story.
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Transcript
Fort York exists because the British expected conflict with the United States. John Graves Simcoe established a garrison here in 1793 while creating the town of York nearby.
During the War of 1812, American forces attacked York on 27 April 1813. British troops withdrew after destroying the fort's powder magazine; the explosion killed or wounded many Americans, including Brigadier General Zebulon Pike.
The fort visible today contains buildings reconstructed after that attack, including one of Canada's largest surviving groups of War of 1812 structures.
The site now tells a broader story than British redcoats. Indigenous allies and free Black people also participated in the defence of Upper Canada, while the colonial settlement itself rested on Indigenous land.
Toronto began by trying to defend this harbour. It became rich by moving things through it.