I recently visited Bill Rawson, who has shared a lot of great stories with us in the past about the history of Long Branch (Toronto not New Jersey), and I was delighted to see his used furniture store, on the south side of Lake Shore Blvd. West across from the Long Branch Library, is now […]
The story of Long Branch (Toronto not New Jersey) began about 10,000 years ago when Palaeo-Indian nomadic hunters first arrived in Southern Ontario at the end of the last Ice Age. I enjoy imagining those times, and reading about the experiences of hunter-gatherers. Imagination is at play when we picture the past, as it is […]
I’m pleased to share with you the following message from Norm Kennedy, which has been posted as a Comment at a recent blog post: Hello Jaan; It was very interesting to read your article about my old friend David Webster. This led me to reading a number of other posts. I lived on 41st street […]
Updates: A Feb. 20, 2014 New Yorker article is entitled:” Will Ukraine break apart?” A Feb. 28, 2014 Globe and Mail article is entitled: “Globe in Kiev: Ukraine’s new government declares Russia has invaded.” A Feb. 28, 2014 Guardian article is entitled: “Ukraine: Night Wolves and unidentified military men seize key Crimea sites.” A Feb. […]
The following message is from David Godley, a resident of Long Branch (Toronto not New Jersey): Thank you for inviting comment on the Ontario planning system in which I have been involved as a planner since 1974. These comments are mainly on predictability, transparency and accountability and citizen engagement. They are from the Toronto neighbourhood […]
“Modern empire was not an aberrant supplement to the history of modernity but rather its constituent part.” These words are from the preface of The Black Hole of Empire: History of a Global Practice of Power (2012) by Partha Chatterjee. What conceptual framework drove the British to establish themselves in Long Branch? The above-noted book […]
Colleen O’Marra writes with regard to Donna Magee’s comment at a previous post: Under Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada: Richard Ough was born in East Gwillimbury Twp., York County, Oct. 24,1841, uncle of John Ought, local builder and hotel keeper at Newmarket. Ough left Canada and moved to California in 1868 to work as […]
Colleen O’Marra writes (Dec. 8, 2013): Just surfing the net this evening and found an interesting set of old Long Branch photos on a site titled NORTH YORK/TORONTO HISTORIC PHOTOS AND MAPS. There are five pictures of: Long Branch Villa Lots(1887) drawings and floor plans of residences designed for George Farquhar, R.B. Ellis, J.J. Wilkes, […]
You can click on any of the photos to enlarge them. Click again to enlarge it further. Use the ‘Back’ button on your browser to return to the page you are now reading. YouTube interview To access a YouTube video about Michael “Pinball” Clemons, click here. CBC Metro Morning interview You can access a great […]
I was interested to learn that a recent police report related to Rob Ford’s activities mentions Colonel Samuel Smith (misspelled in the report as “Colonial Samuel’s”) Park. The report notes (p. 22 in the PDF file, which is p. 51 of the original document) that the mayor fabricated a story in which he claimed to have […]