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John Graves Simcoe was more than just a colonial governor -- he abolished slavery, created Yonge Street, and even inspired the agricultural fair tradition that would give rise to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

In 1869 Toronto City Council came up with the idea for a summer "day of recreation." In 1875, it was settled: the first Monday in August would be the official Civic Holiday.

That name stuck as other cities followed Toronto's leisure-loving example and proclaimed this a municipal (rather than provincial) holiday. But in 1968 Toronto City Council again took the lead and renamed the day to recognize one of Ontario's earliest historical figures.

Simcoe was a British soldier who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War, earning an appointment in 1777 to lead the elite Queen's Rangers regiment. In 1781 he returned to England, where he was later elected to the House of Commons.

When the province of Upper Canada was created in 1791, Simcoe was named its first Lieutenant-Governor. He arrived in 1792 and established the provincial capital in Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake). But before long, the threat of invading Americans had him looking for a more secure capital, which he found in the harbour near the abandoned French fort of Toronto.

Simcoe himself sailed into Toronto harbour in May 1793, and immediately wrote of his intention to establish an arsenal and name the place York. (York became the official name several weeks later to mark the Duke of York's victory over the French at Flanders.)

The focus of Simcoe's development policies remained on Western Upper Canada, which he predicted would receive the bulk of American immigration. Extensive roads were built to anticipate this migration, including one from Burlington Bay to the Thames River; a road that would later be extended to York (Toronto). There is a Simcoe Street, so I guess that is close enough.


Date:Aug 18, 2007
Time:9am Saturday to 9am Sunday
Meet at:N 43°53.289' W 78°54.302' (GLS 24 Hour Marathon 4: At Your Whitby's End) (GC11A8C) at 8am

The purpose of the venture is to go geocaching for 24 hours straight. Why? Just cause.

Confirmed attending:
Vehicle One
  • Jiminie Crickets
  • Keith Watson
  • Dreadnaught
  • Crystal Dawns
  • Empty (emergency use only)
  • Empty (emergency use only)
  •                 Vehicle Two
  • northernpenguin
  • fizbot
  • jeff-trex
  • Empty (emergency use only)
  •                 Vehicle Three
  • flamejobgrrl
  • cargirl
  • hikerT
  • Empty (emergency use only)
  •  
    Vehicle Four
  • bloken
  • archoptryx
  • archoptryx's wife
  • Empty (emergency use only)
  •                 Vehicle Five
  • brain21
  • HomerJFong
  • empty
  • Empty (emergency use only)
  • Important Guidelines: