Learn a little of Toronto's history as told through its plaques.
David Gibson 1804-1864
Photos by Alan L Brown - March 2004
Hop the Yonge subway and travel north, way north until you arrive at North York Centre station. From there walk a tiny bit west on Park Home Ave and there, on the north side, you will see, through a park, the arched entrance to the grounds of the David Gibson house. The house itself faces Yonge Street and in its past must have had great lawns and gardens reaching to that street. Today all you will see between the house and Yonge is an fenced off ugly parking lot! Something should be done about that! Anyways, here's what an Archaeological and Historic Sites Board plaque on the site says:
This building, a good example of an early Victorian farm-house was completed in 1851 by David Gibson. Born in Glamis Parish, Forfarshire, Scotland, Gibson emigrated to Upper Canada where, in 1825, he was appointed a Deputy Land Surveyor. He was an ardent supporter of William Lyon Mackenzie, and was twice elected as a Reform member to the provincial parliament. One of Mackenzie's chief lieutenants in the unsuccessful Rebellion of 1837, he fled to the United States. His house was burned by order of the Lieutenant-Governor, Francis Bond Head, and his property was made subject to forfeiture. Fully pardoned, he returned in 1848, and resumed his profession as surveyor. Later he was appointed as Inspector of Crown Land Agencies and Superintendent of Colonization Roads.
Plaque Location Co-ordinates: 43.769622 -79.414598
Related Toronto plaque pages
Montgomery's Tavern
Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews
William Lyon Mackenzie
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Posted February 21, 2009
What's worst. Having a fenced off ugly parking lot between the front of the house towards Yonge Street or a 40 storey condo tower??!! When those Menkes towers (Gibson Square) go this poor house will be in its shadow - literally & figuratively.
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