Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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High Steel Ironworkers

Photos and transcription by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted September, 2016

In HTO Park on the south side of Queen's Quay West just east of Spadina Avenue can be found this plaque jointly created by Six Nations of the Grand River, Trans Canada Trail, Province of Ontario, and the Toronto 2015 Pan American/Para Pan American Games. Here's what it says:

Coordinates: 43.637876 -79.387893

Click here for a larger map

Constructing steel skeletons for high-rise buildings or massive bridges became a specialty for many Haudenosaunee (people of the longhouse), commonly referred to as Six Nations and Iroquois, beginning in the 1850s with the Mohawks of Kahnawake and the construction of the Victoria Bridge in Montreal. Following the collapse of the Quebec Bridge in 1907 and the deaths of 33 Haudenosaunee men, work was sought further afield. Since then, Haudenosaunee men have traveled far and wide to build the tallest structures in North America; many concentrating in New York City where up to 800 Mohawk ironworkers were employed. Haudenosaunee and Mi'kmaq ironworkers helped build both the first World Trade Center and the CN Tower.

Today there are roughly 3,500 ironworkers in Ontario, 500 of which are Haudenosaunee. Next time you admire a tall skyscraper or the dramatic view from a big bridge, think of the Haudenosaunee ironworkers who made it possible.

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