Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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Isabella Valancy Crawford (1850-1887)

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted September, 2006

Photo Source - Wikipedia

A 1989 Toronto Historical Board plaque, located here on the south side of Front Street West at the entrance to Isabella Valancy Crawford park, tells us about this poet.

Coordinates: 43.643785 -79.388816

Considered among our finest poets, Isabella Crawford was born in Ireland and came to Canada with her parents about 1858. After settling first in Paisley, Ontario, the family lived later in Lakefield and Peterborough. As a young woman Isabella became fascinated by backwoods life and Indian legends. Following her father's death, she and her mother moved to Toronto. There they subsisted on her meagre earnings from light verse and 'formula fiction' that appeared in Canadian and American newspapers. One privately-printed book of serious poetry, 'Old Spookeses Pass, Malcom's Katie and Other Poems' appeared before her untimely death at 57 John Street. Full recognition came later, however, with the publication of her collected poems, which were admired for their evocative images of the lush and sparkling wilderness.

'Darkness built its wigwam walls close around the camp'

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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted March 15, 2012
I didn't know there was a park in honour of Crawford. An appropriate memorial for her! I hope to visit it soon.

> Posted March 24, 2009
I am writing this, as I am a great neice of Isabella Valancy Crawford. It was my mother who provided this photo of Isabella. My mother was named Isabella Valancy Crawford residing in northern Ontario. I have a book of her poems, it being the only one the family had. I presently reside in St. Catharines. Ontario. My name is Lois, born to Philip and Isabella Valancy (Crawford) Perry, I would appreciate knowing where I could obtain a copy of her poems. I do have the list of poems, but have tried many times to locate the poems. I can be reached at email address [email protected]

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