Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

2004 - Now in our 11th Year - 2015

To see what's new on this site, you can visit the Home Page

Looking at this page on a smartphone?
For best viewing, hold your phone in Landscape mode (Horizontal)

Newtonbrook

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2007

At this intersection was once located the community of Newtonbrook. Today, little trace of it remains. However, at 5800 Yonge Street on the west side, at the north end of that Toronto Hydro property, you will find this plaque which was erected in 1996 by the Corporation of the City of North York to celebrate 200 Years Yonge. It which tells us about the former community. Here's what it says:

Coordinates: 43.785239 -79.417237

Centred at Yonge Street and Drewry Avenue, Newtonbrook forms North York's most northern Yonge Street community. By 1870 Newtonbrook was considered a thriving village with more than 200 settlers establishing homes at these crossroads.
As early as 1801, Newtonbrook claimed one of the first log schools in North York. The early 1800s also saw two mill sites along Yonge Street, the Playter Mill at Drewry and the Cummer Mills at present-day Cummer Avenue. The Cummer Mill site was operated by John Cummer and owned by his father Jacob of Willowdale. For years, many religious camp meetings were held at the mill site, some of which reportedly went on for days.
Descendants of York Mill's Humberstone family also made their home in Newtonbrook. Having apprenticed with his father, Thomas Humberstone opened a pottery in 1835 on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Steeles were earthenware pitches, vases and bricks were manufactured.
Some of the most popular inns and taverns were found in Newtonbrook including Finch's Hotel built in 1847 on the north east corner of what is now Finch Avenue.
In 1857 the Newton Brook Wesleyan Methodist Church Congregation was formed and named after a local preacher, the name by which the community became known. Although a church wasn't erected until 1857, it's not the house of worship itself which is most remembered, but its parsonage, as it was the birthplace of Lester B. Pearson, elected Canada's Prime Minister in 1963.
Today, little remains of early Newtonbrook. A general store and post office at the north west corner of Drewey and Yonge was originally known as the C.C. Charleton's store. The frame structure was replaced in 1907 and continues to function as a commercial business.

Related website
Newtonbrook

Related North York plaques celebrating 200 Years Yonge
Lansing
Willowdale
York Mills

More
Towns and Villages

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted September 22, 2010
Sir,it would be very interesting, if it could be possible to display some very old pictures, if any in existence ,where Right Honourable Lester Bowles Pearson was born in Newtonbrook, in 1897. Thank you- Merci Lucien Alexandre Marion
In Memoriam 1897-1972

> Posted October 20, 2008
I was surprise to see these,I grew up on Drewry Ave and attended Drewry Public School, RJ Lang Jr High and Newtonbrook SS School, and I was married at the United Church on Cummer just behind the Newtonbrook plaza back in 1978. Its a shame that all traces of it are gone, History should remain!!! Karen Begley/Kozak

Here's where you can sent me a comment for this page.

Note: If your comment includes a question, it's best to include your email address in your comment so others can respond to you.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours (usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as I have posted your comment, a reply to your email will be sent informing you.

To send me your comment, click [email protected].

Thanks
Webmaster

Note: If you wish to send me a personal email, click here.