Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

2004 - Now in our 14th Year - 2018

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)

The Rousseaux Family and Early Toronto

This Story Circle, the sixth of 13 story circles on the "Discovery Walks - The Shared Path", can be found on South Kingsway at the top of a paved boat launching ramp at the south end of a gas station. Here's what the Rousseaux Family plaque has to say:

Coordinates: 43.635906 -79.474819

As the nearby Provincial plaque indicates, a French trader named Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux (known as St. John to the British) provided a valuable link among the great powers that shaped what is now Toronto: the First Nations, the French, and the British. In 1770, 11 years after the last French trading post in this area was abandoned, Rousseaux's father began to trade with the Mississaugas at the mouth of the Humber. Perhaps reusing the site of the French fort built by Portneuf, Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux carried on trade here until 1795 - long enough to help the British establish the roots of the modern City of Toronto. Other francophones then arrived to shape the new settlement, including the prominent merchant Laurent Quetton St George.

The exact location of the Rousseaux home and store has not been discovered. In Rousseaux's day and well into the 20th century, the east bank here sloped gently to the river's edge, allowing for travellers to disembark from their boats, engage in trade, and begin the ancient Portage de Toronto or Carrying Place portage along the ridge now occupied by Riverside Drive. Since the 1930s, landfill has dramatically altered this area, filling in marshland and significantly changing the profile of the river bank.

Another plaque at this location
Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux 1758-1812

Shared Path Story Circles Information and Map
Discovery Walks - The Shared Path

Related Toronto plaques
Fort Rouillé
Carrying Place portage

Links to all the other Story Circles
  #1 Discover the Humber River's Ancient Past
  #2 Toronto Carrying Place
  #3 Railways Over the Humber
  #4 Roads over the Humber River
  #5 Boating on the Humber River
  #6-1 The Beginnings of French Toronto
  #6-3 Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux 1758-1812
  #7 Humber River Marshes and Oak Savannah
  #8 Huron-Wendat Villages on the Humber River
  #9 Hurricane Hazel
#10 The King's Mill
#11 Teiaiagon and the Aboriginal Occupation of Baby Point
#12 Dundas Street Crossing and Lambton Mills
#13 Mississauga Settlements on the Humber River

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

(none yet)

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

Note: Your email address will be posted at the end of your comment so others can respond to you unless you request otherwise.

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.