Top of the North Hill - 1850's
This rural view looks up Yonge Street, which climbed the North Hill out of Hogg's Hollow and went across gently sloping farmland toward the little town of Lansing in the distance.
Saw mills were common on the West Branch of the Don River in this area, and had been essential for cutting lumber. Most of the flat land in this area had been cleared by the 1850's.
Today this peaceful scene has been transformed into a modern cityscape of office buildings and Highway 401 which bridge it from side to side.
The old North York place names across the top of this East-side mural are (or were) located East of a true compass line drawn Northwest to Southeast through the old farming community of Lansing. Lansing is included on this side.
Commissioned by the City, these scenes of our heritage have been captured by North York artists Nicholas and Susana Craven and effected through a unique process invented by The Artessa Studio, also of North York. Each mural contains more than 5000 inlaid ceramic tiles and took over a year to make. Together they are the only works of their kind in North America.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.