Just came across this great old maps:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14215916/historicTOmaps/1892BeltLineMap-AlexanderCablesmaybe1910.jpeg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14215916/historicTOmaps/1889PolkDir.jpeg
provided by Nathan Ng on his great site of historic maps:
http://oldtorontomaps.blogspot.com/
On both I notice that Symington Avenue is listed as Cooper Avenue, does anyone have any information on why/when the name changed to Symington? From what I can tell it looks like it happened in around the turn of the 19th century...
Sankey Plan Map
This map from the website mentioned above is really a treat. All sorts of things of note light Harold and Maude Avenues and how about Herbert and Norma Avenues? The original Elsie Ave./Lane and more. Too bad we dont have a photographic version.
https://www.googledrive.com/host/0BwadvTiFXSLcNmNMeEJDeW82Nlk/hmt/1902Sa...
just a minor note -- dropbox links have changed
Hi there, thanks for mentioning the Historical Maps of Toronto site! Just a quick note -- i've shifted the image hosting for the maps on my site to google drive. The dropbox links above may or may not continue to work as time passes. I second the notion of finding the change in an archival bylaw. The other approach you might take is looking through successive years of city directories to figure out when the change occurred.
I've heard the name change
I've heard the name change from Coopers to Symington occured because the family that owned this land and had it partitioned to develop it, his accountant was named Symington and maybe that person helped him greatly in his business dealings so he changed the name to appreciate his accountants work.
Again, that's what I heard some years ago, perhaps it's documented somewhere
Symington & Paton
In the mid 19th century, a land concession that stretched from King Street to (present day) Wallace Avenue was owned by a leading Canadian industrialist named John Shedden. The farm land was his country estate and he kept a large herd of horses on the property. He died a bachelor after falling between two rail cars in May, 1873. His nephew, named Paton and the company lawyer, Symington, took over the business affairs (sorry I can't remember their first names).
You can find more about John Shedden here http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/shedden_john_10E.html?revision_id=770
In 1878 there was land in the
In 1878 there was land in the area owned by a Cooper, and by a Campbell.
Any ideas where Symington
Any ideas where Symington came from ?
split name
From 1890 to 1903 maps of the area show Symington south from Wallace and Cooper north of Wallace. I dont have a map that shows the change date.
re: Archival Maps
Also,
Dupont Between Annete and Emmerson is called Royce and does not connect to Dupont which runs only between Gladstone and Davenport. Super Cool!
There would have been a
There would have been a by-law approving the name change. Your best bet is to contact the City of Toronto Archives.