Historic place of landing of escaped slaves from the United States over a period of time; place only, with no structures.
Details of Site Location: On the original shoreline on the slope south of St. Lawrence Hall, southwest corner of Lower Jarvis Street at King Street.
Boundary History: The boundaries of the site are actually the shore of the harbour, and. wharves and docks where lake boats moored.
Current Use of Property: The site today is utilized by a large commercial building and the north side of Front Street.
Historical Description: Governor Simcoe’s legislation of 1793, followed by the Imperial government’s 1833 abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire, led to fugitive slaves from the United States seeking asylum in Canada. When the American government passed the Fugitive Slaves Act in 1850, the trickle of those running to freedom became a steady flow. In Ontario, the Niagara region was a reception centre, along with Windsor and other border locations. The main reception centre for those escaping via the Underground Railway was St. Catharines. From these places in southern Ontario, many then travelled overland to Toronto. The Grand Trunk Railway regularly sold tickets at half price and gave away free passes, or more often stowed escapees in baggage cars, in freight cars, or among the livestock to help them evade bounty hunters. Many ships travelling on the lakes stowed fugitives and carried others as passengers. The steamship Chief Justice Robinson picked up one escapee found floating on Lake Ontario on a wooden gate. Particularly for fugitives who came by boat, the landing place referred to in accounts was the docks just south of St. Lawrence Hall, although there were other landing places or docks along the harbour. In fact, most immigrants were to be found along the harbour shoreline and along the lakeshore itself. From the dock near St. Lawrence Hall, fugitive slaves were taken to St. Lawrence Hall, where the local societies – and there were many devoted to abolition and the assistance of fugitives – would feed, clothe, and make arrangements for their settlement elsewhere. The societies helped the newcomers to find land and employment, often well outside the city. There were two black communities in Toronto: one had existed from the time of the French Regime, when blacks first came to Toronto, and the other was made up of the newcomers. Since the shoreline generally was a landing place for immigrants of all kinds, the St. Lawrence Hall area became a focal point for the work of the societies that served them.
Relative Importance: St. Lawrence Hall has importance in many areas of Toronto’s life, and had special importance for Toronto’s very old black community. This area, if marked, can become a symbol of Upper Canada’s welcome and assistance to those escaping from slavery. The Underground Railway was a system that had various terminals, one of which was Toronto. If any location in the city is appropriate for commemorating local efforts to assist the fugitives, it is St. Lawrence Hall, both because of its official status and because of the charitable works carried out there, which transcended divisions of denomination and race.
Planning Implications: Since the south side of the Hall is inappropriate for any kind of commemoration, it is recommended that a memorial be placed on the north side of Front Street, explaining the Underground Railway, the uses of the Hall, and the work of Torontonians in operating a terminus of the system.
Reference Sources: Henry Scadding, Toronto of Old (1873, 1966); Benjamin Drew, The Narratives of Fugitive Slaves in Canada (1856, 1981); Daniel G. Hill, The Freedom-Seekers (1981); John Ross Robertson, Landmarks of Toronto.