1827 Chewett Plan of the Town of York

‘James Grant Chewett (1793-1862) was the son of William Chewett, an important early surveyor. James Chewett became a deputy surveyor in 1819, and was mainly employed in the Surveyor-General's office, serving as Deputy Surveyor-General from 1832 to 1841. He prepared several plans of Toronto and an important map of Upper Canada for the Canada Company in 1826. He retired from government service in 1841 and later became president of the Bank of Toronto.’

- Isobel Ganton & Joan Winearls, MAPPING TORONTO'S FIRST CENTURY 1787-1884

Only major buildings are shown in this stark map. The Bank of Upper Canada opened at the corner of Duke and George (a building which still stands). Some of the structures indicated were yet to be built; for example Upper Canada College (1830) is shown in Russell Square; Osgoode Hall is shown but not named. In less than a decade, York would become Toronto...

‘Plan of the Town of York’, Corrected by J[ames] G[rant] Chewett, 1827.
Thomas Ridout (Surveyor General) has a signature on this map (faded, bottom mid-right).
Scale: Four chains to an inch.

Click the image to view a full-size version.

Plan of the Town of York. Corrected. By J. G. Chewett. 1827.
[Sgd] Surveyor Generals Office York 7th Decemr 1827 Thos Ridout Surveyr General
Image courtesy Library and Archives Canada: NMC 16819. Winearls, MUC no. 2054

Bonus Map 
For comparison, see this plan from the Surveyor General’s Office in 1830. Note the names of water lot owners along the shoreline, as well as the numerous creeks and rivers:

Town of York [Sgd] Surveyor Genls Office York 14th July 1830
Source: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Office of the Surveyor General, Plan Ref: SR6469 Y P10-14
Copyright:  2014 Queens Printer Ontario
Winearls, MUC no. 2060


See Also
1834 Chewett Plan of the City of Toronto and Liberties

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