This is the story of a town dropped by the hand of government into the midst of a virgin forest. It is the story of Toronto from its earliest days to the present, and of the generations who worked to bring it from clearing to town, from town to city, from city to metropolis.

George Glazebrook has drawn on unpublished papers and correspondence, as well as old newspapers, books, and pamphlets, to recount in vivid detail the evolution of the city, describing its characteristics at each stage of growth, and telling how it changed, and why. The story opens at the very beginning of Toronto's urban history, and goes on to present a fresh and graphic picture of life in the town through the years.

Fifty-nine black-and-white photographs illustrate the city's ever-changing environment. Torontonians young and old will enjoy this presentation of their history, and Canadians everywhere will find much of interest in the story of one of the major cities of our country.