Black Creek Living History Project

Bringing the Past to Life at the York Woods Branch

What is Local History?

� The history of a particular place or community

and the people who lived there.

� The history of the living community.

Why Should I Care?

� Don’t let someone else write your history for

you. Empower yourself and your local

community – become your own historian!

� Challenge the media’s (mis)perceptions of your

community.

� Promote positive messaging about Black

Creek’s community history and its contributions

to the City’s life.

Defining the Black Creek Community

Is This Jane and Finch?

Is This Jane and Finch?

Historical Timeline of Black Creek

Present1990s1980s1970s1960sPost

WW2

Mid

1800s1700 -

1800

1400 -

1600

Iroquoian

village

Pennsylvania

Dutch

immigrants

English &

Scottish

immigrants

Italian &

British

immigrants

York University

built – main

roads paved

Affordable

housing

built

Immigrant

populations from the

Caribbean, South East

Asia, Africa & South

America

The Black Creek Living History Project

� Local seniors and teens will work together to

create a resource that will preserve the unique

history of this diverse and vibrant Toronto

neighbourhood.

� Collected stories and resources will be made

available on a BCLH website.

� The project also includes a series of talks on

local history subjects and a bus tour to historical

sites in the community.

Digitization

The process of turning analog material into digital form.

Benefits of Digitization

Analog photographs arePhotographs can be analog materials.

Before Digital Cameras

Instant Cameras

Our Local History Expert

“History is nothing more then people’s memories

and recollections. That’s all that history is.”

-- Vivienne James