In just two centuries, Toronto has grown from a far-flung outpost of the British Empire to a world-class city, the largest in Canada. This book is the first to illustrate Toronto's history through contemporary maps, drawn at the time to record, promote or illustrate major events. Collected together for the first time, these beautiful, revelatory documents add up to a fascinating visual history of the city's development. The book covers all of today's Greater Toronto Area, from Mississauga in the west to Oshawa in the east.

Derek Hayes is the author of the bestselling Historical Atlas Series, which includes the Historical Atlas of Canada, Historical Atlas of Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley, Historical Atlas of Toronto and Historical Atlas of the United States. He holds two degrees in geography and worked for a time as a planner with the Vancouver City Planning Department and as a real estate consultant. He lives in White Rock, B.C.

Derek Hayes' profile page

• Winner, Heritage Toronto Book Award

"To say that historian and geographer Derek Hayes loves maps is an understatement...Hayes has reproduced some truly striking examples of cartography. Gorgeous Victorian-era maps done in a bird's-eye perspective were next to useless for navigating the city. But their artfully rendered perspective...show a city booming and filled with promise...The result is a unique visual look at Toronto that deserves the attention of anyone with an interest in its history."

Spacing Magazine

"Hayes' new book Historical Atlas of Toronto is a superb collection of rare maps, each of which was prepared to record, promote, define or illustrate an historical event of chapter in the city's growth. There are early street maps, waterfront maps, early housing subdivision maps, transportation route maps and so on. In fact, it's almost impossible to put into words the incredible selection Derek has amassed in his new book. You've got to see the book to believe it!"

Toronto Sun

"Hayes scoured libraries and archives to collect the 300-plus maps that appear in the book, which traces the city from trading fort to thriving metropolis."

National Post

"A major contribution to our knowledge and appreciation of Toronto."

C. Grant Head

"A wonderful book, [The Historical Atlas of Toronto] tracks the city's progression -- be it historically, economically or technologically -- via the various attempts made to map it. What's so rewarding about flipping its pages is the manner in which the maps reveal the complicated relationship between Toronto's past and present. Whenever I finish a pass through it, I tend to look at the city with a heightened level of perception."

BlogTO

"The Historical Atlas of Toronto is a most interesting visual approach to Toronto life, past and present...From the very first page, you are captivated by the history of the city and how it grew...With more than 300 maps, some two pages, we find a host of information not previously known about Toronto. The maps represent a history lesson, of business and industry all around the city. Historical Atlas of Toronto is that and more, telling us how Toronto became one of the most celebrated cities in Canada."

Shelf Life

"More than 200 maps, supplemented by period photographs and illustrations, chart Toronto's progress from remote native village to 'world city.' The real strength is with the early years and the careful reproduction of detail from 17th and 19th-century French and British maps. An abundance of splendid 19th-century maps portray most effectively the city's rapid growth and the immense impact of industrialization. The growth of the suburbs, the ever-changing waterfront, the controversies that came with unfettered expansion -- all are here."

Globe & Mail