Younge Street is born

On This Day in Canadian Military History

The Queen's Rangers finish clearing a path from York (Toronto) to Lake Simcoe, which is then named Younge Street. It has taken the troops the better part of a year to complete the new road, labouring through intense cold, hilly terrain, and dense hardwood trees.

Later History of the Queen's Rangers

After 1791, when Simcoe was named Lieutenant Governor of the newly created Upper Canada, the Queen's Rangers was revived to form the core of the defence forces. The leaders were mostly veterans of the American War of Independence.

1795 Lodgings of the Queen's Rangers at Fort York

In addition to their military duties, the Rangers also helped build the new town of York (now Toronto), clearing the forests to create Yonge and Dundas streets and putting up the original Fort York. The modern Toronto streets known as Shaw, McGill and Jarvis are named after officers of the Queen's Rangers.

This painting shows the construction of Yonge Street by a group of Germans known as the Berczy settlers. They helped the Queen's Rangers extend the street 10 miles north of Toronto to their colony at Markham.

The Queen's Rangers were disbanded in 1802, although many then joined the York Militia Regiments, defending Upper Canada during the War of 1812. During the Rebellion of 1837 Samuel Peters Jarvis raised troops to fight the rebels, calling his forces the Queen’s Rangers. Later in the 19th Century another Jarvis successfully commanded a company at Ridgeway during the Fenian Raids. And still another member of the Jarvises commanded the 12th York Battalion during the Riel Rebellion of 1870.

PS. - but the Navy is still the "Senior Service" :)