Fort York National Historic Site

The ramparts at Fort York remain shielded by high earthen walls that block out the glass towers of downtown Toronto. This was the military heart of the town of York in the nineteenth century, built to guard the harbor entrance against American invasion. During the War of Eighteen Twelve, American forces captured the site and blew up the Grand Magazine. The resulting explosion killed the American commander, Zebulon Pike, along with many of his men, when a gunpowder cache ignited unexpectedly.