Prehistoric Toronto

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Coleman’s research into the Pleistocene of the Toronto Region was largely focused on two areas: the ravines and brickyards of the Don Valley, and the shore of Lake Ontario in the east end of the city, notably the Scarborough Bluffs and the "Dutch Church" bluff. (See Coleman’s geological map of "Toronto and the Vicinity", 1913.)

Coleman found in the Don Valley Brickyards a complete succession of glacial and interglacial beds. Toronto’s economy had thrived in the 1880s, brick houses were constructed in suburbs surrounding the city core. The Toronto Beltline Railway was constructed for commuters. These developments involved excavations that exposed geologic layers of local hillsides.

The Toronto formation was found to consist of a series of three ice sheets moving through the region. As each sheet retreated, it left behind a layer of glacial deposits known as "till".

The first ice sheet to pass through was part of the Illinoian glaciation (circa 135, 000 years ago). It left behind a lake 60 feet higher than the present Lake Ontario. On top of its (York) till was the ‘Don Formation’ of stratified sand and clay (circa 125, 000 – 80, 000 years ago). Coleman found a number of fossils in the Don bed which demonstrated that Toronto had experienced a period of mild climate with temperatures similar to those of present day Pennsylvania. The fossils uncovered by Coleman and the brick yard’s workmen included wooden logs, pollen and leaves from a variety of trees, clams (unios) and animal teeth.

Photograph. Organizing Committee of the 12th International Congress of Geologists, Ottawa March 4, 1913. 1913
Photograph. Coleman addressing a group of geologists (?) by a shore. n.d.
Map/ Diagram. W.R. Rogers, A.P. Coleman and H.L Kerr, 1913, "Map of Toronto and Vicinity". Royal Ontario Museum, Department of Natural History Collections.
Notebook. A.P. Coleman. Undated, [winter 1911 - Toronto] in Diary 49, pages 68 - 70
Notebook. A.P. Coleman. "“Climates and Life of the Pleistocene [lecture notes]". n.d, pages 1 - 4
Watercolour. A.P. Coleman. From the Highest Point, 1927, Scarboro? ; 318. 1927
Watercolour. A.P. Coleman. Scarboro in Winter, Feb. 27, 1931; 349. 1931
Published work. A.P. Coleman, 1899, "Lake Iroquois and its Predecessors at Toronto," Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, (10, March 24): 165-176, Cover
Minerals and rocks. Paul Wilson Striated Boulder. York Till, Don Valley Brickyard, Toronto. n.d. ROM Department of Natural History. Collected by A.P. Coleman
Minerals and rocks. Paul Wilson Clay Above Brown Sand, Scarboro Beds. Don Valley Brickyard, York Township, York County, Ontario, Canada. n.d. ROM Department of Natural History. Collected by A.P. Coleman
Minerals and rocks. Paul Wilson. Boulder Clay, 2nd Boulder Clay. Don Valley Brickyard, York Township, York County, Ontario, Canada. n.d. ROM Department of Natural History. Collected by A.P. Coleman
Artifact. Paul Wilson Juniperus Virginiana (Red Cedar). Don Valley Brickyard, Toronto. 1924. ROM Department of Natural History. Donated by A.P. Coleman
Photograph. A.P. Coleman. Sand Pit, Shaw St. where Tusk was found, taken by Geo. G. Nasmith, Oct. 20th, '99. n.d.
Drawing / Illustration. A.P. Coleman. “Don Section of the Drift, p. 85”. n.d. ROM. Department of Natural History Collection
Photograph. A.P. Coleman. Section, Don Valley Brickyard, Toronto. Showing from below upwards: Dundas shale, boulder clay, warm climate interglacial beds, and stratified glacial clay with interbedded sheets of boulder clay. n.d. ROM Archives. A.P. Coleman Collection
Minerals and rocks. Paul Wilson. Stratified Boulder. Don Valley Brickyard, Toronto. n.d. ROM Department of Natural History. Collected by A.P. Coleman
Photograph. A.P. Coleman. Don Interglacial Beds. n.d. ROM Archives. A.P. Coleman Collection
Drawing / Illustration. A.P. Coleman. Interglacial Beds, Sun Brickyard. n.d. ROM. Department of Natural History Collection
Photograph. A.P. Coleman. Don Brickyard, Nov. 1913. 1913 ROM Archives. A.P. Coleman Collection
Photograph. A.P. Coleman. Don Brickyard, Nov. 1913 [with workman]. 1913 ROM Archives. A.P. Coleman Collection
Photograph. A.P. Coleman. Don Brickyard. 1927 ROM Archives. A.P. Coleman Collection

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