The First Landowners
Image taken from Northeast Old Aurora Heritage Conservation District, prepared by Philip Carter Architect and Paul Oberst Architect, 2006
European settlement in Aurora began after the extension of Yonge Street in 1793. To encourage settlement, Sir John Graves Simcoe offered generous land grants with the caveat that settlers were expected to erect and occupy a dwelling, clear five acres of trees from the lot, and clear half the width of Yonge. By 1806 the land on both sides of Yonge Street within present day Aurora had been claimed and were being cleared.