With a continuing legacy since its beginnings in the 1830s as an immigrant reception area comprised of many ethnic minorities, Cabbagetown has been home to an amazing and diverse group of personalities.  As we see from the stories documented here, the people of Cabbagetown possessed a remarkable ability to endure, to relish and to contribute to life.  They are people who, despite the odds, have realized their remarkable potential.  Many of them have been active in the arts and sciences, in politics, business, architecture and social movements.  Through their contributions, these people have left a distinct imprint, not only on this community, but on the City, the Province, across Canada and abroad as well.

The Cabbagetown People program aims to pursue and disseminate such questions as to which prevailing local conditions and circumstances enabled this community to become established and to thrive.  Accordingly, the social history of Cabbagetown can provide us with many valuable lessons about the evolution, function and success of the Canadian inner city.  We research the day-to-day existence of these outstanding people, and lead educational tours of the community for schools and other groups.  Our Program has honoured several remarkable lives from Cabbagetown’s past by installing commemorative plaques at residential and other strategic places throughout the neighbourhood.

Our Goal
Our aim is to ‘humanize the past”, engage both children and adults in their local history, and ensure that, through this Program, we continue to preserve the social history of this Canadian inner city neighbourhood for future generations.