It’s a short ten minute stroll from our hostel to Toronto’s oldest pub, the venerable Wheatsheaf. It is in turn, a short stroll to the bastion of historic Fort York.
This is the late 18th Century site (1797) around which grew the present-day metropolis of Toronto. The present fort was rebuilt by British Troops and the Canadian Militia immediately after the War of 1812.
The Americans burned the original fort after their victory at the Battle of York (now Toronto) in 1813. Things weren’t so neighbourly back then when the British returned the favour by putting Washington, D.C. to the torch the following year.
In the mid 19th Century, the Wheat Sheaf was the watering hole for troops who garrisoned Ft. York. It has been a continuously operating Public House since 1849 and claims to be the oldest Pub in the city.
We really doubt that it is but it’s arrogated claim to fame has attracted a lot of local celebrities. Mike Meyers and Bobby Orr have been known to drop in for a pint and the signatures of Allanah Myles and Toronto Maple Leaf legend, Eddie Shack are on the wall among autogreaphs of still other celebrities.
About once a month, the entire staff of the Canadiana go out for Chicken Wings and Beer at a local pub. We often choose to gho to the Wheatsheaf because the wings are delicious (and half-priced on Mondays.)
Note: (The Black Bull, located on Queen Street just one block fron our hostels door, dates back to 1838 however it was rebuilt in 1886.)
