The first fort on the site was founded in 1793 and was built by Governor John Simcoe. It was destroyed during the Battle of York in 1813. The British Army occupied the fort from 1793 till the 1850’s it was then transferred to Canada who used it until 1932. The fort was used as a military establishment from when it was founded until 1880 and then again during the first and second world wars. Many of the building were demolished in the 1950’s and only 8 original buildings survived, these as well were nearly lost when it was planned to demolish them as well to make way for a new road, but the highway planners rerouted the expressway to save them.  It is now a popular tourist attraction.