June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, and we will be exploring stories relating to Indigenous history in this series throughout the month.

Painting of Tecumseh attributed to Owen Staples

There are many name references on our landscape that have an Indigenous origin. Some have been passed down over hundreds of years and connect to names that Indigenous peoples used to describe their environment. Others name references find their origins in the early colonial settlement area, placed on the land by surveyors or early settlers in reference to Indigenous peoples or places. Other names have come along later, in connection to some very early residential developments, and have less to do with specific references to Indigenous peoples on this land, and broader connections to rather vague romanticized concepts of Indigenous languages and cultures.

There are multiple name references to Shawnee chief and warrior Tecumseh (1768-1813) on our landscape, with some differences to how they appear (and how they are spelled). The earliest confirmed reference to Tecumseh by name is from a 1912 plan for the Credit Grove subdivision near Hurontario Street and Lakeshore Road in Port Credit. In this plan, several streets were surveyed and named, many with Indigenous references: Seneca, Cayuga, Iroquois and Mohawk avenues, and all take their name associations from the Indigenous Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquoian Confederacy). Tecumseth Avenue (albeit misspelled) was also part of the 1912 Credit Grove plan (as was Brant Avenue, named after Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea meaning “He Places Two Bets”, 1742-1807).

As for Tecumseh, the name inspiration behind the 1912 road, he was prominent in both Indigenous and Colonial circles, resisting American incursion into traditional Indigenous territory and allying with the British Crown during the War of 1812. Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813, and in the aftermath of the war attained a hero-like status. Many legends arose as to where Tecumseh was laid to rest, with some accounts even suggesting along the banks of the Credit River. There are countless resources that explore the life, times and legends of Tecumseh, and his impact on Indigenous cultures and identities.

Tecumseth Avenue street sign, Credit Grove

But back to Credit Grove. Plan F-12 was registered on September 24, 1912 by the Port Credit Land Company. While the company might sound local, it was actually based on Sunnyside Avenue in Toronto, with its primary representative being L.E. Flewwelling. So far, our efforts to learn more about L.E. Flewwelling have not yielded more information. For the moment, what we are left with is the 1912 plan, and the chosen street names, including Tecumseth Avenue.

Another early reference to the name Tecumseh is found nearer to Lorne Park with Tecumseh Creek. The earliest reference we have found so far to the creek name is from 1928, although it is possible the name was applied to the creek much earlier. While we do not know how and why the name was applied to this watercourse, the creek flowed through property once owned by George Taylor Denison (1783-1853), a wealthy landowner and prominent community leader in York (Toronto), and a veteran of the War of 1812. A branch of the extended Denison (Dennison) family would come to call Lorne Park home for several generations. While it might be a stretch, it is possible (and perhaps even plausible) that the Denison family named the creek following their patriarch’s service during the War of 1812. Undoubtedly George Taylor Denison would have been aware of the exploits and stories relating to Tecumseh.

Over time, the Denison property was broken up into smaller parcels, and eventually a subdivision plan was registered – Plan 330, registered February 5, 1946 by Henry A. Garland and Frederick J. Kamm. The plan designated a Park Lot (now known as Tecumseh Park) through which Tecumseh Creek flows. The primary road in their initial development plan was called Tecumseh Park Close (now known as Tecumseh Park Drive). Plan 330 also included Tecumseh Park Crescent.

Located nearby Tecumseh Creek and Tecumseh Park is Tecumseh Public School. The school property is part of an earlier subdivision plan (Plan B-17, registered on October 26, 1917), although the school itself was a bit later. On May 7, 1954 the South Peel Board of Education purchased part of Lot 67 in Plan B-17 from Ada and Vivian Harris to establish a new school section, creating Tecumseh Public School. Additions to the school in 1964, 1966, 1968 and 1988 enlarged its capacity. The name inspiration for the school likely coming from its close proximity to the already-named creek and park.

In short, all the known references to Tecumseh on our modern landscape are inspired by the story of Tecumseh’s life, although he himself likely never connected directly with this place.

For more on the life and times of Tecumseh:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tecumseh
https://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-1812