<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Government </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Governing Body </Th> <Td> Upper Canada </Td> </Tr> <P> The Town of York was the second capital of the district of Upper Canada and the predecessor to Toronto (1834). It was established in 1793 by Lieutenant - Governor John Graves Simcoe as a "temporary" location for the capital of Upper Canada, while he made plans to build a capital near today's London, Ontario . Simcoe renamed the location York after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, George III's second son . Simcoe gave up his plan to build a capital at London, and York became the permanent capital of Upper Canada on February 1, 1796 . That year Simcoe returned to Britain and was temporarily replaced by Peter Russell . </P> <P> The original townsite was a compact ten blocks near the mouth of the Don River and a garrison was built at the channel to Toronto Harbour . Government buildings and a law court were established . Yonge Street was built, connecting York to the Holland River to the north . To the east, Kingston Road was built to the mouth of the Trent River . In 1797, the town site was expanded to the west to allow for public buildings and expansion . One of the new area's public functions, a public market, was started in 1803 . It continues today as St. Lawrence Market . </P>

When did york became the capital of upper canada