Toronto's 12,000 Year History is an interdisciplinary summer seminar on the city of Toronto. Our goal is to deeply understand our city's past, make sense of its present, and grapple with its future together. Over the course of five weeks we will read and walk Toronto's history in equal measure, alternating between city excursions, discussions of foundational texts, and conversations with experts. All perspectives are welcome: we will be in conversation with activists, technologists, historians, planners, writers, scientists, artists and more. We are united by the shared goal of collective sense-making and rootedness in our city.
Hidden Rivers is an educational institution founded in Toronto in 2023 that promotes civic accountability, rootedness, and community through the shared study of history. It is named after the vast network of once-majestic waterways that now lie buried beneath Toronto. Hidden Rivers was founded by Matthew Jordan, who is currently a PhD student in history at Princeton University.
It’s hard to overstate how much I got out of the course. Not only have I developed a deep understanding of what Toronto is and WHY it is the way it is through Matthew’s ridiculously entertaining teaching style, but I’ve also cultivated relationships with my incredible classmates that have transformed my experience in the city. I feel more connected to Toronto now than I’ve ever been.
By this summer's end you should:
To learn more about the motivations behind this course, read the background essay here.
We walked into this course as newcomers expecting a history lesson, but we walked away with a sense of belonging. It pushed us off the beaten path to explore corners of the city we’d never have found alone, turning classmates into friends and changing how we see Toronto. Learning a city’s past is the best way to build a future in it.
This course is completely open to anyone in Toronto, regardless of educational background, discipline, or experience. The only requirement is that you are open-minded, eager to learn, abide by the discussion norms, and are able to commit to most in-person sessions. There is no virtual/remote option.
We meet twice per week: once on a weekday evening on U of T campus to read and discuss texts, then again Sunday morning to explore the places we read about. We will also welcome guests who are chronicling and shaping Toronto in real time: including many of the authors of the texts we will read together.
Toronto's 12,000 Year History meets twice a week for five weeks. There are two time options:
In other words: there will be two groups, one meeting Wednesdays and one meeting Thursdays in a classroom at the University of Toronto. These two groups will then merge for our Sunday excursions. The course concludes Sunday August 16.
Applications are open now and will close June 26, 2026 at 11:59pm EST. Acceptances take place on a rolling basis. Applications will close if both sessions of the class fill to capacity before the deadline.
This is the intro to Toronto I wish I had gotten when I first moved to the city. Matthew has created a one of a kind course for people curious to learn more about urban planning/history, packed with lively classroom discussions, guest speakers, and field trips, and which requires little in terms of formal background except enthusiasm for the city. I left the course with a new community, feeling more rooted in my neighborhood, and a deep respect for just how alive our city is.
This is a brief preview of the kinds of themes we will explore and the works we will read. The final syllabus will include documentaries, works of fiction, and other media.
| Week | Theme | Example Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is Toronto? | Amy Lavender Harris, Imagining Toronto Victoria Freeman, Where Histories Meet |
| 2 | Rivers & Waterfronts | Christina Palassio & Wayne Reeves, HT0 Jennifer Bonnell, Reclaiming the Don |
| 3 | The Order of Order | Jane Errington, The Lion, the Eagle, and Upper Canada Johnny Dovercourt, Any Night of the Week |
| 4 | The Shape of the City |
Richard White, Planning Toronto Steve Penfold, “People Drive Automobiles” |
| 5 | Multiple Multiculturalisms | John Lorinc et al.,The Ward Arlene Chan, The Chinese in Toronto from 1878 |
| Age | Price |
|---|---|
| Students & under 23 | $175 |
| Adults | $425 |
| Supporters By choosing this tier you are helping keep Hidden Rivers' educational programs financially accessible and inclusive. |
$750 |
This price covers the entire course, including all reading materials and excursions. If cost is a reason you cannot participate, please email info@hiddenrivers.ca.