William Lyon Mackenzie
The township of York, which until 1793 had been known as "Toronto", incorporated as a city (meaning it received local self-government) on March 6, 1834, taking the name of "the City of Toronto" to distinguish it from New York City and the dozen other settlements named 'York' in Upper Canada. The Tories and the Reformers fielded candidates for Toronto's first municipal election, held on March 27, 1834, with the Reformers winning a majority on the Toronto City Council. Mackenzie was elected as an alderman. The City Council then met to decide who should become mayor. Mackenzie, after being nominated by Franklin Jackes, defeated John Rolph in the vote and thereby became the first Mayor of Toronto.
Centennial of the City of Toronto
The Centennial of the City of Toronto was celebrated in 1934, commemorating the incorporation of York into the City of Toronto. The celebrations included numerous events, exhibitions, and commemorations. Of the most modern relevance is the "Toronto's Hundred Years" Publication Committee, which published "Toronto's 100 Years", from which much historical perspective may be found.