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his month, Focus on Scugog is straying beyond the boundaries of Scugog Township to intro- duce our readers to an amazing, unique and historical structure. Just 20 minutes from downtown Port Perry, and worth the short drive, stands the truly magnificent “Thomas Foster Memorial” - patterned after the Taj Mahal of India. The name Thomas Foster may have faded quickly after his death, despite serving as Mayor of Toronto from 1925-28, had he not built this impressive monu- ment, just north of Uxbridge, as a memorial to his wife and deceased daughter. Thomas Foster was born near Leaskdale, Ont. in 1852, and moved to Toronto when he was a young man to follow in his father’s footsteps as a butcher. Over the years, through hard work in his butcher business, but more by investing in real estate, he amassed a large fortune. ter serving three years as Mayor of Toronto, he set out to explore the world. Throughout the early 1930s he travelled the globe, taking in China, Egypt, India, Palestine and Japan. It was daring these travels that he fell in love with the Taj Mahal in py with the jungle-like condition ‘of the small cemetery north of Uxbridge where his parents were buried, Mr. Foster decided to build a memorial The interior of the Thomas Foster Memorial is rich in terrazzo, marble for his family. Using the Taj Mahal as his inspiration, he mosaics and columns. Above is the view that greets visitors entering Please turn to page 28 through the large front doors. Photos by J. Peter Hvidsten FOCUS - JULY 2009 29