Scarborough

/skahr"berr'oh, -bur'oh, -beuhr euh/, n.

1. a seaport in North Yorkshire, in NE England. 97,900.

2. a city in SW Maine. 11,347.

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I

City (pop., 2001: 593,297), southeastern Ontario, Canada.

With the cities of Etobicoke, York, North York, and Toronto and the borough of East York, it constitutes the municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. First called Glasgow, it was renamed in 1793 because its coastal bluffs reminded settlers of Scarborough, Eng. Originally a farming community, it later became an industrial and residential urban area.

II

Town (pop., 1990: 4,000) and deepwater harbour of Tobago island, Trinidad and Tobago.

First named Port Louis, Scarborough is laid out on the steep slopes of a hill overlooking the harbour. It succeeded Georgetown as Tobago's capital in 1796. It is located in a coconut-growing area.

III

Town and borough (pop., 2001: 106,233), North Yorkshire, England.

Located on the North Sea coast, Scarborough originated as a 10th-century Viking fishing settlement at the site of a 4th-century Roman signal station. In the 12th century a Norman castle was built on the headland. After 1626, spa development made it a fashionable resort. It remains the most popular seaside resort in northeastern England. The borough of Scarborough extends far beyond old Scarborough town.

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▪ England, United Kingdom

      town and borough on the North Sea coast, administrative county of North Yorkshire, historic county of Yorkshire, northern England. Scarborough town originated from a 10th-century Viking fishing settlement in the shelter of a craggy sandstone headland, where there had earlier been a Roman signal station. In the 12th century a Norman castle was built on the headland. Spa development after 1626 and sea bathing later contributed to Scarborough's burgeoning as a fashionable 18th-century resort. From 1845 the railways further stimulated its growth and extended the social range of its clientele. Scarborough remains the most popular seaside resort town in northeastern England. It is also a significant conference centre and retirement town.

      The borough of Scarborough extends far beyond old Scarborough town. It lies almost entirely within North York Moors National Park. Eskdale in the north and the valley of the River Derwent in the south cut through heather-clad moorlands with scattered sheep farms and some recently planted forest. Coastal cliffs shelter small picturesque fishing villages. Most of the population lives in the coastal resorts of Scarborough, Whitby, and Filey. Area 315 square miles (817 square km). Pop. (2001) town, 38,364; borough, 106,233.

▪ Maine, United States

also spelled  Scarboro,  

      town, Cumberland county, southwestern Maine, U.S. It lies at the mouth of the Nonesuch River on the Atlantic coast. The town includes the communities of Scarborough, Higgins Beach, Prouts Neck, and West Scarborough. Scarborough is mainly a residential suburb for Greater Portland and the Biddeford- Saco urbanized area. Black Point, an early settlement made by Thomas Cammock, combined in 1658 with Blue Point and Stratton's Islands to form one incorporated community, which was named for Scarborough, England. After 1883 the painter Winslow Homer (Homer, Winslow) made his home at Prouts Neck, a peninsula at the river mouth, and many of his canvases were inspired by the wild, rockbound Atlantic coast; his studio is a national landmark. Farming, tourism, and Scarborough Downs Race Track are important to the economy. Area 48 square miles (124 square km). Pop. (1990) 12,518; (2000) 16,970.

▪ Ontario, Canada

      former city (1983–98), southeastern Ontario, Canada. In 1998 it amalgamated with the borough of East York and the cities of Etobicoke, York, North York, and Toronto to form the City of Toronto. Scarborough township (incorporated 1850) was reconstituted as a borough in 1967 and a city in 1983. First called Glasgow, it was renamed in 1793 at the suggestion of Mrs. John Graves Simcoe, wife of the lieutenant governor, because its coastal bluffs resembled the cliffs at Scarborough, England. Originally a farming community, it developed rapidly following World War II into a well-planned industrial and residential urban complex with a commercial stretch known as the “Golden Mile” and more than 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) of parkland. Scarborough College (1964) is affiliated with the University of Toronto, and Centennial College (1967) offers courses in applied arts and technology. St. Augustine's Seminary is also located there.

▪ Trinidad and Tobago

      chief town and deepwater harbour of Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago, southeastern West Indies. It is the administrative centre of Tobago and the main town of St. Andrew parish. Located on Rockly Bay and overlooking Scarborough Harbour, the town is steeply laid out on the bottom slopes of a hill 8 miles (13 km) from Tobago's southwestern tip. On top of the hill is Fort King George (built by the British in the late 1700s), with a prison, barracks, officer's mess, and many cannons; it also includes a museum of Tobago's history. Scarborough has several structures dating to the early 19th century, including the House of Assembly, a handsomely restored Georgian building. The town has benefited considerably from the growth of tourism in Tobago and has many commercial buildings. Tobago's airport, Crown Point, is about 7 miles (11 km) from Scarborough and handles both domestic and international flights. Pop. (2000) St. Andrew parish, 15,830.

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