Courthouse Square

The Courthouse Square behind the old Adelaide Street Courthouse. Although it appears quiet and peaceful today, this wasn't always the case. According to a plaque on Alan Brown's website:

"Between 1826 and 1838, Court House Square was used for a variety of religious and political gatherings. David Willson and his Children Of Peace (builders of Sharon Temple in Newmarket) held assemblies here. Supporters of William Lyon Mackenzie rallied here after his ejections from the Legislative Assembly in 1832. With its proximity to the Home District Court House and the jail, the square was used for public floggings and for punishment in the stocks - their last recorded use: Ellen Halfpenny, for drunken and disorderly conduct in 1834. The first hanging here was on 23 October 1828: Charles French for the midnight shooting of Edward Knowlan. The most famous hangings, and the last performed here, were on 12 April 1838: Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews, for their participation in the 1837 Rebellion."

Ontario Cottage on Lippincott

A nicely maintained Ontario Cottage on Lippincott Street.

Bloor and Indian Road/The and Now

Looking west along muddy Bloor Street at Indian Road in 1913.

2010.

???.

Toronto's First Cinema

Toronto's first purpose built theatre was the Theatorium at 183 Yonge Street near Queen.
Built in 1906 it later changed it's name to the Red Mill.

A shot of the Red Mill.

John and Richmond/Then and Now

The west side of John Street south of Richmond in 1912.

2011 and the two warehouses to the left have survived.

Church and Wellington/Then and Now

Looking south at the intersection of Church, Wellington and Front during track work in 1913.

A current perspective in 2011.

A composite.

Queen and Triller/Then and Now

The south side of Queen opposite Triller Avenue in Parkdale in the late 1890's.

This could be the spot...

Front and Church/Then and Now

A very old photo (circa 1870) of front Street looking towards the St. Lawrence Market, which at this time was Toronto's first City Hall. Note the "Gangs of New York" style top hat.

A similar view in 2011.
Toronto's original City Hall (1845-1899) before it was re-purposed as the St. Lawrence Market.
The coloured centre indicates the remains of the original hall.

The St. Lawrence Market.

Front and Church/Then and Now

The south side of front from Wellington looking towards the St. Lawrence Market in 1915.

The same in 2011.

A composite of the two.

Lower Church/Then and Now

Looking south down Lower Church from Front Street in 1915. Note the proximity of the lake and ships to the Esplanade.

The same view in 2010.

A composite of the two photos.

Grim Discovery at Sunnyside/1923

These men are excavating a dead body from the frozen lake in the winter of 1927. Sunnyside Pavilion can be seen in the distance.

Sunnyside/Then and Now

Just to give you an idea of how much land has been reclaimed through in fill along the Lakeshore at the foot of Roncesvalles in Parkdale, here is a photo of the lakefront in 1915.
That's the old Sunnyside Train Station.

This photoshopped version (not perfect) shows the extent that the lake has been filled in. This doesn't include all the parkland to the south of Lakeshore Blvd.

Spite Fence

24 Leopold Street in Parkdale.
This photo from the archives is labelled "Spite Fence" and dated 1937. Someone obviously had a problem with their neighbour and the city got involved.

Camden and Brant/Then and Now

The N/E corner of Camden and Brant as seen in 1937.

The same spot in 2010.

More Spadina/Then and Now

This block of condemned houses on the west side of Spadina north of Camden Street would soon be coming down to make way for..

The Fashion Building. Built between 1925-1927by the Goldberg Brothers and Hartman.

Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan

Another great book and resource is Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan published in 1985.
A surviving row of cottages on the east side of Spadina. When I was in art school a friend of mine lived in the yellow building upstairs.

King and Power/Then and Now

The N/W corner of King East and Power Street taken in 1937. A nice little corner store.

Today.

Lost Toronto By William Dendy

For anyone that's interested in pursuing Toronto's history and digging a little deeper, this book by William Dendy is highly recommended. Lost Toronto published in 1978 provides a fascinating look at Toronto as it used to be with incredible attention to detail.

There is a vendor at The St. Lawrence Sunday Antique Market who usually has a copy for sale.
Also highly recommended is Toronto Architecture by Patricia McHugh.

This book includes several walking tours around the downtown core.

Church and McGill/Then and Now

The west side of Church Street just south of McGill in 1937.

2010, the building to the left remains.

Queen and Sorauren/Then and Now

The east side of Sorauren Avenue, Parkdale in 1950. The interesting thing about this photo is the two Ontario Cottages to the left that are no longer there.

2010.

King And River/Then

Here's a series of photos from the archives of the south side of King Street East where it meets Queen Street at River from the early 1900's. The cuppola of the Broadview Hotel can be seen in the distance.

The Broadview Hotel.

Looking West.
Note the wagon being repaired.
Again.
Looking East. These buildings would all soon be demolished to accommodate the new intersection/bridge over the Don in 1915.
Before 1915.
After.
Looking east. That's the Old Don Train Station in the BG that's since been relocated to Todmorten Mills. The Don Station, the last surviving station of the Belt Line built in 1899, was moved from its original location on the Don River just south of Queen Street starting on August 2, 1969. Two days later, the three pieces of the station were reassembled at its new location in Todmorden Mills.
The Station today.
A wider shot looking east along King.

From across the Don River looking west.