Queen and O'Hara/Then and Now

1414 Queen West in Parkdale, 1931, looking west along the sidewalk towards O'Hara Avenue.
There's still an old Highway 2 sign on the lamp post.

2010 and somehow not as charming. I miss the awnings.

Queen and Denison/Then and Now

The intersection of Queen and Denison in the 1920's with a nice vintage firetruck.

2010.

The Queensway/Then and Now

Looking west along the Queensway at Glendale during construction in 1957. Up until this point Queen West ended at Roncesvalles and a bridge (since demolished) carrired traffic down to the Lakeshore.

2010.

Queen and Manning/Then and Now

These stores on the south side of Queen and Manning were in serious need of repair in 1925.
The plaque above says they were built in 1876.

Repairs were made and they stand today with only half of the plaque visible.

Queen and University/Then and Now

Looking north up University from Richmond in the winter of 1935 shortly after University had been extended south of Queen.

2010.
Looking south to Queen in 1927 when University ended here.
Again.
Looking S/E across Queen, 1925.
Looking west along Queen past University 1924.
The area in red reveals the extant that Queen, Richmond, Adelaide, Pearl, King and Wellington were cleared for the extension.
Queen looking west. The cleared area can be seen to the right. Even the buildings that were spared wouldn't last much longer.
2010. The new Opera House.
The south side of Queen between Simcoe and University, 1931.
2010.
And finally, the north side of Queen between Simcoe and University, 1926.
A closer look at this photo reveals the hotel on the right is called the Rex.
The Rex still exists one block west at St. Patrick.
2010 and now home of the Campbell House.

Toronto in the 1970's/Adelaide East

This photo from the archives typifies my impression of downtown Toronto in the early 1970's. That was when I first started to venture downtown on my own, much rougher and darker than it is today. There were definitely some "bad" areas, Moss Park, Queen and Sherbourne, Queen West around the Mental Institution, Parkdale etc. These neigbourhoods have for the most part all been cleaned up and gentrified in recent years.

The Campell House/Then and Now

This has been posted earlier but I feel it deserves to be moved up as it's not being viewed.

The Campbell house in it's original location at Duke (now Adelaide) and Frederick before the move.On the Move 1972

As it stands today

Campbell House is the oldest remaining house from the original site of the Town of York. Built in 1822 by Judge William Campbell and his wife Hannah, the home was designed for entertaining and comfort, and constructed at a time when the Campbells were socially and economically established and their children had grown to adulthood. The house is one of the few surviving examples of Georgian architecture left in Toronto. The Grange is another excellent example, although it is slightly older than Campbell House. Campbell House is constructed in a style in vogue during the late Georgian era known as Palladian architecture. This style was Italian in origin, and based upon elements of classical Greek and Roman architecture, which emphasized symmetry of features (windows, fireplaces, doors etc.) and grandiose proportions to exhibit wealth.

The Move

Campbell House was originally located on a plot of land 1 ½ kilometres to the southeast of its' present location at the intersection of what is now Adelaide St. and Frederick St. (where the George Brown School of Hospitality is located today). After Sir William's death in 1834, the house was willed to his wife, Lady Hannah, for her use. After her death in 1844 the property and contents of the house were auctioned off and the proceeds were distributed amongst their heirs. For most of the 19th century the house was maintained as a private residence. After the turn of the 20th century the building was used by several businesses as office space and as a factory, including a horseshoe nail company and an elevator company, and the house fell into disrepair. The last owners of the property (Coutts-Hallmark Greeting Cards) wanted to demolish the house to extend their parking lot. At this time the house was offered to anyone who could remove it from the property. A professional association of Trial Lawyers known as the Advocates' Society intervened to save the house, move the building and restore it to its present appearance. The house was moved to its present location at the corner of Queen and University on

Friday, March 31st, 1972.
My father took me downtown that day to see the move.
Another shot of the house in it's original location at the top of Frederick Street in 1927.