Toronto History - Discover Its Past & Present

Bell’s Food Mkt Ghost Sign

The Bell’s Food Mkt ghost sign is located at 1081 College St (east of Dufferin St) in the College West neighbourhood of Toronto.

December 22, 2019 – The Buckingham Cigarettes ghost sign was on the west-facing wall of a building once located at 306 Davenport Rd and Bedford Rd in The Annex neighbourhood of Toronto

Buckingham Cigarettes Ghost Sign (former)

Ingram & Bell Limited Ghost Signs

January 26, 2020 – The Reliance Engravers ghost sign was once located at 104 Bond St, north of Dundas St E in Toronto's Garden District. The sign says, “Reliance Engravers Limited – Artists Commercial Photographers – Photo Engravers – Electrotypers Stereotypers”

Reliance Engravers Limited Ghost Sign (former)

August 15, 2021 – The upper east-facing wall of 873 St Clair Ave W in the Regal Heights neighbourhood features a red and white “Enjoy Coca-Cola” ghost sign

Coca-Cola Ghost Sign at 873 St Clair Ave

Stay Connected

Toronto’s Terrazzo & Mosaic Tile Entryways

June 8, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 521 Parliament St in Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood features four isosceles triangles arranged to form a square along with the street number

521 Parliament St Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

The quarter-square triangle patterned terrazzo storefront entryway is located at 521 Parliament St (north of Carlton St) in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto.

December 15, 2019 – The former William's Shoe Store terrazzo floor entryway is located at 750 Queen St W in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood

William’s Shoe Store Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

July 3, 2021 – The “IDEAL-TILE” terrazzo floor entryway is located at 183 King St E in Toronto’s Old Town, St Lawrence neighbourhood

Ideal-Tile Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

May 12, 2024 – The terrazzo entryway floor, featuring the initial "R" for Rochester Furniture, is located at 423 College St in Toronto's Kensington Market neighbourhood

Rochester Furniture Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

June 8, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 519 Parliament St in Toronto's Cabbagetown neighbourhood features a burst pattern

519 Parliament St Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

August 14, 2021 – The "Duane's" terrazzo floor entryway was once located at 169 Roncesvalles Ave in Toronto's Parkdale and Roncesvalles neighbourhoods

Duane’s Terrazzo Storefront Entryway (former)

October 4, 2019 – The entrance of 594 Bay St in downtown Toronto features a terrazzo floor with a red and cream vertically striped pattern

594 Bay St Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

June 8, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway, featuring the initial "K" for Kingston Ladies Wear, is located at 1006 Kingston Rd, today home to Cut 'N' Run Barbershop in Toronto's Upper Beaches neighbourhood

Kingston Ladies Wear Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

November 9, 2019 – The “BURNS JEWELER” terrazzo floor entryway is located at 882 Bloor St W in Toronto's Bloorcourt Village neighbourhood

Burns Jeweler Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

Toronto Time Tunnel - Then & Now

1892 - George Gooderham's mansion at the northeast corner of Bloor St W and St George St. Since approximately 1910, it has been home to The York Club

Past & Present – Part 36

See what Toronto looked like once upon a time through historical photos combined with photos of today at TorontoJourney416.com

1982 – The Canary Restaurant entrance and neon sign at the southeast corner of Front St E and Cherry St in Toronto. The photo also captures Canada Post letter boxes, Toronto Sun, Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail newspaper boxes, along with an old phone booth

Past & Present – Part 64

2023 – Looking southeast towards the northern entrance of Philosopher's Walk on Bloor St W, located just west of the Royal Ontario Museum on the left and The Royal Conservatory of Music on the right

Past & Present – Part 40

Between 1954 and 1960 - Looking northeast toward the Food Building, which featured "The Needle," a stainless steel tower that served as an art installation and location marker. The tower was dismantled in 1975 due to deterioration. A portion of the Horse Palace is also visible in the background

Past & Present – Part 81

Circa 1900 - Looking southwest towards Toronto's first public underground lavatory. It was on the south side of Adelaide St E, at the head of Toronto St in the St Lawrence neighbourhood. Built in 1896, the men-only lavatory was accessed through a one-storey tower located directly in the middle of Toronto St

Past & Present – Part 25

1929 - Queen's Wharf Lighthouse is being moved to the new location between Fleet St & Lake Shore Blvd W in the Niagara neighbourhood of Toronto

Past & Present – Part 22

Circa 1920 – The Toronto Daily Star was located at 18-20 King St W from 1905 to 1929. The newspaper purchased this building for $150,000; it was originally known as the North of Scotland Chambers, built in 1878

Past & Present – Part 107

May 1953 - Islington House was once located at 4922 Dundas St W and Burnhamthorpe Rd in the Islington neighbourhood of Toronto. The tavern is shown here in the archive photo at the northeast corner; however, after the realignment of Burnhamthorpe Rd in 1956, it was at the northwest corner. Parts of the building date back to the late 1830s, when it served as a grocery store. By the 1870s, it had been converted into Brownridge's Hotel. In 1933, a fire swept through the building. By this time, it was known as the Islington Hotel, leading to its reconstruction. In the early 1980s, the establishment was serving 250,000 litres of beer annually in its 350-seat tavern, but by the mid-1980s, business had declined due to other establishments opening in the area. In 1986, the historic tavern closed. While the building's heritage value was assessed, an architect's report stated that after renovations and rebuilding, very little of the original structure remained. The tavern was demolished and replaced with an office and retail building, which has since also been torn down

Past & Present – Part 100

1872 - Looking west along Front St E and Wellington St E in Toronto. The building in the centre became known as The Coffin Block because of its ominous resemblance to a coffin. When constructed, it was very close to the bustling wharves and quickly became a landmark. It was demolished in 1891 to make way for the Gooderham Building

Past & Present – Part 8

Toronto Music & Venues - Past & Present

December 6, 2019 - Sam the Record Man's twin neon spinning record signs are located atop a building at 277 Victoria St, overlooking Yonge-Dundas Square (as of December 14, 2023, known as Sankofa Square)

Sam the Record Man – Once Yonge Street’s Music Store Mecca

Sam the Record Man, once on Yonge St in Toronto, was a music store mecca. Music fans flocked to the iconic store for great buys on albums...

June 23, 1971 – Looking northeast towards the Brown Derby Tavern once at the corner of Yonge St and Dundas St E

Brown Derby Tavern – Hats Off to the Landmark Once at...

May 23, 2021 - The iconic Masonic Temple/The Concert Hall at the northwest corner of Yonge St and Davenport Rd

Masonic Temple – From a Freemason Gem to a Toronto Music...

December 6, 2019 – Club Matador's iconic sign

Club Matador – Toronto’s Historic Live Music Venue

2021 – The canopy and entrance of Meridian Hall at 1 Front St E in Toronto’s St Lawrence neighbourhood. In the background, notice the Dominion Public Building and the CN Tower

Meridian Hall – Toronto’s Sophisticated Venue, Once the O’Keefe Centre

2022 - One of the two 22-storey Yonge Street music murals by Adrian Hayles, located on the south side of the building at 423 Yonge St

Yonge Street Music History Murals – Part II

August 1972 - Crowds watching the parade for the Scottish World Festival as it passes by Le Coq d'Or Tavern and the Edison Hotel, on Yonge St just south of Gould St

Le Coq d’Or Tavern – The Heart & Soul of Yonge...

2019 - The main entrance to The Opera House at 735 Queen St E

Opera House – Preserved its Vaudeville Theatre Architecture Charm

2020 - One of the two 22-storey Yonge Street music murals by Adrian Hayles, located on the north side of the building at 423 Yonge St

Yonge Street Music History Murals – Part I

Toronto Theatres - Past & Present

Circa 1950 - The Royal Theatre was located at the southeast corner of Dundas St W and Dufferin St in the Little Portugal neighbourhood of Toronto. It operated from 1925 until the mid-1950s, although the building had housed various named theatres since 1911. More recently, it was occupied by Hakim Optical, which has since closed

Royal Theatre – Once at Dundas St W & Dufferin St

The Royal Theatre was once located at the southeast corner of Dundas St W and Dufferin St in Toronto. The building served as a theatre from 1911 through the 1950s.

TorontoJourney416Toronto... past and present

Stay Connected