Looking southeast towards the corner of Bay St and Temperance St in the Financial District of Toronto.
The archive photo shows Fire Hall No. 1, commonly called the Bay Street Fire Hall, located directly at the corner. The fire station dated to 1841 and featured a hose-drying tower. By 1924, it was decommissioned, the property was sold, and the old fire hall was soon demolished. Between 1925 and 1926, the National Building, an office structure, was constructed on the site. In 2006, the National Building was also torn down, and its north and west facades were incorporated into the Bay Adelaide Centre – West Tower, which opened in 2009.
In the vintage image, you can also see the Dominion Automobile Company sign on the left and the Star Burlesque Theatre sign on the right, which points to its location once at 23 Temperance St.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Aug 2, 1924, pg 13
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: Sep 10, 1924, pg 3
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: Mar 16, 1926, pg 2
- Vintage Photo: Toronto Public Library
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
