Looking north up Spadina Ave from College St in the University District of Toronto.
The archive photo shows a boy filling a cup at a “man-horse-dog” water fountain and trough. In the 1880s and 1890s, the city commissioned the St. Lawrence Foundry Co. of Toronto to manufacture the iron street water fountains, initially costing $35 each. This particular combined water fountain and horse trough was installed at the corner in 1897. It featured a large trough for horses at the front, a drinking fountain for people at the back, and below the fountain was a small dish for dogs to drink from. According to a City Engineer’s Report from that year, “up to this date, it has given no trouble, having run the whole time without stoppage.” While it is unclear when the city removed this drinking fixture, one of the last printed mentions of it appeared in a 1957 edition of The Canadian Architect. One of these fountains is on display at St. James Park, located on King St E, directly across from St. Lawrence Hall.
In the background of both photos stands what was originally known as Knox College, completed in 1875. The University of Toronto acquired the college property at 1 Spadina Cres, now known as the Daniels Building.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 1 Spadina Cres
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Mar 16, 1882, pg 8
- City of Toronto: Annual Engineer’s Report for 1897, pg 42
- The Canadian Architect: 1957, Volume 2, pg 26
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory, courtesy of Toronto Public Library
