Looking northeast along Front St W towards York St in downtown Toronto.
The archive photo shows the warehouse and factory buildings lining the streetscape, with the majestic Royal York Hotel, which opened that year, in the background. From left to right, the industrial buildings belonged to Robert Simpson & Co. (department store), Nerlich & Co. (wholesale fancy goods), Lowndes Co. (wholesale clothing), H.S. Howland, Sons & Co. (hardware), and W.R. Johnston & Co. (clothing manufacturers), which was situated across from the hotel on its York St side.
Although the shorter buildings in the distance have long since been demolished to make way for University Ave extension, the remaining industrial-style buildings and the façade of the Robert Simpson & Co. warehouse still exist today and were listed on the city’s heritage register as part of the Union Station Heritage Conservation District in 2006.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
