1972/2023 – Looking northeast towards 314 Adelaide St E, just east of Fredrick St, in the Old Town, St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. The old building is home to Artik Promotional Products, a shop for custom print and embroidery on T-shirts, stickers, magnets and apparel.
The west side of the building features a mural of a group of people created by artist Elicser Elliott in 2010. Adelaide St E between Jarvis St and Parliament St was once known as Duke St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 18, Item 2)1972/2023 – Looking northeast along Adelaide St E from George St in the Old Town, St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.
The group of buildings ranging from 252 to 264 Adelaide St E were initially the Bank of Upper Canada (built in 1825/27), De La Salle Institute (built in 1871) and Toronto’s First Post Office (built in 1833/34 and is once again a post office today). The buildings received heritage designation from the city in 1973 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 20, Item 3)2023/August 1982 – Looking southwest towards the corner of Bloor St W and Lippincott St, in the Harbord Village and The Annex neighbourhoods of Toronto.
Built in 1914 as a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce branch, architect Victor Daniel Horsburgh designed many of the financial institution’s branches across Canada from approximately 1910 to 1931. The heritage-designated building was home to the bank until the mid-1980s when it was converted to Paupers Pub (Toronto Public Library LOCHIST-PM-021) 1963/2023 – Looking southeast along Gerrard St W, between Elizabeth St and Bay St, in downtown Toronto. The neighbourhood was once known as Gerrard Village.
The street was lined with small shops, tea rooms, and coffee shops and was home to artists and writers, including Ernest Hemingway and Pierre Burton. Today, this stretch of Gerrard St W is the site of a mixed-use building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 1, ID 117) 1971/2023 – Looking northwest from Gerrard St W towards Benjamin Johnson House and Laplante Ave in downtown Toronto.
In 1875, Mr Johnson, a bricklayer, built the majestic residence for his own use. It’s part of the last remaining block of early buildings in the bygone neighbourhood known as Gerrard Village. The building received heritage designation from the city in 1974 and is today home to Jimmy’s Coffee (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 60, Item 123)1972/2023 – Looking south from St Thomas St towards Charles St W, in the Bay-Cloverhill neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 66, Item 29)On September 16, 1949, the SS Noronic docked at Pier 9 on Toronto’s waterfront. The Great Lakes cruise ship had 524 mostly American passengers and 171 crew on board.
At approximately 1:30 in the morning on Sep 17, 1949, a fire was discovered in a linen closet. But, before everyone could be woken from their sleep, the fire quickly turned into an inferno. Those who could exit the ship did so by the gangway, climbing down ropes or jumping into the harbour or onto the pier. Over 1,000 firefighters, police and passers-by assisted, but in the end, 119 people perished. Almost all were American passengers. The Horticulture Building at Exhibition Place became an impromptu morgue. A federal inquiry into the tragedy resulted in stricter fire safety regulations.
On the 50th anniversary of the disaster, Ontario Heritage Trust installed a plaque on Toronto’s waterfront at the foot of Bay St. It’s located just west of the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal docks, about 100 m west of where the ship burned (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 1429) August 1979/2023 – Looking southeast along St Thomas St, between Bloor St W and Sultan St, in the Bay-Cloverhill neighbourhood of Toronto.
The archive photo shows Le Provencal Restaurant and Café once located at 23 St Thomas St. The restaurant opened in 1963 and featured fine French cuisine and wines. A large fireplace made the dining rooms glow, a well softly splashed water and the warm woods created a charming ambiance. Le Provencal closed in 1988, and today, the site is home to commercial and mixed-use buildings (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 15, ID 19)1965/2023 – Looking southeast along Gerrard St W between Bay St and Yonge St in Toronto’s Downtown Yonge area. The archive photo shows the colourfully painted shops that once lined the Gerrard Village street, including The Unicorn (a boutique), the Village Bookstore and The Artisans.
Notice the Toronto Dominion Bank at Yonge St on the left and the blue 1965 Chevy Impala. Today, this stretch of Gerrard St W is home to The Livmore condo and Chelsea Hotel (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 1, ID 146) 1972/2023 – The Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy Building, originally the Dominion Meteorological Building, is located at the southwest corner of Bloor St W and Devonshire Pl at the University of Toronto – St George Campus.
Built between 1908 and 1909, the castle-like building was designed by the architectural firm of Burke & Horwood. It was the Meteorological Service of Canada headquarters responsible for weather forecasting until 1971. The 2½-storey Romanesque Revival-style building is clad with rugged Miramichi sandstone. It features an observation tower and beautiful stone carvings at the main entrance. The tower was once topped with a dome and housed a telescope. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 66, Item 32)June 22, 2007/2022 – Looking northeast from Yonge St, just north of Gould St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. The archive photo shows Sam the Record Man once occupied the corner. In business since 1937, the shop moved to its historic location in 1961 and became a music mecca.
While the store closed in 2007, its iconic signs are perched on a building at Dundas St E and Victoria St. Today, the corner where Sam the Record Man stood is home to the Toronto Metropolitan University Student Learning Centre (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 219, Series 2311, File 2401, Item 11)April 1907/2021 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Bloor St W and Brunswick Ave, in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows the vacant land up for sale. Today, the corner is the site of a mixed-use home and commercial buildings in a busy area home to many University of Toronto fraternity houses and faculty members (Toronto Public Library E4-83B)1962/2023 – The Manulife Building is located at 200 Bloor St E in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood. Built between 1924 and 1925 and known initially as the Manufacturers’ Life Insurance Company Building, the magnificent structure was designed by architects Sproatt & Rolph, with later additions by Marani & Morris.
Manufacturers Life began in 1887 at the back of a small store once at 38 King St E. After years of steady growth, the company needed larger offices frequently, moving into the Bloor St E building in 1925. The classically styled building is clad with grey stone and features a colonnaded porch at the main entrance (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 8912)June 22, 2007/2022 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Yonge St and Gould St in Toronto’s Downtown Yonge area. In 1961, Sam the Record Man moved to 347 Yonge St. The store was a huge attraction and, over the years, gradually expanded, eventually occupying the entire corner. The store closed in 2007, and the corner is today the site of the Toronto Metropolitan University Student Learning Centre. Sam the Record Man’s iconic signs are atop a building at Dundas St E and Victoria St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 219, Series 2311, File 2401, Item 1)1972/2023 – Looking northeast towards the Benjamin Johnson House, at the corner of Gerrard St W and Laplante Ave in downtown Toronto. The three-storey brick house was built in 1875 by Benjamin Johnson. The majestic home received heritage status from the city in 1974. Today Jimmy’s Coffee occupies the building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 67, Item 26)1972/2023 – Looking towards the northeast corner of George St and Richmond St E in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows the Richmond Restaurant, today home to the George Street Diner (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 20, Item 1)1972/2023 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Spadina Ave and Harbord St, in the Harbord Village neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 55, Item 19)Jun 4, 1913/2023 – Looking northwest on Parliament St, just south of Queen St E, in the Moss Park neighbourhood. The archive photo shows the public underground lavatory entrances and ventilation shaft. It was Toronto’s third underground bathroom, and it opened in 1912. There were facilities for both men and women.
The three-storey, brick-clad Chicago School-style building next to the lavatory is the Home Furniture Carpet Co Ltd. It was designed in 1907 by architect Henry Simpson. The store was operated by John F Brown and sold appliances, furniture and clothing. An extension was added on the west side in 1926 to increase retail space. From 1978 to 2014, the building was home to Marty Millionaire. In 2017, the building was renovated for WE Charity, and that same year, the structure received heritage designation under the Ontario Heritage Act (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 7308)January 1971/2023 – Looking southeast towards what was originally the Little York Hotel and Stable at the corner of King St E and George St, in Toronto’s Old Town neighbourhood. Built between 1879 and 1880, architects Langley, Langley and Burke designed the four-storey hotel (at 187 King St E) and stable (in rear at 65 George St) for the innkeeper Robert Waterhouse.
The Second Empire-style red brick former hotel building features a mansard roof and carved keystones over the arched entrances and windows on the King St E side. Today, the heritage-designated buildings are home to commercial space. Before the construction of the Little York Hotel, the corner was the site of the first public school in the Town of York, which opened on June 1, 1807 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 2, ID 103) January 5, 1932/2023 – Looking southwest along Richmond St W between Brant St and Maud St, in the Fashion District of Toronto. The archive photo shows St Andrew’s Market, which once occupied a large portion of the block. In 1932, the market was torn down and replaced with the Water Works Building. Notice the roadside gas pump. Today, the heritage-designated façade of the former Water Works Building has been incorporated into the new mixed-use building called Waterworks Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 51)August 25, 1957/2021 – Looking southeast towards the Jolly Miller Hotel, today’s Miller Tavern, at the northeast corner of Yonge St and Mill St in North York’s Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood.
William and James Hogg constructed the building circa 1857, and it was initially the York Mills Hotel. From 1889 until 1925, it was known as Birrell’s Hotel, but it gradually gained a shady reputation. In 1930, the building was remodelled and renamed the Jolly Miller Hotel. It was a fine dining and dancing club that featured live entertainment for a brief period before slipping back to its previous notoriety. By the mid-1960s, the Jolly Miller was strictly a tavern.
In 1997, the property was purchased by the City of North York, and the tavern closed. The old hotel was later renovated, and since 2004, the heritage-designated building has been home to the Miller Tavern (Toronto Public Library R-6157)1972/2023 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Front St E and George St, in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. On the left side of the archive photo, notice Turner Wines. The building it was located in was built in 1879 and still exists today. The parking lot at the corner was once the site of Roach’s Hotel and, later, Lapp’s Hotel and the Royal Canadian Hotel (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 20, Item 12)1953/2020 – The Yonge St entrance to the Eaton’s College Street store, today known as College Park, in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. The archive photo shows the entrance decorated for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Art Deco-style building was completed in 1930. It was Eaton’s Furniture and House Furnishings store and sold “wearables and accessories.” Eaton’s closed this location in 1977, and two years later, it became College Park, a mixed-use complex (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 492, Item 26)1972/2023 – Looking southwest at the corner of King St E and George St in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. Built circa 1833 for George Monro, the commercial building at the corner was the Imported British & India-Goods Wholesale Warehouse. Mr Monro was a dry goods merchant who served as the Mayor of Toronto in 1841.
By the late 1860s, the building became home to the Thomas Thompson company, which sold saddles, harnesses and trunks. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973 and today is also known as the Thomas Thompson Building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 20, Item 11)2022/1961 – The Dufferin Gate is located near the foot of Dufferin St at Exhibition Place in Toronto. Completed for the opening of the 1959 CNE, architect Arthur G Keith of the firm AD Margison and Associates designed the Mid-Century Modern style parabolic archway. The Dufferin Gate stands 20 m or 65 ft tall and cost over $250,000 to build. The structure received heritage status from the city in 1993 (Courtesy of the Canadian National Exhibition Archives, Alexandra Studio Fonds, MG5-F496-I7) March 1940/2023 – Looking southwest towards the corner of Gerrard St E and Jarvis St, in the Garden District of Toronto. The archive photo shows Nicholls Drug Store and a fire-ravaged Avonmore Hotel. The hotel opened in 1891; however, in March 1940, a fatal blaze swept through the building. The corner became a parking lot in the late 1970s, and today it’s the site of a residential building (Toronto Public Library TSPA_0113448F)1990/2023 – Looking southwest along Front St E from Market St in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 693, Item 17)1982/January 21, 2023 – Looking northwest towards the Royal Alexandra Theatre at 260 King St W in Toronto’s Entertainment District. Built in 1907, architect John McIntosh Lyle designed the Beaux-Arts-style building.
Visionary Ed Mirvish, the owner of the former Honest Ed’s, saved the theatre from demolition in the early 1960s. His complete restoration of the theatre started the area’s rejuvenation, and today, the theatre is a National Historic Site of Canada. The archive photo shows the former Ed’s Warehouse next to the theatre (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 530, Item 17) 1972/2023 – Looking towards the southwest corner of Gerrard St E and Jarvis St in Toronto’s Garden District. In the archive photo, notice the Avon Smoke Shop and, behind it, the 2-storey building that had been home to the Avonmore Hotel from 1891 until the early 1970s. The corner became a parking lot in the late 1970s, and today, a residential building is located on the site (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 9, Item 5)
1980s/2023 – Looking east towards McGill St from Yonge St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. The intersection where McGill St and Yonge St once met was closed in the early 1980s, and a parkette was created. The stone arch, now known as the McGill Street Arch, came from the former St Andrew’s United Church, located on Bloor St E. The church was demolished in 1981, and its stone arch was preserved, relocated and rebuilt as a pedestrian gateway (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 36, Item 71)
