The grounds are also a National Historic Site of Canada, as it was the site of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn‘s home from 1834 to 1890. After escaping slavery in Kentucky in 1831, the Blackburns settled in Toronto, becoming well-known community members. They established the city’s first cab company, helped build Little Trinity Church, assisted other freedom-seekers, and worked tirelessly for Abolition (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 19, Item 31)
The water tower has stood alongside the roundhouse since 1929. It stored 60,000 gallons of water used for the steam process and maintenance of the Canadian Pacific Railway locomotives and passenger cars at the roundhouse.
Today, the John Street Roundhouse is home to Steam Whistle Brewing, the Toronto Railway Museum and more. Notice the InterContinental Toronto Centre in the background (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 37, Item 149)
The archive photo gives us a glimpse of the past, showing what the storefront looked like when Queen Plumbing occupied it.
The structure is part of a historic two-story commercial block constructed in 1883 by Samuel S Mutton, a lumber merchant and property developer. Designed in the High Victorian style, the building’s original red brick cladding with buff brick details is visible in the second story of this particular portion of the building, shown in the present-day photo. The Samuel S Mutton block stretches from 1036 to 1048 Queen St W. In 2017, it was officially recognized for its historical significance and added to the city’s heritage register (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 70, Item 110)
The archive photo shows, from left to right, the Wheel (silverware and antiques), Masters Bros (business machines), Metropolitan Coin Exchange, Toronto Retail Centre, Gourmet’s Picnic, Kindness Musical Instruments, and Hewson Reid Allen & Sons (picture framing) listed in the 1978/79 Might’s Metropolitan Toronto City Directory.
The building that was once home to Hewson Reid Allen & Sons and the three-story commercial building on the right remains (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 8, Item 72)
The archive photo shows when the corner was home to the Hotel Ford. Built in 1927/28, for its first year, Hotel Ford was the best hotel in the city until the Royal York Hotel opened in 1929. Hotel Ford was torn down in 1974.
Since the early 1980s, the northeast corner of Dundas St W and Bay St has been home to the Atrium on Bay office building (Toronto Public Library TSPA_0113469F)
The archive photo shows streetcar tracks being laid on the curve of Wilton Crescent, or what is known today as Dundas St E. Behind the fence on the left was once the site of The Belmont, a private boarding house. In the distance on the right is All Saints Church, which was built in 1874.
In the present-day photo, the building on the left was once home to George’s Spaghetti House and later True Love Café. After 150 years, All Saints Church is still serving the community and today is known as All Saints Church-Community Centre (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 50)
Also known as Lake Devo, the square features a large reflecting pool which transforms into an ice skating rink during the cooler months. Large Precambrian boulders from the Muskoka region’s Canadian Shield are scattered in and around the pool. Devonian Square’s name originates from the foundation that donated the project’s principal funds.
The building in the background on the right is TMU’s School of Image Arts, and the other building is Kerr Hall (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 495b, Item 28)
The archive photo shows the Hotel Ford, the tall building in the distance. Built in 1927/28, during its first year, Hotel Ford was the best hotel in the city until the Royal York Hotel opened. Hotel Ford was torn down in 1974.
Notice Roger’s store in the left foreground of the present-day photo. The building was constructed in 1949 for the Bank of Nova Scotia and received heritage status from the city in 2007 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 7304)
In the centre-right of the photos, notice the King Edward Hotel. Built in 1903 for $3 million, the hotel was named after King Edward VII (1841-1910) and designed by architects EJ Lennox of Toronto and Henry Ives Cobb of Chicago in the Edwardian Baroque/Late Victorian style.
The grand hotel was saved from demolition and added to the city’s heritage register in the 1970s. Over the years, the hotel has undergone renovations, with the most recent one taking place from 2013-2015, when it was relaunched as the Omni King Edward Hotel (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 7345)
The four-storey, red brick Eclectic Victorian-style structure was constructed in 1891/92 as the offices and halls for merchants John and George Reid of the Reid Lumber Company. Its angled entrance features a decorative cast iron column. The prominent corner building was listed on Heritage Toronto’s initial induction list in 1973 and today houses italinteriors.
The glass structure behind the Reid Lumber Company building in the present-day photo is the Globe and Mail Centre (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 52, ID 27)
The archive photo shows TTC streetcar tracks being laid at the intersection. The photo was captured by the TTC’s official photographer, Alfred Pearson, who documented the Toronto Transit Commission’s buildings, rolling stock, and projects from 1922 until 1944 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 2060)
In the archive photo on the left is the TTC Roncesvalles Carhouse, a storage and maintenance facility for streetcars. Next to it is the Sunnyside Bus Terminal, which opened in the mid-1930s. Grey Coach Bus Lines operated out of the terminal; the building also featured the B & G Coffee Shop Milk Bar. On the right in the vintage photo is the Edgewater Hotel, which opened in 1939. In later years, the hotel became the Royal Princess, a Days Inn, and then Howard Johnson.
Today, the former bus terminal is a McDonald’s restaurant, and since 2020, the hotel has been Hotel Shelter in partnership with the City of Toronto (Library and Archives Canada PA-054693)
Devonian Square, a part of what was known then as Ryerson Community Park, opened on October 13, 1978. Massive Precambrian boulders from the Muskoka region’s Canadian Shield are strewn about the “Lake Devo” pool. The square’s name originates from The Devonian Foundation of Calgary, which donated the principal funds for the project.
Also, notice the CN Tower visible in the background of the archive photo (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 495b, Item 14)
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist widely regarded as Scotland’s national poet. He was born on January 25, 1759, and died on July 21, 1796, at the age of 37. The sculpture was created by Edinburgh artist David Watson Stevenson and unveiled in 1902 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 97)
The archive photo shows the Lombard Street City Morgue in the left foreground, which was in use from 1908 until 1975. Visible in the background is the top of the historic Lombard Street Fire Hall tower (with the Canadian Flag).
There are plans to construct a mixed-use development called 100 Lombard at the site. As per the proposal, the old morgue building would be relocated about 35 m east and positioned directly next to the former fire hall at 110 Lombard St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 61, Item 56)
Behind the 22 limestone columns are the principal entrances to Union Station. The Beaux-Arts-style building became a National Historic Site of Canada in 1975.
The archive photo shows the sign for the York Pioneer Tavern on the right. The 80-seat lounge opened in 1960, and the following year, it became the first railway station lounge in Ontario to serve liquor (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 2, ID 117)
Commonly known as the Bloor Viaduct, it connects Bloor St E with Danforth Ave. The bridge was constructed between 1915 and 1918 and named after Prince Edward, who later became King Edward VIII (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1488, Series 1230, Item 4997)
The upper archive photo shows The Coffin Block. It was built in the 1830s, designed by architect John Ewart and became known as The Coffin Block due to its resemblance to a coffin.
George Gooderham of Gooderham & Worts Limited wanted to move the company’s corporate head office from the liquor distillery site at Trinity St and Mill St to what was then the financial centre of Toronto, in the St Lawrence area. So, in 1891, The Coffin Block was torn down to make way for the Gooderham Building, designed by architect David Roberts Jr and completed in 1892. At the time, it was the most expensive office building in the city, and today, it is one of Toronto’s most iconic and photographed structures (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 7335 & Toronto Public Library R-6249)
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Oct 13, 1978, pg A3 (Devonian Square)
- Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Jul 27, 2006, pg R2 (Devonian Square)
- On The Record: No Stone Unturned: The History of Lake Devo’s Rocks (Devonian Square)
- Heritage Toronto: Gooderham “Flatiron” Building 1892 plaque
- City of Toronto Archives: Fonds 16, Series 71 (Roncesvalles Ave & Queen St W, northeast corner)
- National Historic Persons of Canada: Thornton and Lucie Blackburn
- Ontario Heritage Trust: 1040 Queen St W
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library, Archives of Ontario, CNE Heritage & Canadian National Exhibition Association Archives
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
