According to the 1930 Toronto City Directory, a few of the establishments in the archive photo from right to left include Darling Ladies Wear, W J Bolus Wall Paper, Imperial Trunk & Leather Goods and Rod-Weir Ltd Mens Clothing (City of Toronto Archives, William James Family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 7340)
The archive photo shows White Rose Car Wash is visible on the left, and on the right is Tamblyn Drugs, which was once Canada’s largest drugstore chain, operating over 130 stores across the country. In both photos, Our Lady of Sorrows Church can be seen in the distance (City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 7957)
The archive photo shows a postal pillar box (mailbox) displaying advertisements for Patterson’s Chocolates and the Whirlwind Carpet Cleaning Company.
The building in the background of the vintage photo is the former Elliott House, which was later called the Carson Hotel. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1961, and the site became a parking lot. Today, the corner is occupied by a mixed-use building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 978 – Dept. of Public Works photographs)
The archive photos feature the former Elliott House Hotel, which was built in the late 1880s for John Elliott and designed by architect Harry Crewe. In 1960, the building was renamed the Hotel Carson, but it was destroyed by fire the following year. Afterward, the site was converted into a parking lot. Today, the corner is occupied by a mixed-use building (Toronto Public Library Pictures-R-3633)
The archive photo shows a band in front of the hotel during the Shriners’ International Convention, along with the streetcar tracks that used to run along Front St W.
The hotel, completed in 1929, is an opulent Chateau-style building designed by the architectural firms Sproatt & Rolph from Toronto and Ross & Macdonald from Montreal. It opened as the Royal York Hotel and became the crown jewel among the hotels owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway (City of Toronto Archives, William James Family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 2185)
In February 1951, the theatre opened as the Savoy and was a part of the Biltmore chain. It had 700+ seats and was known for playing double features. The Odeon chain leased the theatre, and on January 1, 1964, the theatre played its first movie under its new name, the Coronet. It was a second-run movie house. In 1978, Odeon sold the theatre, and it changed hands several times over the next five years. For just $3.50, patrons could watch four movies.
The Coronet closed in February 1983, and the building was converted into a jewellery exchange and commercial space. As of 2025, the building is vacant, and there are plans for a mixed-use development at the site (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 620, Item 16 – Avard Woolaver photographer)
The archive photo shows the York Pioneers aboard an old-fashioned wagon pulled by a pair of oxen. The group of men were heading to Exhibition grounds to reconstruct the Scadding Cabin, which had been dismantled from its original location on the east side of the Don River, south of present-day Queen St E. The wagon is parked next to William Rennie’s Seed Store, a fellow York Pioneer.
The Lewis Building still stands today, though the two-story building on the right no longer exists. The Scadding Cabin continues to be owned and maintained by the York Pioneer and Historical Society at Exhibition Place (Library and Archives Canada PA-066800 – David C Ferguson photographer)
The archive photo shows when the Church of Scientology of Toronto and The Brother’s Restaurant occupied the building.
Over the years, the building has housed the offices of various companies, including several insurance and investment firms. It was later listed as the Diamond Building in the Toronto City Directory. In 1979, the Church of Scientology purchased the building for its headquarters in Toronto. However, the organization closed the building in 2013.
In 2016, 696 Yonge St, which was built in the International architectural style, was listed on the city’s heritage register as part of the Historic Yonge Street Heritage Conservation District (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 620, Item 53 – Avard Woolaver photographer)
The archive photo shows a house on the corner covered in advertisements. This two-story frame house was built in 1827 by W.H. Doel, who also constructed another frame structure for a brewery on the north side of his home. It was one of the early breweries in York and was known for producing good beer until it burned down in the late 1840s.
Around 1924, the old house was demolished, and in 1925, the Northern Ontario Building, designed by architects Chapman & Oxley, was constructed at the site. The Northern Ontario Building at 330 Bay St, was listed on the city’s heritage register in 1976 (City of Toronto Archives, William James Family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 335)
The archive photo shows the former British Hotel situated directly at the corner. Historical records from the Toronto City Directory show that the hotel was first listed in 1864 and last recorded in 1909.
The hotel was replaced by the Aladdin/King Simcoe Building around 1920. This building was later demolished, and a parking lot took its place in 1972. Since 1985, the block has been occupied by a 25-storey office tower known as 200 King St W (City of Toronto Archives, William James Family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 525)
A few of the establishments in the archive photo from left to right include Smiling Faces Unisex Hair Design, Canak Fashions, Swiss Watch Shop, Tranquility Bay, Cine Books and Stella Nova Passports (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 2, Item 39)
The archive photo shows a natural ice rink where temperatures were low enough for the water to freeze (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 429, Item 32 – Urban Design photographs)
The archive photo shows the Gayety Theatre, the second building on the right. The Toronto City Directory has the Gayety Theatre first listed in the 1908 publication and last recorded in 1928 (City of Toronto Archives, William James family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 7384)
The archival photo features an arch on Bay St, created for the royal tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. On the left, you can see the former Temple Building (of the Independent Order of Foresters), while both images also show the clock tower of Old City Hall in the background (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 197 – James Victor Salmon photographer)
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 (Toronto Public Library B13-26)
The right side of the archive photo shows Grand & Toy in the foreground, while Aikenhead Hardware Company is visible in the distance. The image’s left side features the Simpson’s Department Store parking garage, which has since been replaced by the Bay Adelaide Centre North Tower (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 605, Item 9 – Urban Design photographs)
The corner building shown in the archive photo was built between 1907 and 1908 and was designed by architect E.J. Lennox. It initially served as a store, warehouse, and office space for Hobberlin Bros. & Company, a tailoring business.
According to the 1932 Toronto City Directory, when the old photo was taken, some of the establishments visible from left to right include L. J. Applegath & Sons Ltd (hatters), Honey Dew Coffee Shop, Women’s Bakery, and Owens & Elmes Ltd (shoes). In the background, on the left, the Tivoli Theatre is also visible.
The corner building was demolished in the mid-1980s, and today, the site is occupied by the Yonge Richmond Centre, located at 151 Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Strathy Smith fonds, Fonds 1128, Series 380, Item 346)
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 696 Yonge St
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Aug 2, 1924, pg 13 (Bay St & Temperance St, southeast corner)
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: Sep 10, 1924, pg 3 (Bay St & Temperance St, southeast corner)
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: Mar 16, 1926, pg 2 (Bay St & Temperance St, southeast corner)
- Landmarks of Toronto: Volume 1 by J Ross Robertson (1894), pgs 51 (Bay St & Adelaide St W, northwest corner)
- Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Jan 25, 2013, pg GT3 (696 Yonge St)
- Landmarks of Toronto: Volume 1 by J Ross Robertson (York Pioneers)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Dec 31, 1963, pg 9 (Coronet Theatre)
- Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Aug 6, 1983, pg F3 (Coronet Theatre)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jan 5, 1984, pg L3 (Coronet Theatre)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Dec 6, 1887, pg 5 (Elliott House)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Feb 1, 1961, pg 1 (Elliott House)
- York Pioneer and Historical Society
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library, Archives of Ontario & CNE Heritage
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
