Looking northwest on Queen St E from Jarvis St, in the Garden District neighbourhood of Toronto.
In the archive photo, the building on the right is a set of eight three-storey brick commercial structures located at 100-114 Queen St E, known as Mussen Terrace. These buildings were constructed between 1886 and 1887. The four-storey building in the distance, featuring an arched window at the top, is known as the Bigley Building and was built in 1889. Both of these heritage-designated buildings remain standing today and are visible in the present-day photo. A portion of Mussen Terrace, along with the Bigley Building, are being incorporated into a 34-storey mixed-use development called Queen Central Condominiums.
The vintage photo also features two other noteworthy structures. The first is the tower of Cooke’s Presbyterian Church, visible in the background. This church was built in the early 1890s but was demolished in 1984, and a parking lot replaced it. The second is the two-storey building in the left foreground. It was constructed in 1837 by Mr John Kidd; however, it has long since been torn down.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register:
- City of Toronto: Inclusion on the Heritage Register: 3 Mutual St, 98, 100, 102 and 104 Queen St E, report dated Aug 7, 2020
- Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Mar 22, 1984, pg M2 (Cooke’s Presbyterian Church, northwest corner of Queen St E & Jarvis St)
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: Toronto Public Library
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
