Looking northeast towards the Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse, located between Lake Shore Blvd W and Fleet St west of Bathurst St in Toronto’s Niagara neighbourhood.
The lighthouse, affectionately known as Little Red, was built in 1861 and designed by architect Kivas Tully. It was originally located on Queen’s Wharf, which was situated at the original foot of Bathurst St. The lighthouse remained in service until 1911.
In 1929, to prevent its demolition during lake filling, Little Red was carefully relocated using wooden rollers and moved to its current position, approximately 450 meters west of its original site. The archive photo, taken two years after the move, shows a horse-drawn snowplow heading west, passing in front of Little Red.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 651 Fleet St
- Heritage Toronto plaque
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jun 26, 1861, pg 1
- Lighthouse Friends: Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse
- Landmarks of Toronto: Volume 5 by J Ross Robertson (1908), pgs 45
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- Vintage Photo: Toronto Public Library
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
