UrbanToronto has partnered with Heritage Toronto to capture a moment in Toronto's past. On a weekly basis, we highlight historic photos of the city's people, places and events, and tell the stories behind them.

The opening of the Canadian National Exhibition is only days away. This longstanding tradition began in 1879 as the Toronto Industrial Exhibition. Renamed in 1912 as the Canadian National Exhibition, the “Ex” has evolved into the largest exhibition in Canada and among the largest in North America. It takes place on 192 acres of property at Exhibition Place on the lakefront.

At the time of this photo in 1907, the exhibition was still known as the Toronto Industrial Exhibition. Dignitaries in their finest attire stand awaiting its opening. In the corner of the photo is the Scadding Cabin, a small building with an incredible history. The cabin was built in 1794 by John Scadding, the manager of the future Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe's estate in Devonshire. Scadding relocated to York (Toronto) in 1793 and was given some 250 acres east of the Don River, near the juncture of Queen Street and the Don Valley Parkway.

In 1794, Scadding built a log cabin in this area but relocated to England soon after. He came back to York and sold it to a William Smith Junior. Smith sold the building to the York Pioneer and Historical Society who, along with the founders of the Exhibition moved the building westward to the grounds of the Toronto Industrial Exhibition to celebrate its inauguration in 1879.

The Scadding Cabin is today one of Toronto's oldest and significant historic sites. It is among a handful of structures built in the 18th century that remain and holds the title of Toronto's oldest house. It was named after John Scadding's son, Henry, a well known historian and clergyman.

Sources:

http://theex.com/about-the-cne/our-past-present/#to-learn-more-about-cne-history

http://torontohistory.org/Pages_STU/Scadding_Cabin.html

Many thanks to both Gary Switzer of MOD Developments and Maya Bilbao for putting together the photos and research.