Evocative Images of Lost Toronto

[thecharioteer]

Yonge Street, west side north of Queen, 1872. Nine years later, in 1883, Timothy Eaton moved his store up to #190. Photo from the TPL.

And grew and grew:

 

[Goldie]

View attachment 59770

Excellent series, charioteer!

There must be an interesting story to be told regarding the old building at the N/W corner of Queen & Yonge.

Why was it never acquired by Eaton's? --- Or was it?

 

[adma]

I believe there was some covenant that prevented the site from being acquired.

 

[Goldie]

It should be highlighted as a rare and little-noticed remnant of Toronto's past.

 

[Goldie]

City aerial photo - c.1930s

 

[thecharioteer]

I believe there was some covenant that prevented the site from being acquired.

Mike Filey makes reference to the corner being owned by McMaster University as a result of a donation from the Bilton family:

"For sure, all the shops on the west side of Yonge from Dundas to Queen would go except for the old Woolworth store at the Yonge and Queen corner. That wasn’t because of any historical significance. No, it was because the site was owned by McMaster University as a result of an ancient will drawn up by a member of the Bilton family who didn’t like Timothy Eaton very much." http://www.zoomerradio.ca/news/mike-filey-toronto-eaton-centre-opening/

I always thought that it was particularly the old Reitmans store that was subject to the covenant, that somehow Cadillac-Fairview managed to overcome. I suspect that even ten years later, this Victorian confection of a façade would have been preserved:

 

[thecharioteer]

Yonge Queen 1958:

 

[thecharioteer]

Yonge Queen 1920 (the Reitman façade intact, prior to the rebuilding of Eaton's):

 

[Goldie]

That Reitman's facade was certainly unique - worth preserving even more-so than Woolworth's.

 

[adma]

Though it was modest, and had its lower floors disfigured. (Or *was* it such a disfigurement? Pre-Reitmans-sign, it looks to have been an intriguing bit of midcentury retail frontage...)

 

[Goldie]

A dark and gritty image looking N. from the waterfront (c.1920?).
Highlighted by steam from locomotives.
Four mist-shrouded buildings appear to be, (l. to r.) Royal York Hotel, Board of Trade Bldg., King Edward Hotel, St. James Cathedral

 

[adma]

Four mist-shrouded buildings appear to be, (l. to r.) Royal York Hotel, Board of Trade Bldg., King Edward Hotel, St. James Cathedral

The Royal York wasn't around yet c1920--that's actually the Yonge + King skyscraper cluster (Dominion, Royal, CP, Traders)

 

[Goldie]

Thanks adma. I should have known.

 

[Koolgreen]

does that north south and diagonal road still exist?

 

[donoreo]

does that north south and diagonal road still exist?

No. That was a temporary bridge built for Bay Street while the subway under the railway berm was being built.