Evocative Images of Lost Toronto

[thecharioteer]

Like a form of early photoshop, some damaged prints/negatives have produced some interesting results;

Allan Gardens 1912:

Richmond Stret West (from the roof of Simpson's 1924):

Dental clinic 1925:

Visit of Princess Margaret 1958:

 

[LowPolygon]

Like a form of early photoshop, some damaged prints/negatives have produced some interesting results;

Allan Gardens 1912:

Richmond Stret West (from the roof of Simpson's 1924):

Dental clinic 1925:

Visit of Princess Margaret 1958:

those are very spooky--especially the third one. there is always something vaguely menacing about these kinds of distressed images--as if the medium of the photograph has come to life, and is slowly consuming the subject of the photograph....

 

[W. K. Lis]

In the 1960's, there was a lot of work done in cleaning building exteriors. That was because the use of coal was the main source of heating in Toronto homes and businesses until the 1950's. I remember my father having to shovel coal into the furnace in winter, and dispose of the ashes. By that time, there was a conversion going on from coal to oil or natural gas. It generally was keeping the furnace, but installing a burner for the oil or natural gas.

With the conversion, the air generally got cleaner, but the soot on the buildings remained behind. Sand blasting, water blasting, and painting was the projects going around Toronto.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

The residue ash was sometymes used as a slippery sidewalk reducer rather than salt which tended to kill the grass/shrubery.

On gravity hot air systems, it usuall meant ridding the basement of the "octopus", named that due to the large round ducts from

it to each register at the floor. The cold air return was also at floor level; hot air rises, cold air falls. Due to the fact that a coal

fired furnace continues to burn down, + not "on/off", it gave a smooth luxurious heat, one only had to "put a little more coal",

to keep things just "hunkey-dory".

More face brick/ stonework has been destroyed by sandblast than I care to think about. Eg: The Dominion Hotel as well as

the former hotel S/E corner King + Sherbourne Streets.

Regards,
J T

 

[W. K. Lis]

You can see the soot on this photo of the Royal York Hotel.

 

[thecharioteer]

One also wonders how many of the major buildings demolished during the 50's to 70's blitz (Temple Building, Freehold Loan Building, Front/Yonge/Wellington/Church blocks) would have survived if they just simply looked better. I remember the suprise many people felt when the Provincial Legislature was cleaned and seemed to turn pink almost overnight. Most older buildings at the time, whether they were yellow brick, grey limestone or pink sandstone all had that uniform brown/black look:

 

[nancon]

thank you Charioteer! speaking of Monet---that's a fine painting of the Dundas Street bridge.

i was actually unaware of this artist's story. i've always loved that insanely great house in Riverdale (i am SO jealous of whoever lives there) but never knew the backstory....

he seems to be an important part of the unwritten history of Bohemianism in Toronto.

I am also a big fan of that gorgeous home of Owen Staples. I don't know if you've ever seen the wonderful exterior and interior photos (including his studio) from the Toronto Public Library site? I am attaching the photos here for all of our pleasure.

 

[junctionist]

One also wonders how many of the major buildings demolished during the 50's to 70's blitz (Temple Building, Freehold Loan Building, Front/Yonge/Wellington/Church blocks) would have survived if they just simply looked better. I remember the suprise many people felt when the Provincial Legislature was cleaned and seemed to turn pink almost overnight. Most older buildings at the time, whether they were yellow brick, grey limestone or pink sandstone all had that uniform brown/black look:

It was especially unfortunate for buildings with facades made up of different materials chosen for their variations in colour tone. Old City Hall, for instance, uses a different colour of stone for accentuation and certain carved details. The effect is beautiful.

A group of people who were in favour of saving Old City Hall once cleaned a part of the facade, revealing the rich tones. Apparently, they felt that revealing those details would help people realize that a building of this quality shouldn't be demolished. Of course, they were right.

 

[thecharioteer]

It was especially unfortunate for buildings with facades made up of different materials chosen for their variations in colour tone. Old City Hall, for instance, uses a different colour of stone for accentuation and certain carved details. The effect is beautiful.

A group of people who were in favour of saving Old City Hall once cleaned a part of the facade, revealing the rich tones. Apparently, they felt that revealing those details would help people realize that a building of this quality shouldn't be demolished. Of course, they were right.

From the Toronto Star archives:

"Caption: Save-the-Old City Hall adherents floodlit the west side of the building and began scrubbing off the grime with water and detergents. As the crowds began to investigate, others handed out appeals for support to retain the downtown landmark. Last Published: 6/24/1966
Release: NOT RELEASED
Photographer: Frank Lennon/GetStock.com

 

[junctionist]

That photo is a great find, thecharioteer! Thanks for posting it.

 

[Edward Skira]

Today is the Sony Centre's 50th anniversary. I know we had a posting in one of these threads that contained a lot of opening night shots. I found these two but I know we had way more.

http://urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?11018-Evocative-Images-of-Lost-Toronto&p=360015#post360015

Can anybody find them for me?

 

[Anna]

http://urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?6947-Miscellany-Toronto-Then-Now&p=343515#post343515

There are 66 photos on the Toronto Archives website - search for 'O'Keefe Centre Opening'
http://gencat8.eloquent-systems.com...04&bCachable=1&MenuName=Public+Keyword+Search

 

[LowPolygon]

.

 

[thecharioteer]

Libraries: walls of books, natural light, art, places to read......

Probably the finest "private" library in Toronto is at Osgoode Hall:

Other places (sorry, deepend for leaving Toronto for a moment!):

Baltimore (The Peabody):

Boston:

Paris (Bibliotehque Ste-Genevieve):

New York:

London (British Museum Reading Room):

 

[LowPolygon]

Libraries: walls of books, natural light, art, places to read......

Ahhh, London.......

the famed Reading Room is completely intact, but of course its now a museum--having been shuttered as a library in 1997 when the British Library began its move to Kings Cross...

and speaking of natural light, to enter the Reading Room these days is to pass through Norman Foster's gorgeous Great Court.

"The central quadrangle of the British Museum in London was redeveloped to become the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, commonly referred to simply as the Great Court, during the late 1990s. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. The court has a tessellated glass roof by Foster and Partners (Architects) and Buro Happold (Engineers) covering the entire court and surrounds the original circular British Museum Reading Room in the centre, now a museum. It is the largest covered square in Europe. The glass and steel roof is made up of 1,656 pairs of glass windowpanes; each of a unique shape because of the undulating nature of the roof."