Historic photos from Toronto on this day

[ReiwaMagi]

May 23:

Nice Photo of 3018. Too bad this one (the last Large Witt built) was sent to the scrappers torch..

 

[PatHIverson]

These pictures are priceless, each and every one of them.. Thank you all for sharing..

 

[thecharioteer]

The old Board of Trade Building at Front & Yonge, when it was the headquarters of the TTC:

 

[ReiwaMagi]

The old Board of Trade Building at Front & Yonge, when it was the headquarters of the TTC:

And too bad it was demolished because it was in a decrepit state.

 

[adma]

And too bad it was demolished because it was in a decrepit state.

Though given how unfashionable such "late Victorian eyesore" architecture was half a century ago, and given the high-minded plans for a cultural forum, I don't think "decrepit state" would have been anything more than an easy, trumped-up alibi...

 

[seemsartless]

Thanks for the help with the photos! Interesting to see the ad for Hanlan's Point on the front of the streetcar. I'll go back a bit...

May 22nd: There are a lot of photos from the 22nd, you can see them all here.

We've already seen Men working on the streetcar tracks at Dundas and McCaul West in 1913, and Patients taking the ferry to Lakeside home on Toronto Island on S.S. John Hanlan in 1928.

Here's a photo from 1913 of row houses at 2-34 Stewart Street:

We can also check in on the completed Rosedale Loop on Sherbourne, 85 years ago, in 1925. You might recall the construction photos from about a month ago, on April 24th and April 30th.

And as if THAT wasn't enough, there is also an interesting set of photos of the St. Clair Reservoir construction in 1930:

(See the page of May 22nd historic photos for the links to the full size photos. )

Finally for the 22nd, we'll jump to King St. east in 1988 looking north-west, from Sumach St.:

 

[thecharioteer]

Great pics, as usual! Wonder what the "tower" is referred to in the St. Clair photos.

 

[seemsartless]

Wonder what the "tower" is referred to in the St. Clair photos.

I wonder too, I assume it was a temporary tower built to monitor the construction, maybe even a crane? I tried to find shadows in the photos to provide some hint, but nothing I could see. If I had a computer from a TV show I'd zoom in on the reflection in the window of the houses across the street to get a clear image....

May 25th: Two photos today, from along Dundas Ave east, called Wilton, back in 1911, 99 years ago. We've been to this same corner in 1913 to see them tearing down the building on the south-west corner at Church Street.

Then further east, to Jarvis:

 

[wwwebster]

“Tower†probably refers to this contraption:

https://gencat4.eloquent-systems.co...esource/ser372/ss0065/s0372_ss0065_it0102.jpg

 

[seemsartless]

“Tower†probably refers to this contraption:

Ah, thanks, you're right!

May 26th: A couple of good photos for the crazy heat-wave we're having this year. First to Toronto Island and a single span bridge at Centre Island with a canoe docked, in 1911, 99 years ago:

Then, no day would be complete without a streetcar construction photo, this time on King St. east of Strachan Ave in 1916. There are a few historic photos from this intersection, but I'm not sure which way we're facing, or what the tower in the distance is:

Back to the heat wave, here are two Polar bear cubs by their 'pond', in the Riverdale Zoo back in 1926:

(As always, the links to the City of Toronto Archives for these photos, and the map locations, are available on the May 26th Historic Photos page.)

 

[seemsartless]

May 27th: We start 107 years ago in Queens Park on Wednesday, May 27, 1903 and the recently unveiled Queen Victoria Monument:

Then a bit north-west, to 1925, for a South-east view of the Memorial Tower, University of Toronto:

Finally, to some entertainment! Olympian athlete and actor Buster Crabbe poses with 2 women in the Water Follies, Maple Leaf Gardens, in 1941:

From his Wikipedia article - he is the only actor who played Tarzan, Flash Gordon, and Buck Rogers — the top three comic strip heroes of the 1930s.

(See the Toronto Archives links and map locations on the Historic Toronto Photos page for May 27th. )

 

[seemsartless]

May 28th: We start back in 1915, with construction on Bloor Street - 95 years ago it was widening at Jarvis Street:

Then three years later in 1918, at a very specific time: 3:56PM and the Fire Hall tower on the C. N. E. grounds:

And finally to 1938 and the W. York Laundry at 390 Church Street just south of Carlton:

Links to the City of Toronto Archives records for these photos, as well as their locations, are available on the May 28th Historic Toronto photos page.

 

[seemsartless]

May 29th: Another rather working-class set of photos today, from 58 years ago in 1952, down in Leslieville at 330 Carlaw Avenue:

I like the face drawn to the left of the centre chimney.

If you'd really like to see the other two photos full size, or the exact location, check out the links on the May 29th Historic Toronto photos page.

 

[seemsartless]

May 30th: (Tough to keep up when the weather is so wonderful out!) 6 photos here from 1919, 91 years ago, along Spadina, south from College. I'm not sure exactly where all these photos were taken along Spadina, but there are a lot of trees!

And then for something totally different... Dundas and Bond Street looking west to Yonge Street, in 1923, 87 years ago:

To see all the City of Toronto Archives photos, take a look at the May 30th List of Historic Photos page.

 

[MattB]

I'm not sure of the location of the first Spadina photo. The second one is the corner of Nassau and Spadina, looking south. I lived over the corner store for a number of years.