Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[adma]

1939:

Twilight for the Yorkville Town Hall, then.

Oh, and the south half of the "Wines" building on the right still stands--only this past week I found myself bemused by its remaining double-sloped mansard; it makes much more sense as a two-unit...

 

[Goldie]

Some absolutely amazing examples of "Then & Now" historical photography will be found by browsing this page:

http://www.phsc.ca/Maciejewski.html

 

[Mustapha]

August 1 addition.



Not a location but a thing - a horse water trough.

This is across the street from St. Lawrence Hall on King street. I wonder if it is original?

 

[reetdoontoon]

the classic spadina trrough pic... always a great filey
"then and now" moment....perhaps the best

 

[adma]

This is across the street from St. Lawrence Hall on King street. I wonder if it is original?

I think it might be, if it's the same one that used to stand on the E side of St Lawrence Hall on Jarvis. (And if that wasn't original, it would've been a Centennial-era recreation.)

 

[Goldie]

Beautiful artifact!
There's no reason to doubt authenticity, is there?

 

[adma]

Maybe if it got damaged in transport and they surreptitiously substituted a replica. (Just arbitrary conspiracy-theory paranoia there.)

 

[Mustapha]

Beautiful artifact!
There's no reason to doubt authenticity, is there?

Maybe if it got damaged in transport and they surreptitiously substituted a replica. (Just arbitrary conspiracy-theory paranoia there.)

I simply don't know which one of you to believe.

Strange thing about that horse trough on King street is there is a trickle of water into it; it's hooked up to the water supply. I suppose someone from parks department comes along before freezing weather and shuts it off. One wonders why?





August 2 addition.



Sydenham street. This is now called Shuter street. Looking east. River street is in the distance. May 23 1952.

Our school is now called Nelson Mandela Public School (originally Park Public School). It serves the Regent park area.

Another old view.

Our Nelson Mandela Public School is simply massive in scale.

thecharioteer, wwwebster and Anna: great discourse on Yonge and Grenville.


thedeepend: wonderful Esplanade and Berkeley street Then and Now.


goldie: That packed dirt Kingston Road - one feels for our ancestors - it must have been a 1/2 day journey into downtown Toronto from them parts.

 

[Goldie]

regarding water troughs

A further thought on those water troughs: - the old one on Spadina and the current one on King E.
Is it possible that the public drinking fountain on the backside is operational, and accounts for the water seepage?
If so, it may be the only public drinking fountain remaining on a Toronto street.
Although a few are to be found in public parks, I see none on the streets where once there were many.

 

[LowPolygon]

Beautiful artifact!
There's no reason to doubt authenticity, is there?

it is slightly less detailed than the one pictured in the earlier photo. seems to be missing a top crown element, and the panels flanking the large basin also look to be of a slightly simpler shape. finally, the small bowl has ornamental detailing that the new one doesn't have. it could just be pieces missing, replacement parts etc.; but could also mean that its a replica. its also possible it is also a 19th century drinking fountain, but not the exact same one that used to be installed at Spadina and College.

 

[Goldie]

Good points, thedeepend.
Of course, I'd be very surprised if this is the same trough that once was on Spadina.
I can remember when there were many of these troughs on Toronto streets - late 1930s, 1940s.
In those days we saw bread and milk being delivered to homes by horse-drawn wagons.

I'm curious to know if, today, one can get a drink from the one on King.

 

[Anna]

Sydenham street. This is now called Shuter street. Looking east. River street is in the distance. May 23 1952.

That's probably Sumach street in the distance. The Shuter connection to River, the Sumach disconnection at Shuter (and the Sydenham connection to Shuter?) probably happened when Regent Park was built.

And as far as horse troughs are concerned, I'd like to see a replica of this one:

rather than this one:

p.s. I wondered if that bottom bit was for dogs. This is what the Archives says about the picture of the one at Spadina and College

Commissioned by the City Engineer and taken by F.W. Micklethwaite, this photograph shows a drinking fountain just south of the Spadina Circle. These drinking fountains were commonplace in Toronto in the late nineteenth century, with a trough for horses, a common cup for people and even a basin for dogs! The Health department later deemed them a public health hazard and replaced them. One remains on King Street East near St. James Cathedral.

 

[junctionist]

And as far as horse troughs are concerned, I'd like to see a replica of this one:

Yeah, I wish that it had been preserved. Still, I was surprised to see one still on the streets.

 

[Mustapha]

August 3 addition.



Then. North Toronto Collegiate. Circa "192-" according to the Toronto Archive picture notation.

Now. The "new" school is coming along nicely.

Whole story here:

http://ntci.on.ca/d/rebuild

 

[GenerationW]

Sydenham street. This is now called Shuter street. Looking east. River street is in the distance. May 23 1952.

When my parents came to Canada, they lived on Sydenham (with a boatload of other family members) for a few years in the 50's.