Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Blovertis]

The four Then and Now picture sets dealing with the 1901 Pan American Exposition are cool. Amazing to think that such a large worlds fair happened in our dear neighbour Buffalo so long ago.

Also the site of the "forgotten" presidential assassination -- William McKinley.

 

[FAC33]

Also the site of the "forgotten" presidential assassination -- William McKinley.

It's often forgotten that Buffalo in the early 20th century was a major hub, a rival to Detroit and Chicago, with similar ambitions. Like Detroit, it even had an automotive industry. Buffalonian friends like to joke that the McKinley assassination was the beginning of its run of bad luck.

It still has quite a few surviving architectural treasures, including four Frank Llloyd Wright houses within the city limits (and another not far away), a Sullivan skyscraper, and some lovely Deco towers, along with Olmsted-designed parks (alas, the groundbreaking Larkin Building did not survive). I've taken friends there who have only ever seen the rather downtrodden spots who are stunned to see whole intact neighbourhoods of historic houses close to the downtown core.

 

[Mustapha]

Then and Now for September 27, 2012.



Then. 1872 to 1929. Toronto Fire Department Station #3.

Now. May 2012. The tower is still there; beautifully refurbished a few years ago. Why it's even still there defies belief. And someone spending money on it... let's just say it's not the Lalani Group. I took a night picture just to diversify things a bit; this is a nice looking stretch of Yonge at night with the tower light up like that...

 

[k10ery]

May I horn in with a then and now of my own? If you're interested in the interiors of those Rosedale mansions Moose was posting a few months ago, it is a nice one.

131 South Drive, Rosedale has been in the same family since 1905 and is now for sale.

Still pretty much the same on the outside ...

... and on the inside ...

More photos at http://themashcanada.blogspot.ca/2012/09/131-south-drive-rosedale.html

The current owner is probably Judge George Hachborn, most famous for legalizing lap dancing in Ontario, and namesake of the "Hachborn Room" formerly down at Fillmores!

 

[Mustapha]

May I horn in with a then and now of my own? If you're interested in the interiors of those Rosedale mansions Moose was posting a few months ago, it is a nice one.

131 South Drive, Rosedale has been in the same family since 1905 and is now for sale.

Still pretty much the same on the outside ...

... and on the inside ...

More photos at http://themashcanada.blogspot.ca/2012/09/131-south-drive-rosedale.html

The current owner is probably Judge George Hachborn, most famous for legalizing lap dancing in Ontario, and namesake of the "Hachborn Room" formerly down at Fillmores!

Fascinating, a home with so much character. Many will see the oldness of the place (radiators, window air conditioners); I see patina. It is effortlessly furnished in a bygone days style, reflecting the owners casualness but care.

Thanks k10ery; a great link and research.

 

[Mustapha]

Then and Now for September 28, 2012.



Then. Simpsons store. Yonge and Queen streets SW corner. Opened in 1895. It was open for only three months before its destruction by fire.

Three months later.

Now. May 2012. The Bay Store.

 

[Goldie]

Then and Now for September 28, 2012.



Then. Simpsons store. Yonge and Queen streets SW corner. Opened in 1895. It was open for only three months before its destruction by fire.

Interesting to see that church at the site of today's pedestrian overpass on Queen St.
The name of the church please - anyone?

 

[k10ery]

Knox Presbyterian. They were careful not to build so high the next time.

 

[k10ery]

Fascinating, a home with so much character. Many will see the oldness of the place (radiators, window air conditioners); I see patina. It is effortlessly furnished in a bygone days style, reflecting the owners casualness but care.

Thanks k10ery; a great link and research.

I especially like the light switches. Even the one on the ceiling!

 

[wwwebster]

Yonge and Queen streets SW corner.

An earlier view, by C. W. Jefferies:

from:

http://archive.org/details/evolutionofcanad00jeffuoft

And even earlier, same artist:

from:

http://archive.org/details/goldenjubilee18600teatuoft

 

[wwwebster]

The state of ownership circa 1955 can be seen on this interesting map:

http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/datapub/digital/business4.jpg

I wonder who Ann E. Harris was, and why she owned 172 Yonge.

 

[Goldie]

Thanks for the identification, k10ery (Knox Presbyterian).
And thanks to JT for the mention of a "perpetual lease" from said church.
Has there ever been another 'perpetual lease' in Toronto? Must be rare!
The name C. L. Burton reminded me of this photo
- The Burton family store in Green River, Ont., 1882.

 

[wwwebster]

Has there ever been another 'perpetual lease' in Toronto?

Queen's Park:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/999-year_lease

 

[r937]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/999-year_lease

from that same wikipedia page, the O&Q railway 999-year lease to CP

created a big deal when developers wanted to build a bridge over the abandoned Don Branch line (that runs over the "half-mile" bridge beside the Evergreen Brick Works) to service the new exclusive community built on the site of the Bayview Ghost

 

[wwwebster]

This old map mentions a 999-year lease for 287 acres of land south of Queen between Garrison Creek and Dufferin Street:

http://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/images/LC/maps-r-28.jpg