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Historic photos from Toronto on this day

brewster said:
When posting photos borrowed from the Toronto Archives would I have to get permission?
Click to expand...
Probably to be really legal but I bet few, if any, UT posters do. I recently wanted to add a couple of photos to a non-commercial website I run, it was easy and fast to get permission - though involved going to Archives and filling in a form.
 
All photos I have found are all over the web. I personally don't see a problem as none of us are making any money off them but then again I don't want to step on anybodies copyright. I guess you can post anything and if somebody tells you to take it off no harm done.
 
April 25: 81 years ago today was a Thursday... here's the original part of the ROM in 1929, along Philospher's walk:
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Here's a link to the Toronto Archive record, along with LOTS of other photos from around the ROM like drawings of the Alexandra gates, or time lapse video of the new Crystal being built and on and on...

Then three years later, in 1932 there are two photos along Royce Avenue, which is now Dupont, at Dundas:

thumbnailImage
and
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( see here and here for details).

And finally, 75 years ago in 1935 are 'Overseas passengers of Colonial Coach Lines leaving Grey Coach Lines terminal' on a Wednesday:
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April 26: This Laundry, right on College Street is now gone, but the rest of the row of houses along St. Clarens Ave are still there, 70 years later. This photo is from 1940, and has all sorts of interesting features; the simple Laundry signage, the billboard coming apart, and the old parking sign and street light:
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Along the right side of the photo is the far north end of St. Helen's Roman Catholic Church on Dundas. You can find the location of this photo, and the link to the Toronto Archives entry, here.
 
April 27: Something a bit different today... the City of Toronto Archives has a wonderful online collection of historic photos, but it isn't the only game in town. Here are some sketched plans of two different Toronto Churches. Unfortunately I couldn't find thumbnails to post here, but the links will take you to a zoomable image of the plan:

1865 - St. Michael's Roman Catholic Cathedral - by Henry Langley 145 years ago:


1871 - Parliament Street Methodist Church - 6 years later, to the day, the following plans were finished, by the same architect, for a different church:

 
thecharioteer said:
Beautiful drawings! Thanks for posting them to remind young architects of what life was like pre-CAD.
Click to expand...

They really are wonderful drawings, aren't they? I'm still curious about the April 27th date, and to make it stranger, here are two more drawings from Henry Langley:

April 28th: Two design sketches for the Jarvis Street Baptist Church which still stands in the south-west corner of Allan Gardens, from 1874, 136 years ago today.

Once again, there is no thumbnail, but it is well worth the click-through to the Toronto Public Library entry with more plans and photos related to the church:


(I don't have any more dated historic photos until May 1st... )
 
Let's not forget the performance of the Georgian State Dance Company at Maple Leaf Gardens May 1st, 1960:

georgianstatedancecompanyMLGmay1196.jpg
 
May 3rd: We'll move from Dance to Sculpture... Here's a shot of the tulip beds around the Burns monument in east side of Allan Gardens. Unlike this year, the trees are still bare 97 years ago in 1913, and the dress is rather more conservative, especially for a Saturday!

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The old buildings on Sherbourne are long gone, too... Click here for the location of this photo, and a link to the Toronto Archives record.

Two years later to the day, in 1915, construction on the the Bloor Street Viaduct was in full force. There are a LOT of dated photos in the Toronto Archives of the excavation and work on the piers. I won't provide them all, but here's an example - Rosedale section - looking west, Pier E:

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I'm not sure which pier is which, but the general location is here ( which also contains a link to the Archives record ).
 
May 4th: I'm not sure of the details, but I assume the TTC archives were rolled into the City of Toronto Archives, as there are a LOT of streetcar track photos, and today is no exception.

First off is the corner of King and Strachan Ave. looking east, in 1916 (94 years ago). I'm pretty sure the building on our left is still there, with the distinctive entrance ways, connected to the Palace Arms:

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Then a year later is more construction, this time at Sherbourne and Queen St. east in 1916, 93 years ago, looking west. I didn't realize that there were buildings along the north side of Queen where Moss Park is now. The building to the left, apparently on the south west corner looks like the one that is still there now (the future home of Kormann House? )

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( You can find the locations, other historic photos in the area, and the links to the City of Toronto Archive records for these photos here and here. )
 
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