Boats on the Bay, 1911

Coal-fired ships on Toronto Harbour.  The ferry in the background right may be either the Bluebell or the Trillium, the latter of which would have been in service for one year at the point this photo was taken, and is still in service today.

Toronto Bay, 1911

A coal-powered boat plies the waters of Toronto Bay over 100 years ago.

The Eastern Harbour?

What may be a view of Toronto's Eastern Harbour, this photo begins a series of pictures of Toronto Bay from 1911.  The spire in the distance behind the white-clad building may be that of St. Michael's Cathedral, which would have been 66 years old when this was taken.  It's hard to be certain, however, given the quality of the image (and the fact that many church spires look alike).

Boats on the Bay, c. 1910

Toronto Bay, c. 1910 - now commonly called the Toronto Harbour.  The Toronto Islands are visible on the horizon.

At this point in the city's history, Front Street was so named because it was the front street on the water.  Lake Shore Boulevard and Queen's Quay did not yet extend downtown, and the areas of Ashbridges Bay and the Redpath Sugar factory were still open water; the land for those projects was created following landfill projects in the decades after this picture was taken, meaning these boats plied the waters where there are now condos, cars, and parks.