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.

A Humber Bridge, c. 1910

A bridge over the Humber River, at an unknown location.  It is unlikely that this is the predecessor to the Bloor Street West Humber Bridge at Old Mill, though many roadway pictures from this album are taken of Bloor Street West.  It is difficult to ascertain where this was taken as many bridges along the Humber were destroyed in the wake of Hurricane Hazel in 1954.  Toronto was not engineered to withstand a tropical storm, and as a result over 50 bridges were destroyed by flash flooding throughout the city.

Bridge, 1909

A young woman prepares to cross a bridge in 1909.  At first I thought it was a foot bridge, and then I remembered that many of Toronto's roads were hard-packed dirt a century ago.

Unknown location.

Sailing on Lake Ontario, 1909

Fine lines and fancy hats on display at the shores of Lake Ontario 102 years ago.

CN Rail Bridge, 1909

A CN Rail bridge in an unknown location; judging from the other rail photos from this album, it is likely somewhere around the Junction which, my mother informs me, had a bad name in those days.  It was important to let people know you were from south of Bloor Street if you lived in that area.

West Toronto Station

A young woman waiting at West Toronto Station, built in 1911 and demolished in 1982 after failed preservation attempts.  It was here, near the Junction.

A Ravine Near Bloor West

A ravine around Bloor Street West, c. 1906.

Freshet Near Weston Road

A Freshet near Weston Road sometime around 1906.

Humber Valley 1906

The Humber Valley in 1906.

The Humber River in Lambton

The Humber River in the neighbourhood of Lambton.

Overlooking Grenadier Pond, 1906

Fashionable persons overlooking Grenadier Pond in 1906.

Bloor Street West, 1906

Bloor Street West...not certain of the location, but it looks like there's a fence or bridge railing on the right hand side of the image.

Machinery at the Todmorden Paper Mill

At the paper mill in Todmorden Mills, pre-Don Valley Parkway.

Meyer's Hotel in the Evening, 1906

Meyer's Hotel at the bottom of Indian Road in Sunnyside, 1906.  The hotel doesn't seem to be there anymore, but the site is somewhere near the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion (built in the 20s) and Gus Ryder Pool.

Todmorden Road in 1906

Todmorden Mills Road doesn't look much like this anymore.  The DVP runs right next to it now.

Roncesvalles Bathing Beach, 1906

Looking across the tracks to Lake Ontario.  This would later become Sunnyside Amusement Park.

Sailing Sunnyside 1906

A sailboat off the shore of Sunnyside.

High Park on a Sunday morning 1906

High Park and buggies on Bloor Street, 1906.

Lambton Road, 1906

The picture says Lambton Road, but I'm only able to locate Lambton Avenue.

Sunnyside Waterfront 1906

Sunnyside waterfront looking west, 1906

High Park 1906

High Park, looking south from the other side of Bloor, 1906.

A young man on Bloor Street, 1906

Bloor Street, sans pavement, 1906.

High Park in the snow in 1906

A two-horse open sleigh in High Park.

Bloor Street 1906

The red rocket trundling down Bloor Street on 1906.

Riverdale Park Streetcar 1906

Riverdale Park streetcar.

Riverdale Park Gates 1906

Riverdale Park at Wikipedia.

Riverdale Park 1906

Recognize something?  Comment below!

Welcome to Old Toronto

"On the lake"

Two women observe a sailboat on Lake Ontario, c. 1909.

Welcome to Old Toronto. This blog will feature historical images of Toronto from the early 1900s on. Initially I will be relying on the photography of my grandfather, George Tomlin, but images from others will be included, and submissions are welcome. Email me at james.myslik@gmail.com if you are interested.