At the turn of the 20th century, Toronto was a rapidly growing city. It was the largest city in Canada and an important trade and commerce hub. Many immigrants were coming to the city at this time, which led to the growth of diverse neighborhoods and communities. The city was also undergoing major industrialization, with many new factories and businesses being established.
Horses and carriages were still prevalent on city streets in the 1900s, when Toronto had about 210,000 people. The Temple Building, at ten stories, and the Trader’s Bank Building, at 15 stories, were the city’s tallest buildings, but the Bloor Viaduct had yet to link the city’s east and west sides. The city was devastated by one of the worst fires in its history, with nearly the entire main business area.
Toronto’s economy in the 1900s was driven by industrialization and the growth of its manufacturing sector. The city was home to many factories and businesses, particularly in the fields of textiles, clothing, and food processing. The city’s location on the shores of Lake Ontario made it an important transportation hub, with a busy port and many rail and road connections. The city was also a major center for finance, with several banks and other financial institutions headquartered there. Overall, the economy of Toronto in the 1900s was strong and helped to drive the city’s growth and development. By the 1900s, the commercial center had shifted west of the historic Town of York location. A new downtown was developed to the west of Yonge and King Streets. The City of Toronto moved into a new City Hall constructed at the intersection of Bay and Queen Streets. The Great Toronto Fire of 1904 destroyed much of this new downtown but was soon rebuilt.
Below are some interesting historical photos that will take you back to 1900s Toronto.
in Europe we did not have AC either in the houses and buses. We kept windows open, we walked too during busy times. The problem I see it is if you are in a wheelchair or walk with difficulty
Everyone rode the streetcar. That’s probably why it came every three minutes.
And they road the streetcar probably because they could not afford an automobile. Times have changed. I hated the Red Rocket in the summer in the 1960s and 70s, because they didn’t have AC. Not a pleasant ride to and from the office
In the 1960s and 1970s, AC was pretty unusual. Few people had it in homes or cars. My parents lived in a house built in the 1920s and when it was hot they sat outside on a stone porch with bamboo awnings keeping the sun at bay. Some of us used to sleep out there because the third floor was unbearable. In a car, if it was hot you just rolled down the windows to get a breeze while it was moving, and same thing with a streetcar.
Fortunately, I got a job in a large insurance company whose building was state-of-the-art so I didn’t swelter. I didn’t know anybody in the 60s who had AC in their home, but it was great to live in the Beach.
I lived in Bloor West Village, and I too worked for large corporations in office buildings (Manulife, Confederation Life, CIBC, Bank of Montreal, TSX) downtown. That was a long trip downtown via streetcars; dressing carefully for the trip was important, and I kept a sweater or light shirt at the office to keep warm in the AC office. This makes me think that we were more used to going without AC in the 50s and 60s than we are now. In fact, I don’t remember more than a few days each summer when it was that hot.
It would be interesting to know how many of these buildings are still standing. Not many. Some of the buildings are beautifully designed and it’s a shame to have them replaced by glass and steel towers.
Only 120 years ago. I wonder how it’ll be in 2143 …
That was the year my grandpa and his twin sister were born in Toronto