A visual history of Bloor Street in Toronto
A great photo of the old sign at Duffy's Tavern inspired me to fill in yet another gap in our series of historical posts about Toronto: Bloor Street.
Gooderham Residence (pre-fence) at St. George & Bloor, 1892
Although we've devoted some attention to the intersection of Yonge & Bloor, the rest of the street hasn't received its well-deserved time in the spotlight.
Bloor and Sherbourne, 1907
That's a bit of an oversight when you consider just how important an artery it is for this city.
Building up Bloor East toward Sherbourne, 1908
I suspect, however, that Bloor gets somewhat overlooked when talking about Toronto's grand streets because north/south corridors like Yonge and Spadina played a more important role in the early development of the city.
Bloor & Avenue Road, 1908
When Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe created Toronto's Park Lots in the 1790s, Bloor was the northern terminus of the long narrow estates that would eventually determine the general shape of the downtown streetscape.
Meteorological office at Bloor & Devonshire, 1908
Looking at photos of Bloor in the early 20th century, one realizes that the street didn't become the busy thoroughfare we know today until around the 1920s, and even then, the density was limited to the central stretch between Sherbourne and Bathurst or so.
Ossington & Bloor, 1911
Further to the west near High Park, the area around Bloor was downright bucolic. But you'd have to pass the industrial hub around Lansdowne on your way to the tranquil looking Mineral Baths, which are sadly long gone.
Bloor between Yonge and Avenue Road, 1912
On the other side of the city, the street actually terminated at Sherbourne prior to the construction of the Bloor Viaduct, at which time a section of the Rosedale ravine was filled in connecting the street southeast to Parliament and then across the two valleys to the Danforth.
Across from High Park, 1914
Along with the completion of the viaduct, the other watershed moment in the street's history was surely the arrival of the subway in 1966 (subsequently to be extended further east and west in 1968 and 1980).
Looking west on Bloor to Keele, 1915
Although Bloor was already an important street at the time, the presence of the subway still brought about profound intensification. Take a look at the Ellis Wiley photo looking west at Bay in 1970. The scene is almost unrecognizable.
Filling in Bloor East to connect with the Viaduct, 1915
Other parts of the street retain a more obvious link with the past, like the former dominance of Honest Ed's at Bloor and Bathurst, or the newly restored Bloor (Hot Docs) Cinema.
Looking east from Keeke, 1915
Bloor may not reveal much connection with the past along the unfortunately named Mink Mile, but further to the east and west, there's lots of the old character of the street still on display.
Bloor Viaduct construction, 1916
Bloor Viaduct construction, 1917
High Park Mineral Baths, 1917
Madison Theatre (later rebuilt as the Bloor Cinema)
Old house on Bloor between Yonge and Bay streets, 1920
Bloor Viaduct, 1920
UTS, Bloor & Huron 1922
Looking west on Bloor at Lansdowne, 1923
Northwest corner Bloor & Bathurst, 1922
Dundas & Bloor, 1923
Bloor & Parliament looking east, 1923
Bloor & Lansdowne, 1923
Bloor looking west to Dundas, 1925
Southeast corner Yonge & Bloor, 1926
Bloor & Balmuto, 1927
Looking east on Bloor at Yonge, 1929
Bloor & Bay, 1929
Looking west at the Humber Bridge, 1930s
Varsity Stadium, 1930
Looking west on Bloor toward Sherbourne, 1931
Bloor Subway near Lansdowne looking west, 1931 (you can get a similar view today from the West Toronto Rail Path)
Gates at Bloor and Avenue, 1932
Yonge & Bloor, 1938
Bloor & Jane, 1943
Bloor & Bedford, 1947
Dufferin & Bloor looking north, 1949
Looking west to Yonge & Bloor, 1950s
Subway entrance at Yonge & Bloor, 1960
Bloor just west of Bathurst, 1960
Streetcars on Bloor, early 1960s (note the brand new Colonnade Building)
Looking east across Holt Renfrew and the so-called Mink Mile, 1960s
Honest Ed's previous sign, 1960s
Christie Pits aerial, 1965
Aerial view of Bloor & Avenue Road, 1965
Bloor Viaduct, Rosedale section 1965
Bloor & Bay, 1970
Bay & Bloor, 1970
Tandem streetcar, 1970s (via Chuckman's blog)
Royal Bank at Yonge & Bloor 1970s
CIBC (and Pilot Tavern) at Yonge & Bloor, 1960s
Shops on Bloor, just east of Spadina 1976
University Theatre (now a Pottery Barn), 1980s
Join the conversation Load comments