What Adelaide Street used to look like in Toronto

As one of Toronto's oldest streets, Adelaide Street has been part of Toronto's evolving downtown core for over 200 years, and although it goes without saying, the street hasn't always looked the way it does today.

Adelaide Street was named after Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (the wife of King William IV). In the late 18th century, the Town of York was expanded by two surveys, the first north to Lot Street (now Queen Street) and west to York Street, and the second extending west as far as Peter Street.

Peter Russell, who was the Receiver General of Upper Canada at the time, issued the order for the surveys, which were carried out in 1796 and 1797, and the street network they established would eventually include what became Adelaide Street. The road was originally known in part as "Newgate Street," before the name Adelaide was adopted and the street was extended and connected with others.

In 1844, Little Adelaide Street, Adelaide Street, and Newgate Street were combined into a single street, and a few decades later, it was split into east and west sections.

Adelaide Street is still home to some of Toronto's oldest surviving structures today, including the Bank of Upper Canada building at 252 Adelaide St. E. (which predates the 1834 incorporation of the city), the Adelaide Street Court House (now home to a Terroni restaurant), as well as Toronto's first post office, located at 260 Adelaide St. E.

Here's a look back at what Adelaide Street and the surrounding area have looked like over the past 127 years.

Photos 

Construction of concrete sidewalk, south side of Adelaide Street from Bay Street to York Street in 1899. 

Farmers Bank of Canada at Bay and Adelaide Streets in 1910. 

Adelaide and Spadina track work in May 1911. 

Spadina and Adelaide track work in May 1911. 

Adelaide east from Simcoe in June 1911. 

Bay and Adelaide Streets, southwest corner in 1925. 

Adelaide and Spadina, looking north in 1925.

Adelaide Street West, south side, looking west from York Street in 1925.

Traffic conditions at Adelaide and Bay, looking north on Bay in 1927. 

Adelaide and Bay Streets in 1927. 

Adelaide Street West, looking east from Spadina Avenue from the top of the Darling building, between 1900 and 1930. 

176 Adelaide St. W. in 1930. 

169 Adelaide St. W. in 1931. 

Dress-making strike at Spadina and Adelaide in February 1931. 

504 Adelaide St. W. in 1938. 

Adelaide Street West and Sheppard Street in 1946. 

Adelaide Street at Peter Street in 1950. 

Duncan Street looking north from Adelaide Street in 1952. 

Adelaide Street looking west from Brant Street in 1958. 

Adelaide Street looking west to Brant Street in 1958. 

Parking lot, University Avenue, east side, at Adelaide Street West in 1967. 

Adelaide Street West and York Street, northwest corner in 1971. 

Adelaide Street West and York Street in 1971. 

Corner of Spadina Avenue and Adelaide Street, looking southeast in 1972. 

Corner of Spadina and Adelaide, looking northeast in 1972. 

Corner of Spadina and Adelaide, looking northwest in 1972.

Peter and Adelaide, looking northwest in 1972. 

Peter and Adelaide, looking southeast in 1972. 

Peter and Adelaide, looking northeast in 1972. 

Duncan and Adelaide, looking northeast in 1972. 

Simcoe and Adelaide, looking northwest in 1972. 

Corner of Sheppard and Adelaide, looking northwest towards the Concourse Building in 1972. 

Jarvis and Adelaide, looking southeast in 1972. 

Adelaide Street West, looking east from John Street in 1979. 

Southwest corner of Yonge and Adelaide, between 1978 and 1980. 

Yonge and Adelaide between 1978 and 1980. 

Adelaide looking east from Charlotte Street in the 1980s. 

Adelaide Street looking east from Charlotte Street in the 1980s. 

Adelaide looking west to Charlotte Street in the 1980s. 

Adelaide and Peter in 1980. 

Adelaide Street West, north side at Yonge Street in 1987. 

Northeast corner of Adelaide and Widmer in the 1990s.