Muddy York Walking Tours (Tours of Toronto)

09/23/2024

Join me on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024 for my second annual "Night At the Museum", produced in cooperation with Toronto's First Post Office.

Our evening will include a look back at traditions surrounding death and dying, and spiritualism in Toronto.

For those of you who attended last year, this year's programme will offer some new content that we didn't look at last year.

As of today, October 23rd, the event is half sold out, so get your tickets today.

Visit the following link to register.

https://townofyork.com/wp-event/a-night-at-the-museum-3/

05/25/2024

Had a great time on my first Doors Open Toronto, despite the rain. Thanks to Exhibition Place for the chance to visit the Stanley Barracks.

05/02/2024

Carrot pudding at Fort York.

03/21/2024

Here's a video of a biography that I put together on Lucy Maud Montgomery.

At first, I was somewhat reluctant to put this one together. Lucy Maud Montgomery struggled with depression and mental health issues, and was not always the light-hearted character that I imagined, for some reason, whenever I think about her character of "Anne of Green Gables".

But ultimately, I thought it was important to tell her story, although her story was sometimes bleak.

And yes! I can claim her as a Toronto character because she lived in Swansea for several years.

Lucy Maud Montgomery was a prolific Canadian author and national icon. But despite her success, she had a hard life. She struggled with depression, anxiety...

10/12/2023

There was a whole set of elaborate customs for mourning the dead in the 1800s. Both of my Hallowe'en themed tours explore the customs of how to dress, what to collect, and how long you should grieve for a loved one.

Victorians collected some very personal mementoes to remember their dead - and some of them were really, really personal, and really weird.

Many people today may be familiar with wearing sombre black clothing while in mourning. But back in the 1800s, preparing your clothes for mourning could be lethal.

Sign up for one of my Hallowe'en tours and discover why mourning in the 1800s sometimes came with a deadly sense of fashion.

"Terror in the Town of York"
Saturday, October 14th at 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 22nd at 7 p.m.

"Ghosts, Grief, and Cadavers"
Sunday, October 15th at 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 29th at 7 p.m.

Tours cost $15 per person.
Email [email protected] to register

10/09/2023

Toronto has some pretty famous ghosts. One of them is still reported to wander the halls & grounds of University College. First & second images show how this looming Gothic landmark lies right at the heart of the University of Toronto. But the building is also home to the most famous ghost story on the campus.

legend has it that a man named Ivan, who was one of the college’s stonemasons, was a man in love. He fell head over heels, but his friends heard some rumours that made him suspicious. The gossip was true & our love-worn protagonist was embroiled in a love triangle. Ivan went looking for answers, but he wound up dead. Even his body vanished.

but broken up love often makes the best kindling for ghost stories. Over 30 years after Ivan disappeared, a devastating fire struck University College. Second & third images show crowds gathering to watch it burn. The smouldering ashes of the University College fire left behind some evidence that helps explain what could have possibly happened to Ivan the stonemason.

join me on one of my “Ghosts, Grief, & Cadaver” tours to discover everything that the legends have to say about some of Toronto‘s most infamous ghost stories.

DATES
Sunday October 15th at 7 pm
Sunday October 29th at 7 pm
Cost $15 per person

Email [email protected] to register.

10/09/2023

10/09/2023

Toronto has some pretty famous ghosts. One of them can still be seen wandering the halls and grounds around University College. The first two photographs show this looming Gothic landmark, which lies right at the heart of the University of Toronto. But the building is also the setting of the the most famous ghost story on the campus.

Legend has it that a man named Ivan, who was one of the college’s stonemasons, was a man in love. He fell head over heels, but his friends heard some rumours that made him suspicious. They said his lover had found another. The gossip was true, and our now love-worn protagonist was embroiled in a love triangle. Ivan went looking for answers, but he wound up dead. Even his body vanished.

But broken up love often makes the best kindling for ghost stories. Over 30 years after his alleged murder, a devastating fire struck University College. The remaining pictures in my post show the fire, and how people even came out to watch University College burn. The smoldering embers of the University College fire left behind some evidence that helped explained what could have possibly happened to Ivan the stonemason.

Join me on one of my “Ghosts, Grief, and Cadavers” tours to discover everything that the legends have to say about to one of Toronto’s most infamous ghost stories.

DATES
Sunday, October 15th, 2023 at 7 o’clock
Sunday, October 29th, 2023 at 7 o’clock
Cost $15 per person

Email [email protected] reservation and more information.

10/03/2023

These days, Courthouse Square is a quiet little urban park tucked away a block north of King Street. But in the time of the Town of York, this was the square where hundreds or even thousands of townspeople gathered to watch public ex*****ons.

These ex*****ons were always death by hanging. Sometimes, hanging worked efficiently, but there were plenty of occasions when it was a slow, tortuous death. Death by hanging lasted for over 160 years in Toronto, and you’d think they’d get it right. But Toronto’s last ex*****on went gruesomely wrong.

This is just one aspect of Toronto’s dark history that we explore on the “Terror in the Town of York” tour, but there are plenty of other troublesome tales, too.

DATES:
Saturday, October 14th at 7 o’clock pm
Sunday, October 22nd at 7 o’clock pm
COST = $15 per person
EMAIL [email protected] for more information or to register.

08/23/2023

Great news! Last week I announced the "A Night At The Museum" programme I am doing at Toronto's First Post Office on Friday, October 13th.

The first run has already sold out so we have been able to add one extra night.

We will be doing a single repeat performance on Friday, October 20th.

This special after-hours evening at Toronto's First Post Office will include the early history of Spiritualism in Toronto, the quest to capture ghosts on film, and a special guide on how to Mourn Like A Victorian.

Then, museum staff will help you craft your own Victorian Mourning Wreath to take home and display in time for Hallowe'en.

Our first night sold out in four days. Don't miss out! Register now.

Visit the following link for tickets.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-night-at-the-museum-tickets-704829914247?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwAR1AbTuwa7En-AMYoApGaoYj6iyqLHCNn9XzYyMAua3IUDOdL47Snz2iW1Y

08/21/2023

You’ve never lived till you’ve ridden on a roller coaster that was rickety enough to dislocate a few things and had bits of wood flying off while you were on it. The memories of summers gone by, eh?

As thrilling as the Flyer might have been, even more terrifying is the realization that the early 1990s were 30 years ago.

08/12/2023

Moving along up Toronto Street from my last post, we come to a building that once stood at 20 Toronto Street. A huge building in its day, it dwarfed the 7th Post Office immediately to its south. The first image shows the building in 1867. It was built by Abraham & Samuel Nordheimer, two brothers from a Bavarian Jewish family who came to Toronto in 1844. They established a piano importing business that became one of the most popular brands of pianos in Canada. They were also well-known for publishing sheet music.

Second image shows a detail of a map from 1858, showing the location of the Nordheimer building at 20 Toronto Street.

Construction on the Nordheimers’ five-storey building began in 1856. The columns on the first floor of the Toronto Street facade were cast in iron, as were the window sashes & interiors shudders. This gave added structural support & represented one of the earliest uses of iron construction in North America.

The Nordheimer building was distinct in other ways, too. There were several vertical lines that made the building look very upright, & it appeared taller than it was. The way in which the roofline went up in “steps” was also unusual. Torontonians were mostly used to buildings that had a Classical or Gothic style. The building would have stood out on Toronto Street, but it was also distinctive in comparison to the rest of the city.

Many buildings along Toronto Street & across the rest of the city were inspired by the “great works” of Paris & London. But the Nordheimers’ building was inspired by a modern style of architecture that was popular in Munich at the time. William Kauffmann, the architect of the building, described it as “Modern Munich” in style.

The Nordheimer brothers had notable plans for how to use the interior of the building, too. Not all of these came to fruition. I’ll write more about them in my next post.

07/31/2023

Frederic William Cumberland built the 7th Post Office building - and so many of his other great works - at a time when Toronto was growing. In fact, it was Cumberland’s architectural mastery that symbolized the prosperity that Toronto enjoyed in the 1850s. His 1853 Post Office became the first great building on Toronto Street. First & second images show the Post Office in 1930 & 1957. Let’s examine how it set the standard for its later neighbours & why it still stands out today.

Third, fourth & fifth images show details of columns & main entrance of the Post Office. In Toronto’s early years, buildings were constructed modestly, out of necessity. But Cumberland’s work with Classical & Greek Revival design helped give the city a sense of timeless prestige. This style is expressed in the four Ionic columns on the front of the building & the single square-shaped Doric pillar on either side of those. These frame the building while giving a pleasant sense of symmetry. The curved fanlight over the main door lets in light but also allows for an aesthetically pleasing curve in a façade otherwise composed of clean straight lines.

When the Post Office opened, contemporary reviews claimed it was modelled after the Temple of Minerva at Athens. Toronto was only 60 years old when the Post Office was built. Having a brand-new building done in a classically evocative style gave Toronto an air of institutional history & security that it had not yet achieved through other means. Classically designed institutions made customers feel “safe”.

This sense of institutional safety was enhanced by the Royal Arms that surmount the front of the building, seen in last image. The 7th Post Office was built just after the British government relinquished control of the post office to the colonial government. The 1853 Post Office made it clear that the new postmasters understood the gravity of their responsibilities & that they meant business.

I somehow still have more to say about the 1853 Post Office & will return to it on one more post.

07/26/2023

The next stop on our wander up, Toronto Street takes us to the 7th Post Office built in Toronto. It’s located at 10 Toronto Street, immediately north of the Quebec Bank building that was the subject of my last few posts. First image shows the Quebec Bank building at left & the 7th Post Office at right. Second image highlights the Post Office. Both photos are from 1980.

Toronto’s 7th Post Office is often considered the best-known landmark on Toronto Street. This might be because it’s outlasted a lot of it’s neighbours, most of which were built after the Post Office opened in 1853. But there are several other reasons why the Post Office has become an icon.

The Post Office’s construction came during a decade of prosperity for Toronto. There were 11 different banks with headquarters in Toronto that opened between the 1820s & Confederation in 1867. This affluence led to civic improvement & some of Toronto’s most notable Victorian buildings were built at this time. These included nearby St. Lawrence Hall (1851) & St. James’ Cathedral (1853). Education expanded with Trinity College, on Queen Street (1852), the Toronto Normal School on Gould Street (1852), & University College (1859). Work on a new town hall for Toronto’s suburban neighbour, Yorkville, started in 1859.

The 7th Post Office, the Toronto Normal School, St. James’ Cathedral & University College were all the work of an architect named Frederic William Cumberland. He was prolific; he designed dozens of really impressive buildings ranging from banks to commercial buildings, to private homes for prominent people, to schools, churches, courthouses, parliament sites, orphanages & asylums.

Third image is a portrait of Frederic William Cumberland, who really was the superstar of mid-19th century architecture in Toronto. He brought splendour to our city streets - more than that, he remade Toronto according to his own visions for a prosperous Victorian metropolis.

In my next post, I’ll look at why the 7th Post Office Building on Toronto Street is a good example of why Cumberland was such a capable city builder.

07/25/2023

In my last post I introduced the building at the northwest corner of King & Toronto streets, which housed the Quebec Bank & then Sir Henry Pellatt’s financial firm. A later owner was Chris Letros who acquired the property in 1945. He opened the eponymous Letros Tavern in the building. When Ontario passed the Liquor Licence Act in 1947, this new law opened up liquor sales around the province. Letros Tavern was set to boom.

First image shows Letros Tavern circa 1965.

An Egyptian-themed bar called the Nile Room opened in the basement, complete with walls adorned with artificial snakeskin. The Nile Room became infamous & was soon dubbed “the Vile Room” or “the Snake Pit”. The cause of the Nile Room’s infamy? By the 1950s it was one of Toronto’s only gay cocktail bars.

There were gay sections in other Toronto bars. But these were often relegated to one corner. The Nile Room was “out, loud & proud”, which wasn’t easy in 1950s Toronto. Letros became home to popular “Halloween pageants”, which drew gay patrons & straight curiosity seekers alike.

The annual “Miss Letros” drag pageants became infamous. Hundreds gathered to watch the glitz & glamour which boosted q***r visibility in Toronto while gaining media attention. Tabloids printed sensational & homophobic headlines, but ironically these helped members of Toronto’s gay community find one another.

Second, third & fourth images show Miss Letros Pageant, October 1967. Photos by Ray McFadden from the Toronto Telegram Fonds at York University Archives.

The “respectable” King Edward Hotel, situated right across the street, declared “war” on Letros. But according to legend Letros won at least one battle when the tavern stole a notoriously gay bartender - & his clientele - away from the King Edward.

Letros closed in 1972 but not before playing a big part in Toronto’s gay history. Last image shows Toronto Street facade of the building today. There is little evidence of its notable past, either as a home to Henry Pellatt’s financial firm or a bar where Toronto’s q***r community struggled for acceptance.

My look back at other Toronto Street landmarks will continue.

***rtoronto

07/23/2023

I’ve already started telling the story of Toronto Street, that short little Boulevard that runs just west of Church Street, up a single block from King Street to Adelaide Street. I’ve chosen six buildings to help us explore the short street a little more. Some are still standing & some have been demolished. But all of them can tell us about how Toronto used to work, & what previous generations thought, felt & believed.

The first building on my list demonstrates this. Posted image from 1886 shows construction of the Quebec Bank at the northwest corner of King & Toronto streets. The building had to court of brick, stone & terra cotta detailing. Eventually raised to five floors & otherwise altered over time, the elaborate flourishes that once graced, the roofline were later removed.

The Quebec Bank moved out in 1911. Then Sir Henry Pellatt ran his financial services out of the building from 1911 to 1921. Pellatt is best remembered for his home at Casa Loma, but naturally there is more to his story.

By the time Pellatt took over the former Quebec Bank building on Toronto Street, construction on Casa Loma had begun. The final cost of Casa Loma was $3.5-million in 1914, which is over $91-million in 2023. The cash for Pellatt’s castle came from his financial career, but Pellatt became wealthy because he was a crook.

It was Pellatt’s job to make people invest. But there was plenty of fraud & false advertising in global stock markets. Pellatt wasn’t the only crook. The market wasn’t as regulated back then, but even if Pellatt’s actions weren’t illegal, they were still considered unethical, even then.

Pellatt’s dream world came crashing down by the early 1920s. He was forced to leave Casa Loma & liquidate all his assets - including the building at the corner of King & Toronto streets. Many people know of Pellatt’s folly at Casa Loma but fewer people realize that the building on Toronto Street played a part in his schemes.

But the old Quebec Bank building had an even more significant chapter in Toronto’s history. I’ll describe this in my next post.

07/20/2023

Following up on my last post, I thought that returning to Toronto Street is a nice way to come back to posting on Instagram. Toronto Street first appeared on a map of the city on June 9th, 1797 - so nearly 40 years before Toronto even became a city. But old photographs of Toronto Street suggests that it really reached its architectural maturity in the 1870s. This was when the 8th Post Office, which I mentioned in my last post, was built at the apex of Toronto Street.

The first image is an illustration looking north up Toronto Street in the 1890s. Prints of this particular illustration were sold in New York & London to boast of whatever claims Toronto could make of being a “world-class city”. The second image is a photograph, showing a similar view circa 1909. Both images portray Toronto Street, as being possessed of at least some amount of grandeur.

if Toronto’s urban designers really were trying to impress international audiences, well, maybe that’s not too surprising. Toronto was still looking to big American cities like New York & Chicago for practical tips on building record breaking skyscrapers. But aesthetic inspiration came from the Continent. The posh banks & townhouses of London & the museums & opera houses of Paris influenced the visual design of a lot of our buildings.

Tiny little Toronto Street never set any height records, but it was beautiful & busy. The third image shows a Toronto Street in 1915. Only 6 years have passed since that last photograph from 1909. The horse-drawn carriages have mostly been replaced & there are more cars & pedestrians on the road. Toronto Street was a short, but important hub for banking, business, & commerce.

And the photo from 1915 also shows us all those ornate facades, with their intricate windows & doors & ornamented rooflines. At the top of it all is the 8th Post Office, built in 1873, with that portico & mansard roof which were meant to make the building look like it was picked up in Paris and carefully placed down again in downtown Toronto.

There is a lot of architectural history behind this one little Toronto street. Hopefully my next few posts will demonstrate why I love Toronto Street so much.

12/28/2022

What are you doing till New Year’s Eve?

I will be spending the last couple of days of 2022 in a museum. Tomorrow and Friday, December 29th and 30th, I will be on duty at Gibson House Museum. This historic farmhouse at 5172 Yonge Street was the home of David & Eliza Gibson, two colonial settlers who played a role in the history of Willow Dale & North York.

Then, on Saturday, December 31st, I will be in the Coach House next to Colborne Lodge Museum. This Regency Style Cottage near the south end of High Park was home to John and Jemima Howard.

Both David Gibson & John Howard were surveyors. Their careers tell the story of colonial power, land use, & who got to have a say in local governance. And both Eliza Gibson and Jemima Howard were strong women whose lives were just as central to the history of Toronto as anything their husbands did.

Both sites are open daily from 11 o’clock to 4 o’clock until Saturday (but closed Sunday January 1st till Tuesday, January 3rd, reopening Wednesday, January 4th).

Admission is FREE.

Drop by and say hi, and keep me company.

First four images are contemporary photographs of Gibson House Museum at night.

Last two images show the interior & exterior of the Coach House at Colborne Lodge, circa 1900.
Courtesy Toronto Public Library Archives.

11/03/2022