History
-
The tragic tale of Toronto’s first big baseball star
The bases were loaded. It was the bottom of the eight. This was it: first place was on the line. Toronto and Newark headed into that Saturday afternoon...
By Adam Bunch -
Magna Carta special: Fall 2015 Edition of Fort York’s newsletter Fife & Drum
The fall edition of the Friends of Fort York’s quarterly newsletter, Fife and Drum was released last week and is a special one as the Magna Carta exhibit...
By Shawn Micallef -
How the Eaton Centre nearly wrecked Old City Hall
Ever since Toronto city council moved over the street in 1965, Toronto hasn’t quite known what to do with Old City Hall. The exquisite heritage...
By Chris Bateman -
What Amsterdam taught a Torontonian about urbanism
Tulips, windmills, and all those salacious, smoke-filled thoughts aside, Amsterdam is internationally regarded as a haven for urbanism and as a hub for...
By Katerina Ryabets -
Joe Carter’s World Series-winning dream
The Blue Jays had won the World Series. For the first time in history, Major League Baseball’s championship banner was flying north of the border...
By Adam Bunch -
The mysterious case of the grave of Stella Vanzant
When little Stella Vanzant died of causes unknown some time in the early 1800s, her bereaved father interred the girl’s young body in a six by...
By Chris Bateman -
That time Toronto City Hall starred in Star Trek
EDITOR’S NOTE: This articles was originally posted in October 2013; it’s being re-posted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of New City Hall...
By Adam Bunch -
What Philadelphia can teach Toronto about art, history, and public spaces
Among North American cities, few can boast the depth of history that’s on offer in Philadelphia. The compact downtown, plotted out by William Penn in the...
By John Lorinc -
Forgotten TTC architecture a reminder of nixed transit plans
Toronto is building the East Bayfront LRT. Well, sort of. This week, Metro News reported that the City of Toronto has set aside $2 million to “rough...
By Chris Bateman -
The very first ride at the CNE
It all started back in the mid-1800s, as a relatively small provincial fair. They held it in a field out behind Upper Canada College, which was on King...
By Adam Bunch -
Happy birthday to the Toronto streetcar system
There are perhaps few things more symbolic of Toronto than its streetcars. For more than 150 years, surface rail has formed the backbone of the...
By Chris Bateman -
Mary Pickford’s most magical photographs
Back in the early 1900s, Mary Pickford wasn’t just one of the most famous people from Toronto. She was one of the most famous people from anywhere...
By Adam Bunch