Vintage Photographs of Toronto Snow Storms and Aftermaths

Winter must have been tough to handle for Toronto back in the day. Technology surrounding snow removal has come a long way.

I was recently searching for Toronto snow storms images on the Toronto archives and thought I would share a few of my favourite pics. Enjoy!

1896 - Jan 24th - Effect of storm on Brock Avenue - Toronto Snow Storms
1896 – Jan 24th – Effect of storm on Brock Avenue
1896 - March 21 - Snow blockade - engines fast in a drift - Toronto Snow Storms
1896 – March 21 – Snow blockade – engines fast in a drift
1907 - High Park Pavilion - Toronto Snow Storms
1907 – High Park Pavilion
1908 - YWCA, St. Patrick Street
1908 – YWCA, St. Patrick Street
1909 - Western Hospital tent, west of Leonard Avenue
1909 – Western Hospital tent, west of Leonard Avenue
1910 - Group on sled, High Park
1910 – Group on sled, High Park
1910 - High Park
1910 – High Park
1910 - Parking in Old City Hall quadrangle
1910 – Parking in Old City Hall quadrangle
1910? - Group on ice formations at Kew Beach
1910? – Group on ice formations at Kew Beach
1911 - Bellevue Avenue and College Street
1911 – Bellevue Avenue and College Street
1911 - Cleared path through snow bank to open lake at Island Filtration Plant construction site
1911 – Cleared path through snow bank to open lake at Island Filtration Plant construction site
1911 - Island lake shore in winter showing snow and ice buildup, figures in distance
1911 – Island lake shore in winter showing snow and ice buildup, figures in distance
1912 - Castle Frank Lodge (Jackson Estate), Rosedale
1912 – Castle Frank Lodge (Jackson Estate), Rosedale
1912 - Snowball fight in Rosedale Ravine
1912 – Snowball fight in Rosedale Ravine
1914 - jan 23 - St. Clair Avenue - Wells Hill bridge, delivering steel
1914 – jan 23 – St. Clair Avenue – Wells Hill bridge, delivering steel
1914 - jan 23 - St. Clair Avenue - Wells Hill bridge, delivering steel copy
1914 – jan 23 – St. Clair Avenue – Wells Hill bridge, delivering steel copy
1917 - Car driving in snow
1917 – Car driving in snow
1917 - Casa Loma
1917 – Casa Loma
1918 - Auto - snow bound Toronto to Hamilton highway
1918 – Auto – snow bound Toronto to Hamilton highway
1920 - Group of snowshoers on horse-drawn sleigh
1920 – Group of snowshoers on horse-drawn sleigh
1920 - Lawrence Park district
1920 – Lawrence Park district
1920 - Manning Avenue at Ulster Street
1920 – Manning Avenue at Ulster Street
1920 - Rosedale children
1920 – Rosedale children
1920? - Winter walk in High Park
1920? – Winter walk in High Park
1922 - Dec - Snow shovellers, Queen St
1922 – Dec – Snow shovellers, Queen St
1922 - Humber Drive - autos on snow road
1922 – Humber Drive – autos on snow road
1923 - Dec 23 - First snowfall
1923 – Dec 23 – First snowfall
1924 - Feb 25 - Snow conditions, Gerrard and Coxwell
1924 – Feb 25 – Snow conditions, Gerrard and Coxwell
1924 - Feb 25 - Snow conditions, Roncesvalles and Howard Park
1924 – Feb 25 – Snow conditions, Roncesvalles and Howard Park
1924 - Iceman delivering ice in snow-storm
1924 – Iceman delivering ice in snow-storm
1924 - Snow sweeper
1924 – Snow sweeper
1926 - March 31 - Main Street south of Danforth Avenue
1926 – March 31 – Main Street south of Danforth Avenue
1929 - Boulevard Drive, snow in road at Princes' Gates, general
1929 – Boulevard Drive, snow in road at Princes’ Gates, general
1929 - Snow plow
1929 – Snow plow
1930 - Train entering Union Station
1930 – Train entering Union Station
1931 - Fleet Street snow scenes, horse-drawn snow plow
1931 – Fleet Street snow scenes, horse-drawn snow plow
1931 - King and Bay - snow conditions
1931 – King and Bay – snow conditions
1931 - Removal of snow, Fleet and Bay sts
1931 – Removal of snow, Fleet and Bay sts
1931 - Snow clearing, men on lower Bay Street
1931 – Snow clearing, men on lower Bay Street
1931 - Snow clearing, pile of snow, Bay Street, subway background
1931 – Snow clearing, pile of snow, Bay Street, subway background
1932 - Nov 16 - High Park - snow scene after storm
1932 – Nov 16 – High Park – snow scene after storm
1932 - Nov 16 - High Park - snow scene after storm copy
1932 – Nov 16 – High Park – snow scene after storm copy
1935 - feb 11 - East side of University Avenue north of Adelaide Street
1935 – feb 11 – East side of University Avenue north of Adelaide Street
1936 - Casa Loma from the north
1936 – Casa Loma from the north
1938 - Garbage and snow on sidewalk
1938 – Garbage and snow on sidewalk
1943 - Snow Blower
1943 – Snow Blower
1944 - Dec 11 - Unidentified parking lot after a snow storm
1944 – Dec 11 – Colborne St. looking north to the back of buildings on King St. E.
1944 dec - Unidentified parking lot after a snow storm
1944 – Dec. – Unidentified parking lot after a snow storm
1952 - March 26 - Detective Sergeant Tong funeral
1952 – March 26 – Detective Sergeant Tong funeral
1960 - OPP cars in the snow
1960 – OPP cars in the snow
1961 - jan - King Street West near John Street during snow storm
1961 – jan – King Street West near John Street during snow storm
1961 - jan 26 - King Street West at John Street
1961 – jan 26 – King Street West at John Street
1961 - jan 26 - King Street West at John Street
1961 – jan 26 – King Street West at John Street
1961 - jan 26 - King Street West at John Street
1961 – jan 26 – King Street West at John Street
1961 - January 26 - King Street West at John Street
1961 – January 26 – King Street West at John Street
1961 - King Street West and John Street
1961 – King Street West and John Street
1961 - King Street West near John Street during snow storm
1961 – King Street West near John Street during snow storm
1968 - Bayview Ave. ramp off the Don Valley Parkway leading to Bloor St.
1968 – Bayview Ave. ramp off the Don Valley Parkway leading to Bloor St.
1971 - Carry a few bushels of sand for surprise storms
1971 – Carry a few bushels of sand for surprise storms
1976 - Toronto was hit by the big storm; above; reader says; but argues that Buffalo's need for snow removal was even greater
1976 – Toronto was hit by the big storm; above; reader says; but argues that Buffalo’s need for snow removal was even greater

 

For more vintage photos of Toronto snow storms, be sure to check out the Toronto City Archives and the Toronto Public Library Archives.

 

About Joel Levy 2542 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography