Vintage Boating Photographs from Toronto

The weather is getting nice this weekend in Toronto and it is a great time to get out on the water. Whether you are fishing, canoeing, kayaking or sailing, Toronto’s bay, the Toronto Islands, and rivers such as the Humber, have always accommodated boating.

For this week’s history post I decided to look back and find vintage boating photographs from the Toronto Archives for you to check out. I love how much of a part of everyone’s life boating was.

189? - Temporary crib work, Island shore - vintage boating photographs
189? – Temporary crib work, Island shore
189? - Tug Neelon Ashbridge's Bay - vintage boating photographs
189? – Tug Neelon Ashbridge’s Bay
193? - Man in boat, fishing - vintage boating photographs
193? – Man in boat, fishing
193? - Nat Turofsky (left) next to boat - vintage boating photographs
193? – Nat Turofsky (left) next to boat
193? - Two men in boat, fishing - vintage boating photographs
193? – Two men in boat, fishing
194? - Woman in boat, holding fish - vintage boating photographs
194? – Woman in boat, holding fish
1891 - Canoeing at Toronto Island - vintage boating photographs
1891 – Canoeing at Toronto Island
1900-1910 - Canoeing, Scarboro Beach Park - vintage boating photographs
1900-1910 – Canoeing, Scarboro Beach Park
1907 - Hanlan's Point west waterfront
1907 – Hanlan’s Point west waterfront
1907 - Three boys with a skiff on the beach near Hanlan's Hotel
1907 – Three boys with a skiff on the beach near Hanlan’s Hotel
1907 - Toronto Island
1907 – Toronto Island
1907? - Group in a swan boat
1907? – Group in a swan boat
1908 - Couple rowing in lagoon, Toronto Island
1908 – Couple rowing in lagoon, Toronto Island
1908 - Humber River
1908 – Humber River
1908 - Three women fishing
1908 – Three women fishing
1908 - Two boys in skiff at water's edge, Toronto Island
1908 – Two boys in skiff at water’s edge, Toronto Island
1908? - Boathouses and club events
1908? – Boathouses and club events
1908? - Hanlan's Hotel
1908? – Hanlan’s Hotel
1909 - Aquatic sports in Humber Bay
1909 – Aquatic sports in Humber Bay
1909? - Hanlan's Hotel and lake
1909? – Hanlan’s Hotel and lake
1910 - Alexandra boathouse, foot of York Street
1910 – Alexandra boathouse, foot of York Street
1910 - Members of the James family at Centre Island Regatta
1910 – Members of the James family at Centre Island Regatta
1910 - Norm, Frank, Joe, Winnie, and Clara James boating, Toronto Island
1910 – Norm, Frank, Joe, Winnie, and Clara James boating, Toronto Island
1910 - People in a rowboat, Ashbridge's Bay
1910 – People in a rowboat, Ashbridge’s Bay
1910 - View of the Queen City Yacht Club clubhouse, taken from the Argonaut Rowing Club, looking north
1910 – View of the Queen City Yacht Club clubhouse, taken from the Argonaut Rowing Club, looking north
1911 - Boating on Island lagoon
1911 – Boating on Island lagoon
1912 - Butler after collapsing during grueling race
1912 – Butler after collapsing during grueling race
1912 - Royal Canadian Yacht Club jubliee
1912 – Royal Canadian Yacht Club jubliee
1914 - Sail boats and motor boats at Exhibition
1914 – Sail boats and motor boats at Exhibition
1914 - Swimming race, Toronto Island
1914 – Swimming race, Toronto Island
1915 - Kew Beach
1915 – Kew Beach
1915 - Kew Beach Bathing Pavilion
1915 – Kew Beach Bathing Pavilion
1917 - Toronto Harbour Commission building and submarine
1919 – Toronto Harbour Commission building and submarine
1918 - Toronto Harbour Commission building
1918 – Toronto Harbour Commission building
1919 - Plane and motorboat race in Lake Ontario
1919 – Plane and motorboat race in Lake Ontario
1921 - Motor boat race, Miss Toronto
1921 – Motor boat race, Miss Toronto
1927 - Boats for Wrigley marathon swim, CNE
1927 – Boats for Wrigley marathon swim, CNE
1928 - C.N.E., Men's Swim, boats waiting for swimmers
1928 – C.N.E., Men’s Swim, boats waiting for swimmers
1928 - C.N.E., Men's Swim, Georges Michel swimming by boat
1928 – C.N.E., Men’s Swim, Georges Michel swimming by boat
1929 - CNE, Goodyear blimp over lakefront
1929 – CNE, Goodyear blimp over lakefront
1929 - CNE, sea fleas, lining up, seawall
1929 – CNE, sea fleas, lining up, seawall
1929 - CNE, sea fleas, single boat, launch background
1929 – CNE, sea fleas, single boat, launch background
1929 - Humber Regetta [i.e. Regatta], war canoe race, general
1929 – Humber Regetta [i.e. Regatta], war canoe race, general
1929 - Toronto Canoe Club, Danny McDonald, Max Hoffman
1929 – Toronto Canoe Club, Danny McDonald, Max Hoffman
1930 - Bobby Pearce, Australian sculler, in shell, action
1930 – Bobby Pearce, Australian sculler, in shell, action

 

See more vintage boating photographs on the Toronto Archives.

 

 

About Joel Levy 2602 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography