Vintage Queen Street Photographs from Toronto, Canada

For our latest curated collection of vintage photographs from Toronto, I thought I would focus on Vintage Queen Street. As a street we all know so well, it is interesting to see it in a time where it looks so unfamiliar.

From east to west, Queen Street has seen a lot of changes over the years from new City Halls to new shopping malls. The storefronts have changed and so have the buildings themselves.

Take a look through the photos and let us know what interesting things you discover via social media. We look forward to hearing from you.

1856 - Osgoode Hall
1856 – Osgoode Hall
1856 - Trinity College
1856 – Trinity College
1885 - 95 - Queen Street West looking west from Yonge Street
1885 – 95 – Queen Street West looking west from Yonge Street
1890? - Queen Street and Spadina Ave - Vintage Queen Street
1890? – Queen Street and Spadina Ave
1890? - Queen Street East crossing looking north
1890? – Queen Street East crossing looking north
1890? - Queen Street subway looking west
1890? – Queen Street subway looking west
1890? - Taken from #533 Queen Street looking west
1890? – Taken from #533 Queen Street looking west
1894 - Old Queen St car and trailer
Creator: Alfred J. 1894 – Old Queen St car and trailer
1897 - Nov 17 - Queen Street subway looking east
1897 – Nov 17 – Queen Street subway looking east
1897 - Nov 17 - Queen Street subway looking west construction
1897 – Nov 17 – Queen Street subway looking west construction
1898 - Queen Street east crossing looking west
1898 – Queen Street east crossing looking west
1898 - Queen Street subway looking east
1898 – Queen Street subway looking east
1898 - Queen Street subway looking east copy
1898 – Queen Street subway looking east copy
1898 - Queen Street subway looking south down Dufferin Street
1898 – Queen Street subway looking south down Dufferin Street
1899 - Oct 12 - Old west abutment Queen Street bridge Don
1899 – Oct 12 – Old west abutment Queen Street bridge Don
1899 - Queen Street subway looking west
1899 – Queen Street subway looking west
1904 - Feb 20 - Queen Street west of Lee Avenue
1904 – Feb 20 – Queen Street west of Lee Avenue
1906 - Queen Street east of Lee Avenue
1906 – Queen Street east of Lee Avenue
1907 - Church, Queen Street East
1907 – Church, Queen Street East
1908 - Queen Street looking east from City Hall
1908 – Queen Street looking east from City Hall
1908 - Yonge Street at Queen Street
1908 – Yonge Street at Queen Street
1910 - Nov 21 - Queen Street - Don River Bridge east side after looking west
1910 – Nov 21 – Queen Street – Don River Bridge east side after looking west
1910 - Nov 21 - Queen Street- Don River Bridge - Vintage Queen Street
1910 – Nov 21 – Queen Street- Don River Bridge
1911 - June 21 - Aerial view looking west on Queen Street from City Hall Tower
1911 – June 21 – Aerial view looking west on Queen Street from City Hall Tower
1912 - Lou Turofsky, in his first car, near the original studio, 322 1:2 Queen Street West
1912 – Lou Turofsky, in his first car, near the original studio, 322 1:2 Queen Street West
1913 - Window display of ladies and gentlemen's shoes, with leaded upper windows and Humphrey arc gas light, J. C. Buidreo, 1344 Queen Street West
1913 – Window display of ladies and gentlemen’s shoes, with leaded upper windows and Humphrey arc gas light, J. C. Buidreo, 1344 Queen Street West
1914 - Dominion Bank, southeast corner of Queen Street and Broadview Avenue
1914 – Dominion Bank, southeast corner of Queen Street and Broadview Avenue
1914 - Nov 13 - New track Queen Street east
1914 – Nov 13 – New track Queen Street east
1918 - Feb 26 - Don flood, North from Queen Street
1918 – Feb 26 – Don flood, North from Queen Street
1919 - Jan 24 - Catholic School, No. 409 Queen Street East at Power Street
1919 – Jan 24 – Catholic School, No. 409 Queen Street East at Power Street
1919 - Odeon Theatre, No. 1558 Queen Street West
1919 – Odeon Theatre, No. 1558 Queen Street West
1920? - Lou Turofsky and others outside Alexandra Studios, 338 Queen Street West
1920? – Lou Turofsky and others outside Alexandra Studios, 338 Queen Street West
1923 - Queen and Bay, west, on Queen
1923 – Queen and Bay, west, on Queen
1924 - James Street, looking north from Queen Street West
1924 – James Street, looking north from Queen Street West
1924 - Queen Street West at University Avenue
1924 – Queen Street West at University Avenue
1924 - Queen Street, looking east, from James, noon hour traffic
1924 – Queen Street, looking east, from James, noon hour traffic
1924 - Spadina Avenue at Queen Street West, looking north
1924 – Spadina Avenue at Queen Street West, looking north
1925 - Metropolitan Church
1925 – Metropolitan Church
1925 - Nov 11 - Cenotaph, City Hall - from north east two street cars on Queen Street in background
1925 – Nov 11 – Cenotaph, City Hall – from north east two street cars on Queen Street in background
1925 = Queen Street West, south side, looking southeast from end of University Avenue
1925 = Queen Street West, south side, looking southeast from end of University Avenue
1926 - Dec 5 - Queen St East and Canadian National Railway grade separation, placing first girder, 1 p.jpg
1926 – Dec 5 – Queen St East and Canadian National Railway grade separation, placing first girder, 1 p.jpg
1926 - North side of Queen Street West between Simcoe Street and University Avenue
1926 – North side of Queen Street West between Simcoe Street and University Avenue
1926 - Queen Street East, east of Victoria Street, south side
1926 – Queen Street East, east of Victoria Street, south side
1926 - Spadina Avenue at Queen Street, looking north
1926 – Spadina Avenue at Queen Street, looking north
1927 - York Street, looking south from Queen Street
1927 – York Street, looking south from Queen Street
1929 - Aug 31 - Queen St, east, from James, traffic, noon
1929 – Aug 31 – Queen St, east, from James, traffic, noon
1929 - Oct 20 - Police parade, line of police on Queen Street
1929 – Oct 20 – Police parade, line of police on Queen Street
1929 - Sept 13 - Dominion Store, 1284 Queen Street East
1929 – Sept 13 – Dominion Store, 1284 Queen Street East
1930 - Aerial view of downtown from the northwest
1930 – Aerial view of downtown from the northwest
1930 - Aerial view of University Avenue and Queen Street West
1930 – Aerial view of University Avenue and Queen Street West

 

To find more vintage photos of Toronto, please visit the Toronto Archives or the Toronto Public Library Archives.

 

 

About Joel Levy 2531 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography