Vintage Photographs from along King Street in Toronto

Seeing neighbourhoods you know almost magically transformed into its previous self is an amazing part of photography and the documentation of our cities. The Toronto Archives are a treasure trove of such images, some dating back to the mid 1800s. We have shared images from Queen Street, both Part 1 and Part 2, and have shared some of Toronto’s old storefronts. For this curated collection of vintage photographs from Toronto, we took a look along King Street to see what is was once like.

1834 - View of King Street East,
1834 – View of King Street East, drawing
1835 - King looking east from Toronto Street
1835 – King looking east from Toronto Street, drawing
1847 - King East looking east to Church
1847 – King East looking east to Church; drawing
1856 - King Street East, south-side between Yonge and Church streets, looking east
1856 – King St. East, south-side between Yonge and Church streets, looking east
1856 - King Street East, south-side, looking west.
1856 – King St. East, south-side, looking west.
1866 - Northwest corner of Yonge and King streets
1866 – Northwest corner of Yonge and King streets
1870 - 145 King Street East 2
1870 – 145 King Street East
1875 - King Street at Yonge Street, looking east
1875 – King St. at Yonge Street, looking east
1885 - 1895 - King St. W., Toronto
1885 – 1895 – King St. W., Toronto
1885 - 1895 - King Street East, south side, east of Church Street
1885 – 1895 – King St. East, south side, east of Church Street
1888 - Two horse car, taken at King and Queen Sts
1888 – Two horse car, taken at King and Queen Sts
1890? - Interior of Bilton Bros ltd mens clothing store at 103 King Street West
1890? – Interior of Bilton Bros ltd. mens clothing store at 103 King St. West.
On the left is Thomas Bilton who started the firm in 1885
1890? - Taken from opposite #255 King Street West
1890? – Taken from opposite #255 King St. West
1890? - Yonge Street and King Street
1890? – Yonge Street and King St.
1897 - King Street - west from Yonge
1897 – King St. – west from Yonge
1900 – June 23 – King St. East at Don showing old and new grade
1903 - November 2nd - King Street and Don Esplanade
1903 – November 2nd – King St. and Don Esplanade
1903 – November 2nd – King St. and Don Esplanade copy
1903 – November 12 – King St. and Cowan Avenue
1903 - November 12 - King Street east of Wilson
1903 – November 12 – King St east of Wilson
1903 - November 12 - King Street opposite Wilson
1903 – November 12 – King St. opposite Wilson
1903 – November 12 – King Street west of Beaty
1903 - October 2nd - King Street
1903 – October 2nd – King St.
1903 - October 2nd - King Street and Don Esplanade
Creator: Unknown
1903 – October 2nd – King St. and Don Esplanade
1904 – March 9 – King St. east of Church Street
1904 – March 9 – King St. east of Church Street
1904 – March 9 – King St. east of Church Street
1908 - The British Hotel at the north-east corner of Simcoe and King streets
1908 – The British Hotel at the north-east corner of Simcoe and King St.
1910 – 1912 – King St. East at Yonge Street, looking east
1910 - Bay Street , looking north from King Street
1910 – Bay Street , looking north from King St.
1910 - September 12 - Close-up of Don Station (C.N.R.) Queen Street - King Street intersection
1910 – September 12 – Close-up of Don Station (C.N.R.) Queen Street – King St. intersection
1911 - January 29 - Slum interior, occupied - 318 King Street East
1911 – January 29 – Slum interior, occupied – 318 King St. East
1911 - November 24 - Sidewalk 66-68 King Street West
1911 – November 24 – Sidewalk 66-68 King St. West
1911 – October 16 – King St. looking east to Don Bridge from car barns
1911 - October 18 - Yonge Street north from King 130
1911 – October 18 – Yonge Street north from King 130
1911 - Signs in window of the Toronto Star building, King Street West
1911 – Signs in window of the Toronto Star building, King St. West
1912 - April 23 - King Street at St. Lawrence Street east to Don River
1912 – April 23 – King St. at St. Lawrence Street east to Don River
1912 - Bay Street, looking north from King Street West
1912 – Bay Street, looking north from King St. West
1912 - February 23 - Interior of old house on north side of King Street East
1912 – February 23 – Interior of old house on north side of King St. East
1912 - February 23 - Old building on King Street East near St. Lawrence
1912 – February 23 – Old building on King St. East near St. Lawrence
1912 - February 26 - Interior, occupied - slum house on north side of King Street East
1912 – February 26 – Interior, occupied – slum house on north side of King St. East
1912 - Government House, Residence of Lieutenant Governor, King Street and Simcoe Street
1912 – Government House, Residence of Lieutenant Governor, King St. and Simcoe Street
1912 - King Street
1912 – King St.
1912 - King Street West, south side, looking east from York Street
1912 – King St. West, south side, looking east from York Street
1912 - March 26 - Missing number. T.R. Co. Fire at King Street barn
1912 – March 26 – Missing number. T.R. Co. Fire at King St. barn
1912 - Northeast corner of King Street and Yonge Street
1912 – Northeast corner of King St. and Yonge Street
1912 - September 16 - Bay Street looking south across King Street
1912 – September 16 – Bay Street looking south across King St.
1912 - Two bank messengers, King Street West
1912 – Two bank messengers, King St. West
1912 - Two bank messengers, King Street West 2
1912 – Two bank messengers, King St. West 2
1913 - June 4 - 512-516 King Street East
1913 – June 4 – 512-516 King St. East
1913 - The Molson Bank, Cawthra House, King Street and Bay Street
1913 – The Molson Bank, Cawthra House, King St. and Bay Street
1914 - April 30 - North American Life Building, No. 112-118 King Street West
1914 – April 30 – North American Life Building, No. 112-118 King St. West
1914 - June 8 - King & Yonge
1914 – June 8 – King & Yonge
1914 - June 8 - Southwest corner King and Yonge
1914 – June 8 – Southwest corner King and Yonge
1914 - June 11 - King and Yonge
1914 – June 11 – King and Yonge
1914 - September 17 - King Street and Queen Street intersection, Sunnyside, Ocean House Hotel
1914 – September 17 – King St. and Queen Street intersection, Sunnyside, Ocean House Hotel
1915 - February 11 - King Street yard
1915 – February 11 – King St. yard
1915 - May 19 - East side Bathurst Street north of King Street
1915 – May 19 – East side Bathurst Street north of King St.
1917 - May 15 - Rear of 234 King Street East
1917 – May 15 – Rear of 234 King St. East
1917 - November 2 - Rear view of slum at 797 King Street West
1917 – November 2 – Rear view of slum at 797 King St. West
1917 - November 2 - Slum Housing - 650-656 King Street West
1917 – November 2 – Slum Housing – 650-656 King St. West
1917 - October 1 -Condemned houses 372 to 376 King Street East
1917 – October 1 -Condemned houses 372 to 376 King St. East
1917 - October 22 - 355 - 359 King Street East
1917 – October 22 – 355 – 359 King St. East
1917 - September 28 - Condemned house - 575 King Street West
1917 – September 28 – Condemned house – 575 King St. West
1919 - King Street, looking east toward York Street
1919 – King St., looking east toward York Street
1919 - March 19 - 756-758 King Street West
1919 – March 19 – 756-758 King St. West
1919 - September 10 - Aerial view of Toronto from south of Toronto Harbour Commission building - King St. East at Bay Street
1919 – September 10 – Aerial view of Toronto from south of Toronto Harbour Commission building – King St. East at Bay Street
1920 - King Street at Leader Lane
1920 – King St. at Leader Lane
1920 - King Street West, looking northeast from Simcoe Street
1920 – King St. West, looking northeast from Simcoe Street
1920 - Manufacturers Life Building, Yonge Street at King Street West, north-west corner
1920 – Manufacturers Life Building, Yonge Street at King St. West, north-west corner
1924 - Bay St, showing no parking, on east side, Saturday, after 12 noon
1924 – Bay St, showing no parking, on east side, Saturday, after 12 noon
1924 - December 24 - Noon hour traffic, Yonge Street looking north from King Street
1924 – December 24 – Noon hour traffic, Yonge Street looking north from King St.
1927 - 1947 - Brant Street Public School
1927 – 1947 – Brant Street Public School
1927 - February 2 - Crawford Street at King Street 505pm Streetcar line up
1927 – February 2 – Crawford Street at King St. 505pm Streetcar line up
1927 - North side of King Street West, looking east to Bay Street
1927 – North side of King St. West, looking east to Bay Street
1930 - November 18 - 175 King Street West - University Avenue Extension
1930 – November 18 – 175 King St. West – University Avenue Extension
1930? - King Street West near York Street
1930? – King St. West near York Street
1935 - April 16 - King Street West, looking west to Wilson Avenue
1935 – April 16 – King Street West, looking west to Wilson Avenue
1936 - November 9 - 472-474 King St. & 2 Sumach Street
1936 – November 9 – 472-474 King St. & 2 Sumach Street
1936 - November 9 - 480-482 King Street East
1936 – November 9 – 480-482 King St. East
1937 - January 9 - 372-374 King Street East
1937 – January 9 – 372-374 King St. East
1937 - January 9 - Power Street from norhwest corner of King St. to NO. 10
1937 – January 9 – Power Street from northwest corner of King St. to NO. 10
1937 - March 3 - 531 King Street East
1937 – March 3 – 531 King St. East
1937 - September 7 - 480, 482 King Street East
1937 – September 7 – 480, 482 King St. East
1939 – Queen Street West, looking west from Yonge Street
1940? - King Street West and Bay Street
1940? – King St. West and Bay Street
1949 - July 12 - Peter Street north from south side of King Street
1949 – July 12 – Peter Street north from south side of King Street.
1950 - King Street West
1950 – King St. West
1950 - March 18 - Road work, Yonge Street at King Street
1950 – March 18 – Road work, Yonge Street at King St.
1950 - St. James Cathedral at 106 King Street East
1950 – St. James Cathedral at 106 King Street East
1950? - Aerial view of downtown Toronto, looking east along King Street
1950? – Aerial view of downtown Toronto, looking east along King Street
1950? - King Street East and Yonge Street
1950? – King St. East and Yonge Street
1950? - King Street East nearYonge Street
1950? – King Street East near Yonge Street
1958 - January - Jarvis Street looking north from King Street
1958 – January – Jarvis Street looking north from King St.

 

If you are interested in looking at more vintage photo galleries, visit our archives here.

You can also check out the Toronto Archives to buy prints for your home or for gifts. Check out their website here.

 

 

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