Old Photographs of Yonge Street in the 1970s

For our latest curated collection of old photographs, we decided to expand on our images of Yonge street by showcasing the different decades and the changes over time. The Toronto Archives have tons of amazing images that you can purchase for prints or just browse for free.

The first series of pictures are from the 1970s, a colourful decade of life on Yonge Street. Do you remember life on Yonge in the 70s?

(captions are from the Toronto Archives and may be incorrect)

1970 - View of side window display of Cinecity at Yonge and Charles Street East
1970 – View of side window display of Cinecity at Yonge and Charles Street East
1970 - Yonge Street pedestrian mall
1970 – Yonge Street pedestrian mall
1971 - Side view of the Brown Derby Tavern at Yonge and Dundas Street
1971 – Side view of the Brown Derby Tavern at Yonge and Dundas Street
1971 - View of A & A Books and Records on Yonge Street
1971 – View of A & A Books and Records on Yonge Street
1971 - View of Sam the Record Man on Yonge Street
1971 – View of Sam the Record Man on Yonge Street
1971 - View of north side of Carlton Street, looking east to Yonge Street
1971 – View of north side of Carlton Street, looking east to Yonge Street
1971 – View of stores on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Irwin Street
1971 - View of shops on the east side of Yonge Street, north of St. Clair
1971 – View of shops on the east side of Yonge Street, north of St. Clair
1971 - View of stores on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Irwin Street
1971 – View of stores on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Irwin Street
1971 - View of stores on Yonge Street, looking south from Wellesley
1971 – View of stores on Yonge Street, looking south from Wellesley
1971 - View of stores on Yonge Street, south of Wellesley
1971 – View of stores on Yonge Street, south of Wellesley
1972 - Imperial Theatre, Yonge Street
1972 – Imperial Theatre, Yonge Street
1972 - Street vendor, Yonge
1972 – Street vendor, Yonge
1972 - Yonge Street pedestrian mall
1972 – Yonge Street pedestrian mall
1972 - Yonge Street pedestrian mall
1972 – Yonge Street pedestrian mall
1972 - Yonge Street, west side, south from Dundas Street
1972 – Yonge Street, west side, south from Dundas Street
1972 - Yonge Street, west side, south of Dundas Street at Trinity Square
1972 – Yonge Street, west side, south of Dundas Street at Trinity Square
1973 - Close view of storefront Muntz on east-side of Yonge Street, north of Dundas
1973 – Close view of storefront Muntz on east-side of Yonge Street, north of Dundas
1973 - View of CineBook and other stores along the west side of Yonge Street, between Bloor and Wellesley Streets
1973 – View of CineBook and other stores along the west side of Yonge Street, between Bloor and Wellesley Streets
1973 - View of restoration of Edison Hotel at Yonge and Gould Street
1973 – View of restoration of Edison Hotel at Yonge and Gould Street
1973 - View of Ridpath's on west side of Yonge Street, north of Davenport Road
1973 – View of Ridpath’s on west side of Yonge Street, north of Davenport Road
1973 - View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street, north of St. Clair
1973 – View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street, north of St. Clair
1973 - View of the west side of Yonge Street looking south from the CPR
1973 – View of the west side of Yonge Street looking south from the CPR
1973 - View of west side of Yonge Street, looking south at Charles Street East
1973 – View of west side of Yonge Street, looking south at Charles Street East
1973 - View of west side of Yonge Street, view south to Cumberland Street
1973 – View of west side of Yonge Street, view south to Cumberland Street
1973 - View of Yonge Street and Lawton Boulevard, north of St. Clair
1973 – View of Yonge Street and Lawton Boulevard, north of St. Clair
1973 - View of Yonge Street from south of Dundas, looking north
1973 – View of Yonge Street from south of Dundas, looking north
1973 - View of Yonge Street west shops, just north of St. Clair
1973 – View of Yonge Street west shops, just north of St. Clair
1973 - View of Yonge Street west-side shops, just north of St. Clair
1973 – View of Yonge Street west-side shops, just north of St. Clair
1974 - View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street at Breadalbane
1974 – View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street at Breadalbane
1974 - View of storefronts on the west side of Yonge Street, between Heath and Delisle Avenue
1974 – View of storefronts on the west side of Yonge Street, between Heath and Delisle Avenue
1974 - View of storefronts on the west side of Yonge Street, between Heath and Delisle Avenue
1974 – View of storefronts on the west side of Yonge Street, between Heath and Delisle Avenue
1974 - View of the corner of Yonge Street and Delisle Avenue
1974 – View of the corner of Yonge Street and Delisle Avenue
1974 - View of the Hollywood Theatre on Yonge Street just south of Heath Street
1974 – View of the Hollywood Theatre on Yonge Street just south of Heath Street
1974 - View of west side of Yonge Street, south of Heath Street
1974 – View of west side of Yonge Street, south of Heath Street
1974 - View of Yonge Street, looking from Delisle Avenue
1974 – View of Yonge Street, looking from Delisle Avenue
1974 - View of Yonge Street, looking south from Hayter Street
1974 – View of Yonge Street, looking south from Hayter Street
1974 - View of Jean Junction on Yonge Street, south of Gerrard
1974 – View of Jean Junction on Yonge Street, south of Gerrard
1974 - View of Yonge Street, north of Charles Street
1974 – View of Yonge Street, north of Charles Street
1975 - View of construction on Yonge Street in front of Funland Arcade, south of Wellesley
1975 – View of construction on Yonge Street in front of Funland Arcade, south of Wellesley
1975 - View of Dundas Square on the east side of Yonge Street, south of Dundas
1975 – View of Dundas Square on the east side of Yonge Street, south of Dundas
1975 - View of Fransman's shoes on the west side of Yonge Street at Irwin Avenue
1975 – View of Fransman’s shoes on the west side of Yonge Street at Irwin Avenue
1975 - View of Long John's, pirate mural on Yonge Street north of Wellesley
1975 – View of Long John’s, pirate mural on Yonge Street north of Wellesley
1975 - View of pizza place on the west side of Yonge Street, just north of Wellesley
1975 – View of pizza place on the west side of Yonge Street, just north of Wellesley
1975 - View of shops on the east side of Yonge Street, north of Albert Street
1975 – View of shops on the east side of Yonge Street, north of Albert Street
1975 - View of storefronts along Yonge Street on the east side, opposite Elm Street
1975 – View of storefronts along Yonge Street on the east side, opposite Elm Street
1975 - View of stores along the west side of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street West
1975 – View of stores along the west side of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street West
1975 - View of stores along the west side of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street West copy
1975 – View of stores along the west side of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street West copy
1975 - View of Radio City on west side of Yonge Street, south of Wellesley
1975 – View of Radio City on west side of Yonge Street, south of Wellesley
1975 - View of stores on the east side of Yonge Street at Gould Street
1975 – View of stores on the east side of Yonge Street at Gould Street
1975 - View of the Gutenberg gallery store window display on the west side of Yonge Street, north of Wellesley
1975 – View of the Gutenberg gallery store window display on the west side of Yonge Street, north of Wellesley
1975 - View of the Hollywood Theatre on the east side of Yonge Street north of St. Clair
1975 – View of the Hollywood Theatre on the east side of Yonge Street north of St. Clair
1975 - View of Thrifty's store front and window display on west side of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street
1975 – View of Thrifty’s store front and window display on west side of Yonge Street, south of Bloor Street
1975 - View of Yonge Street at Lawton and Heath Street
1975 – View of Yonge Street at Lawton and Heath Street
1975 - View of Yonge Street looking north at Wellesley
1975 – View of Yonge Street looking north at Wellesley
1975 - View of Yonge Street, looking north from Dundas Street
1975 – View of Yonge Street, looking north from Dundas Street
1977 - Closer view of shops on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Gerrard
1977 – Closer view of shops on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Gerrard
1977 - View of "the Jeanery" and "Classy" formal wear centre on Yonge Street, south of Walton Street
1977 – View of “the Jeanery” and “Classy” formal wear centre on Yonge Street, south of Walton Street
1977 - View of front of the Victoria Hotel on Yonge Street, north of Wellington
1977 – View of front of the Victoria Hotel on Yonge Street, north of Wellington
1977 - View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street south of Wellington
1977 – View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street south of Wellington
1977 - View of Simpson's at Yonge and Richmond Street corner
1977 – View of Simpson’s at Yonge and Richmond Street corner
Creator: Harvey R. Naylor
Date: April 19, 1977
Archival Citation: Fonds 1526, File 17, Item 6
Credit: City of Toronto Archives
www.toronto.ca/archives
Copyright was transferred to the City of Toronto by the copyright owner.
1977 - View of stores on the east side of Yonge Street, south of Dundas Street
1977 – View of stores on the east side of Yonge Street, south of Dundas Street
1977 - View of stores on the east side of Yonge Street, south of Richmond Street
1977 – View of stores on the east side of Yonge Street, south of Richmond Street
1977 - View of the building at the corner of Yonge and Shuter Street
1977 – View of the building at the corner of Yonge and Shuter Street
1977 - View of the store "Four Seasons Apparel" on west side of Yonge Street, north of Gerrard
1977 – View of the store “Four Seasons Apparel” on west side of Yonge Street, north of Gerrard
1977 - View of the Toronto Camera Centre on Yonge Street
1977 – View of the Toronto Camera Centre on Yonge Street
1977 - View of west side of Yonge Street, north from Front Street West
1977 – View of west side of Yonge Street, north from Front Street West
1977 - View of Yonge Street shops and Eaton Centre
1977 – View of Yonge Street shops and Eaton Centre
1978 - Street vendor on Yonge at Dundas
1978 – Street vendor on Yonge at Dundas
1979 - Central Library, Yonge Street
1979 – Central Library, Yonge Street
1979 - View of Fun Land and Skin Deep on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Wellesley
1979 – View of Fun Land and Skin Deep on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Wellesley
1979 - View of pedestrian walkway, Simpson's and traffic at Yonge and Queen Street
1979 – View of pedestrian walkway, Simpson’s and traffic at Yonge and Queen Street
1979 - View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Wellington
1979 – View of shops on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Wellington

 

 

For more images to browse and buy, please visit the Toronto Archives.

 

 

 

About Joel Levy 2615 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography