Toronto Street Railway

Today marks the 143rd anniversary of the Tramway opening. On the 7th August 1876, the Douglas Bay Tramway opened for business with two tramcars and (approximat...ely) twelve horses. It ran from the bottom of Burnt Mill Hill (known today as Summerhill) and the Iron Pier (Broadway) as a single track with passing places. This view shows tramcar No.2 on opening day just beyond the Iron Pier - assumed to be the southern extent of tracklaying at that time. Thomas Lightfoot, promoter of the Tramway, can be seen seated on the upper deck.

Toronto’s Past 1900-1915: University students being shown Toronto by Tally-ho in 1908 (Toronto Archives)

Focus on Front St. Queen’s Hotel 1862-1927 In 1844 four rowhouses, designed by John Howard, were combined to form a hotel, which opened as "Sword's Hotel", in ...1856. In 1860 the hotel was renamed the "Revere House". The hotel was purchased, and renovated, by Thomas Dick, and renamed the "Queen's Hotel" in 1862. The Hotel was considered luxurious, and hosted prominent guests, including the Prince of Wales. During the American Civil War the hotel was very popular with Americans from the Confederate States. Some accounts assert Southerners had booked the entire hotel. At its height it provided 210 rooms, a restaurant, and extensive gardens. It was the first hotel in Canada to have elevators installed. The and lands were purchased in 1927 for the construction of the Royal York Hotel. Photo: Queen’s Hotel in 1886. It’s an albumen print mounted to a cabinet card ( Victor D Caratun Collection - Toronto Past Archive ) . . . . . . . . . . . #toronto_past #torontopast #torontohistory #toronto #vintagetoronto #historictoronto #torontohistoric #torontoarchitecture #oldtoronto #torontobuildings #torontohistorytour #torontophoto #torontoinsta #torontovintage #toronto_insta #oldtoronto #blogto #6ixwalks #imagesoftoronto #streetsoftoronto #tohistory #heritagetoronto #memoirsoftoronto #vintagetoronto #muddyyork #torontoarchives #narcitytoronto #canada #torontolife #torontoigers #archivesofinstagram

Toronto's horse-drawn "bandbox" streetcar #16 is currently hidden in storage at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. The horsecar was built by the Stephens...on Company in 1876 for the Toronto Street Railway. It was later used as a trailer and office car, before being restored by the TTC in 1933. It was donated to the museum in Ottawa in 1968, and has never returned home since. Modern photos taken by Transit Historian Trevor from Transit Bricks.

After being hidden in storage for 50 years, one of Toronto's omnibuses (horse-drawn bus) is now on display at our museum! The vehicle is a replica built by the... TTC in 1930, and was used in parades and displays at the CNE. You can find the omnibus in barn #4 next to ex-TRCo streetcar #1326. Our museum re-opens for the season on Saturday May 4th 2019!

Focus on Front St. Queen’s Hotel 1862-1927 In 1844 four rowhouses, designed by John Howard, were combined to form a hotel, which opened as "Sword's Hotel", in ...1856. In 1860 the hotel was renamed the "Revere House". The hotel was purchased, and renovated, by Thomas Dick, and renamed the "Queen's Hotel" in 1862. The Hotel was considered luxurious, and hosted prominent guests, including the Prince of Wales. During the American Civil War the hotel was very popular with Americans from the Confederate States. Some accounts assert Southerners had booked the entire hotel. At its height it provided 210 rooms, a restaurant, and extensive gardens. It was the first hotel in Canada to have elevators installed. The and lands were purchased in 1927 for the construction of the Royal York Hotel. Photo: Queen’s Hotel in 1886. It’s an albumen print mounted to a cabinet card ( Victor D Caratun Collection - Toronto Past Archive ) . . . . . . . . . . . #toronto_past #torontopast #torontohistory #toronto #vintagetoronto #historictoronto #torontohistoric #torontoarchitecture #oldtoronto #torontobuildings #torontohistorytour #torontophoto #torontoinsta #torontovintage #toronto_insta #oldtoronto #blogto #6ixwalks #imagesoftoronto #streetsoftoronto #tohistory #heritagetoronto #memoirsoftoronto #vintagetoronto #muddyyork #torontoarchives #narcitytoronto #canada #torontolife #torontoigers #archivesofinstagram

That's our streetcar!!!

Toronto's horse-drawn "bandbox" streetcar #16 is currently hidden in storage at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. The horsecar was built by the Stephens...on Company in 1876 for the Toronto Street Railway. It was later used as a trailer and office car, before being restored by the TTC in 1933. It was donated to the museum in Ottawa in 1968, and has never returned home since. Modern photos taken by Transit Historian Trevor from Transit Bricks.