Historic photos from around High Park, Toronto

High Park is the largest park in Toronto, at 1.61 square kms (398 acres). It is a wonderful combination of natural forest, ravines, and an open oak savannah habitat, Grenadier Pond, ornamental gardens, playing fields & childrens playgrounds. There is even a zoo along Deer Pen Road with American bison, Emu, llamas, peacocks, Fallow deer, wallaby, capybara, Highland cattle, yaks, Barbary sheep, and Mouflon sheep. The initial property for the park was given to the City of Toronto in 1873 by John George Howard and his wife, who are burried under a monument across from their Colborne Lodge. Additional land for the park came from Percival Ridout and the Chapman estate.

Additional neighbourhoods nearby:

• Sunnyside Park to the south
• Baby Point to the north-west
• Parkdale to the east

List of all areas in Toronto or take a look at the historic photos by date. New! You can now access the photos by street address A subset of the photos have also been arranged by subject.

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1870		High Park Gate - Watercolour by John Howard looking north up to Colborne Lodge in High Park (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 154 years ago - 1870 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1875		St. Pauls Cathedral iron gate at Colborne Lodge - Illustrated guide to Toronto by way of Niagara Falls 149 years ago - Thursday, November 18, 1875 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Max temp: 4.4°C - Min temp: -4.4°C - 0.3cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location
1890		Railway crossing at the south end of the park 134 years ago - 1890 - High Park at Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1890		Howard Cottage, High Park, Toronto 134 years ago - 1890 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario)
1890		Bell's Hotel, s.w. cor. Bloor & Dundas Sts. W., showing Brown's Tally-ho (fast horse-drawn coach) (Categorized under: Hotels ) 134 years ago - 1890 - High Park at 1525 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1900		Colborne Lodge in High Park - art gallery 124 years ago - 1900 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1900		Colborne Lodge art gallery in High Park; interior showing paintings up to the ceiling 124 years ago - 1900 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1907		Women getting ready to skate on Grenadier Pond with shoes and coats in the trees 117 years ago - 1907 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1907		Sunnyside Villa (now the site of St. Josephs Health Centre) 117 years ago - 1907 - High Park at 30 The Queensway Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1908		Buffalo in High Park zoo along Deer Pen road 116 years ago - 1908 - High Park at Deer Pen Road in High Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1909		Men and horses cutting ice on Grenadier Pond 115 years ago - 1909 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1910		Toboggan runs built in the park 114 years ago - 1910 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1912		Colborne Lodge, High Park, southeast elevation 112 years ago - 1912 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1912		Keele Street and Indian Road looking north 112 years ago - Thursday, November 28, 1912 - High Park at Indian Road Max temp: 2.2°C - Min temp: -5.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1913		Crowds around the High Park mineral baths just north of Bloor St 111 years ago - 1913 - High Park at 22 Gothic Ave n.w. of Bloor Street West and Quebec Ave Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1914		Howard Memorial Gate, High Park - Parkview Mansion at Roncesvalles in the distance? (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 110 years ago - 1914 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1914		Women snow shoeing, High Park 110 years ago - Saturday, February 14, 1914 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Max temp: -10.0°C - Min temp: -15.0°C - 1.0cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1914		Ski jump, High Park 110 years ago - Saturday, February 14, 1914 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Max temp: -10.0°C - Min temp: -15.0°C - 1.0cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1914		Opening of High Park gates - Canadas governor general, the Duke of Connaught (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 110 years ago - Thursday, March 19, 1914 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1914		Duke of Connaught opens High Park gates (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 110 years ago - Thursday, March 19, 1914 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1915		High Park - Tulip Beds 109 years ago - Saturday, May 8, 1915 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Max temp: 20.0°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1915		High Park tulip beds with buildings in the background 109 years ago - Saturday, May 8, 1915 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Max temp: 20.0°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1916		Hockey game at sunset on the pond in High Park (maybe Catfish Pond just west?) 108 years ago - Friday, January 7, 1916 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1917		High Park Forest School - weighing children (Categorized under: Schools ) 107 years ago - Wednesday, June 13, 1917 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1918		Edna Boyd on Geoffrey Street in the winter 106 years ago - Thursday, January 31, 1918 - High Park at Geoffrey Street just east of Parkside Dr Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1918		Horse drawn sled entering Howard Gates to High Park (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 106 years ago - Saturday, February 9, 1918 - High Park at 195 Parkside Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1919		Traffic in the High Park zoo - high class cars and tin lizzies 105 years ago - 1919 - High Park at Deer Pen Road in High Park Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario)
1919		Roncesvalles Avenue south at Grafton Avenue 105 years ago - Thursday, July 17, 1919 - High Park at 27 Roncesvalles Ave Max temp: 31.1°C - Min temp: 12.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1921		High Park fence from St. Pauls Cathedral, London, England (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 103 years ago - Saturday, April 2, 1921 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Max temp: 17.8°C - Min temp: 0.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1921		Howard monument, High Park (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 103 years ago - Saturday, April 2, 1921 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Max temp: 17.8°C - Min temp: 0.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1923		Night scene - Howard Memorial Gate (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 101 years ago - Sunday, December 23, 1923 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Max temp: 4.4°C - Min temp: -1.7°C - 7.4cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1925		Christmas day horses at the Howard Memorial Gates (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 99 years ago - Friday, December 25, 1925 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Max temp: -2.8°C - Min temp: -11.1°C - 5.1cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1929		High Park duck and goose pond 95 years ago - Tuesday, September 24, 1929 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Max temp: 23.3°C - Min temp: 8.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1931		Howard Memorial Gates (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 93 years ago - Thursday, August 6, 1931 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Max temp: 33.3°C - Min temp: 18.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1931		Howard Memorial Gates, High Park Boulevard (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 93 years ago - Thursday, August 6, 1931 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Max temp: 33.3°C - Min temp: 18.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1936		Stone gate, wooden fence, and house behind on Constance and Parkside (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 88 years ago - Friday, May 1, 1936 - High Park at 35 High Park Gardens Max temp: 18.9°C - Min temp: 9.4°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1952		High Park pavilion with two-story-tall towers - destroyed by fire in February 1958 72 years ago - 1952 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1956		High Park Pavilion with ornate towers 68 years ago - 1956 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1959		Gathering near the Maple Leaf circle - High Park, Toronto 65 years ago - 1959 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario)
1967		16 photos of sculptor Wessel Couzijn installing Midsummer Nights Dream 57 years ago - 1967 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)