Historic photos from around High Park, TorontoHigh 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:
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. |
| 1870 | High Park Gate - Watercolour by John Howard looking north up to Colborne Lodge in High Park (Categorized under: Ornamental gate ) 156 years ago - 1870 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1875 | ![]() | St. Pauls Cathedral iron gate at Colborne Lodge - Illustrated guide to Toronto by way of Niagara Falls 151 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 136 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 136 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 ) 136 years ago - 1890 - High Park at 1525 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1900 | Colborne Lodge in High Park - art gallery 126 years ago - 1900 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1900 | Colborne Lodge art gallery in High Park; interior showing paintings up to the ceiling 126 years ago - 1900 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1907 | ![]() | Women getting ready to skate on Grenadier Pond with shoes and coats in the trees 119 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) 119 years ago - 1907 - High Park at 30 The Queensway Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1907 | The old Howard residence - with triple chimney - High Park, Toronto 119 years ago - 1907 - High Park at 11 Colborne Lodge Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1908 | ![]() | Buffalo in High Park zoo along Deer Pen road 118 years ago - 1908 - High Park at Deer Pen Road in High Park Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1908 | Reindeer at fence in the High Park zoo 118 years ago - 1908 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1909 | ![]() | Men and horses cutting ice on Grenadier Pond 117 years ago - 1909 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1909 | Deer and buffalo corral with bike rider - High Park Zoo 117 years ago - 1909 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1910 | ![]() | Toboggan runs built in the park 116 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 114 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 114 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 113 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 ) 112 years ago - 1914 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada) |
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| 1914 | ![]() | Women snow shoeing, High Park 112 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 112 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 ) 112 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 ) 112 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 111 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 111 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?) 110 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) |
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| 1917 | High Park Forest School - weighing children (Categorized under: Schools ) 109 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) |
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| 1918 | Edna Boyd on Geoffrey Street in the winter 108 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) |
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| 1918 | Horse drawn sled entering Howard Gates to High Park (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 108 years ago - Saturday, February 9, 1918 - High Park at 195 Parkside Drive Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada) |
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| 1919 | Traffic in the High Park zoo - high class cars and tin lizzies 107 years ago - 1919 - High Park at Deer Pen Road in High Park Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
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| 1919 | ![]() | Roncesvalles Avenue south at Grafton Avenue 107 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 ) 105 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 ) 105 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 ) 103 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 ) 101 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) |
| 1926 | ![]() | Baby Hog deer fawn (24 hours old) in High Park Zoo 100 years ago - Wednesday, May 26, 1926 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Max temp: 16.7°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1929 | ![]() | Mother and baby feeding ducks in the High Park Zoo 97 years ago - Wednesday, July 10, 1929 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1929 | ![]() | High Park duck and goose pond 97 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) |
| 1929 | ![]() | A black stork (Ciconia nigra) in the stork family Ciconiidae in the High Park Zoo 97 years ago - Tuesday, September 24, 1929 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road 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 ) 95 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 ) 95 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 ) 90 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) |
| 1946 | ![]() | High Park Zoo in 1946, with cars and a truck on Deer Pen Road 80 years ago - Sunday, May 26, 1946 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1948 | Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia also known as Aoudad) in the High Park zoo 78 years ago - Sunday, June 6, 1948 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1952 | High Park pavilion with two-story-tall towers - destroyed by fire in February 1958 74 years ago - 1952 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1953 | Various animals in the High Park Zoo in the 1950s 73 years ago - 1953 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1953 | Looking down into the ravine at the High Park Zoo along Deer Pen Road 73 years ago - Tuesday, March 10, 1953 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1956 | High Park Pavilion with ornate towers 70 years ago - 1956 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1956 | High Park Boulevard entrance, looking east (Categorized under: Howard Memorial Gates ) 70 years ago - 1956 - High Park at 198 Parkside Drive at High Park Blvd Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1959 | ![]() | Gathering near the Maple Leaf circle - High Park, Toronto 67 years ago - 1959 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1960 | ![]() | Bactrian camel in High Park Zoo in the 1950s or 1960s 66 years ago - 1960 - High Park at 29 Deer Pen Road Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1967 | ![]() | 16 photos of sculptor Wessel Couzijn installing Midsummer Nights Dream 59 years ago - 1967 - High Park at 1873 Bloor Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |