Historic photos from around Liberty Village, Toronto

A relatively new name for the east side of Parkdale, Liberty Village is a trendy mixed-use neighbourhood with a very different past. Much of the heavy industrial buildings are now gone (or turned into loft apartments) and replaced with condo developments, office buildings, restaurants and bars. Its location, just west of downtown Toronto, minutes from the lake, has lead to its recent popularity.

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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1860		Crystal Palace (1858-1879), King St. W., n. side, in present Sudbury St. before being moved to the CNE grounds 164 years ago - 1860 - Liberty Village at 1044 King Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1867		Crystal Palace, King St., Toronto, erected 1857 (used as Provincial Exhibition space, and after 1866 as 13th Hussars Barracks) 157 years ago - 1867 - Liberty Village at 1044 King Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario)
1900		Diamond Park - baseball - Liberty St., s.e. cor. Fraser Ave. w/ Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women in distance? 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village at 135 Liberty Street s.e. corner at Fraser Ave Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1900		Birds eye sketch of the Pressed Metal Factory building at King and Dufferin Streets from their 1900 catalogue (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Link to archive record - Map location
1900		Draughting room - Pressed Metal Builiding - Pressed Metal Co 1900 catalogue (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village Link to archive record - Map location
1900		Draughting room - Pressed Metal Builiding - Pressed Metal Co 1900 catalogue (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village Link to archive record - Map location
1900		General Office with manual typewriter and safe- Pressed Metal Builiding - Pressed Metal Co 1900 catalogue (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village Link to archive record - Map location
1900		Managers Private Office - Pressed Metal Builiding - Pressed Metal Co 1900 catalogue (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village Link to archive record - Map location
1900		Metallic Roofing Co of Canada Catalogue S - 1900 (Categorized under: Metallic roofing catalogue ) 124 years ago - 1900 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West at Park Road Link to archive record - Map location
1907		Eastern Baseball League, opening game of season at Diamond Park, Liberty St., s.e. cor. Fraser Ave. 117 years ago - 1907 - Liberty Village at 135 Liberty Street s.e. corner at Fraser Ave Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1912		Pressed Metal Factory building at King and Dufferin Streets looking east (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 112 years ago - Friday, January 19, 1912 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Max temp: 3.3°C - Min temp: -12.8°C - 4.8cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1915		Bombs stored on Liberty Street, looking east from Dufferin Street 109 years ago - 1915 - Liberty Village at 199 Liberty Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1915		King Street West subway at Sudbury 109 years ago - Thursday, April 29, 1915 - Liberty Village at 1044 King Street West Max temp: 21.7°C - Min temp: 11.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1918		Munitions workers line up for last pay, southeast corner of King and Dufferin streets across from Metallic Roofing Co (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 106 years ago - 1918 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1920		Aerial view of Liberty Village with Massey-Harris plant, Provincial Lunatic Asylum, Mercer Reformatory and the former Central Prison 104 years ago - 1920 - Liberty Village at 135 Liberty Street approximately Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1927		Railroad illumination tower at Strachan Avenue 97 years ago - Wednesday, April 6, 1927 - Liberty Village at 48 Strachan Ave Max temp: 17.2°C - Min temp: 1.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1942		Major General Whang Ping-hing inspecting Bren gun during visit of Chinese officials to John Inglis Co., Ltd. 82 years ago - Friday, February 27, 1942 - Liberty Village at 37 Hanna Ave s.e. corner at East Liberty Street (now Liberty Market Building) Max temp: 0.0°C - Min temp: -6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1942		Visit of Chinese officials to John Inglis Co., Ltd. 82 years ago - Friday, February 27, 1942 - Liberty Village at 37 Hanna Ave s.e. corner at East Liberty Street (now Liberty Market Building) Max temp: 0.0°C - Min temp: -6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1943		Chinese General P. Kiang and June Pattison, Miss Inglis, posing with Bren gun outside plant at 100,000th Bren gun ceremony, John Inglis Co., Ltd. 81 years ago - Friday, August 20, 1943 - Liberty Village at 37 Hanna Ave s.e. corner at East Liberty Street (now Liberty Market Building) Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 13.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1943		Chinese official at 100,000th Bren gun ceremony, John Inglis Co., Ltd. 81 years ago - Friday, August 20, 1943 - Liberty Village at 37 Hanna Ave s.e. corner at East Liberty Street (now Liberty Market Building) Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 13.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1943		Band waiting in shorts at the 100,000th Bren gun ceremony, John Inglis Co., Ltd. 81 years ago - Friday, August 20, 1943 - Liberty Village at 37 Hanna Ave s.e. corner at East Liberty Street (now Liberty Market Building) Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 13.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1944		Lord Halifax and to his left Major J E Hahn watching female war workers at John Inglis Co., Ltd. 80 years ago - Monday, January 24, 1944 - Liberty Village at 37 Hanna Ave s.e. corner at East Liberty Street (now Liberty Market Building) Max temp: 1.7°C - Min temp: -6.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1945		V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) - 25 Gwynne Avenue - Corporal E.B. Jamieson, Private Allan Brown 79 years ago - Monday, May 7, 1945 - Liberty Village at 25 Gwynne Ave Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1982		Metallic Roofing Showroom behind Teperman hoardings (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 42 years ago - Sunday, September 5, 1982 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1983		Looking west along E Liberty St to the Irwin Toys building on Hanna Ave (now the Toy Factory Lofts) 41 years ago - Thursday, May 5, 1983 - Liberty Village at 43 Hanna Ave Max temp: 12.8°C - Min temp: 4.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream)
1983		From atop 53 Fraser Ave - July 24, 1983 41 years ago - Sunday, July 24, 1983 - Liberty Village at 53 Fraser Ave Max temp: 26.0°C - Min temp: 19.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream)
1983		From atop 53 Fraser Ave - Looking south-east, with Exhibition Stadium in the background 41 years ago - Sunday, July 24, 1983 - Liberty Village at 53 Fraser Ave Max temp: 26.0°C - Min temp: 19.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location
1983		Metallic Roofing Co showroom built in 1897 - Henry Simpson, Architect - 1192 King St W (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 41 years ago - Sunday, November 27, 1983 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Max temp: 4.9°C - Min temp: 1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream)
1983		One end of Metallic Roofing Co showroom - now gone - 1192 King St W (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 41 years ago - Sunday, November 27, 1983 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Max temp: 4.9°C - Min temp: 1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream)
1983		Central section of the Metallic Roofing Co showroom - bikes $25.00 and up sign (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 41 years ago - Sunday, November 27, 1983 - Liberty Village at 1192 King Street West Max temp: 4.9°C - Min temp: 1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream)
1987		Metallic Roofing Co. of Canada - moved to Lamport Stadium (Categorized under: Metalic roofing showroom ) 37 years ago - 1987 - Liberty Village at 1155 King Street West Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)