Drawing of the Old Log Gaol, 1888. Illustration by William James Thomson. Courtesy of the Toronto Public Library.
Photograph of the columns and roofline of Toronto's Seventh Post Office, 2019.
Toronto's first public washroom, 1912. Courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives.
The City’s First Jail
The lavish King Edward Hotel on King Street was once the location of Toronto’s first jail, the Old Log Gaol, which held Toronto’s first execution in 1798. John Sullivan was executed for forging a one pound note to fund a drinking spree.Early Toronto had about 120 crimes that were punishable by death, including forgery and being found disguised in a forest.
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Post Office
Toronto’s Seventh Post Office was constructed in 1853, when the colonial government attained control of the postal service. The office remains standing on Toronto Street as a National Historic Site for its Greek Revival architecture. This building has seen many lives, hosting government offices, a bank, and offices for the Argus Corporation.
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Public Washroom
Toronto’s first public washroom was located underground on Toronto Street and was built in 1896. Users entered from the middle of the street, across from the Seventh Post Office. Composed of three wooden stalls and four urinals, the washroom also featured an attendant who offered paid services such as shoe shining and fresh towels.
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“Immoral” Acts
Public opinion eventually turned against these washrooms. The 1960s saw a rising fear of public washrooms as places of “immoral” acts, a belief that was reinforced by Mayor William Dennison. The last public washroom in Toronto closed in 1988.
