Heritage Toronto

Bloor Street, looking west to Sherbourne Street, ca. 1908. Courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 7244.

Victorian homes, including the William Whitehead House, 76-82 Howard Street, April 8, 1913. Courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 372, Item 120

Moving the William Whitehead House, Howard Street, 2016. Image: David Dworkind and Devin Lund.

William Whitehead House, 28 Howard Street, 2021.

Howard Street

Past and Present

Howard Street is peppered with Victorian era buildings, many dating to the 1880s. Today, many of these buildings stand in contrast to modern apartment buildings from the mid-twentieth century as well as new development towers and sites under construction. Howard Street was once a largely rural street, removed from the hustle and bustle of late nineteenth century Toronto.

At the time, Bloor Street ended at Sherbourne: many of the houses built on Howard Street had lots that extended into the ravine, backing onto Rosedale residences. With the opening of the extension of Bloor Street East to the Prince Edward Viaduct in 1918, St. James Town was cut off from the neighbourhoods across Rosedale Ravine. The previous semi-rural nature of Howard Street changed dramatically with the extension of the road and the new viaduct, making Bloor Street a major thoroughfare in the east portion of the city.

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A Growing Neighbourhood

Bloor Street

Development slowed in the St. James Town area due to the Great Depression and World War II. A lack of housing during the war was made worse by the Baby Boom during the 1940s and 1950s. To address housing needs, many of the larger homes in the area were converted into boarding houses. This conversion typically meant that a large home would be cut up into smaller apartments where tenants shared bathrooms and rooms. Rooms could be rented by the week or month, and boarding houses were often a flexible option for those who struggled to afford a typical apartment or did not have a stable income.

Boarding houses varied widely in upkeep. During the 1950s and 1960s, boarding house tenants complained of lack of heat in the winter and faulty plumbing or wiring. Boarding houses in the St. James Town area were often critiqued for their poor maintenance.

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The William Whitehead House

76 Howard Street

The William Whitehead House was built in 1887 at 76 Howard Street, at the intersection of Howard and Rose Streets. The house features bay-and-gable architecture and Queen Anne Revival styling typical of many Toronto residences from the Victorian period. Built as a private family residence, the building was likely adapted for use as a boarding house in the 1960s, similar to many homes in the area.

Named for its original owner, a commissions’ merchant and manufacturing agent, the William Whitehead House received heritage status in 1974. The designation came amid rapid changes in St. James Town. The William Whitehead House was one of only a handful of neighbourhood homes to survive demolition during the redevelopment of the area during the 1960s and 1970s.

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The William Whitehead House

28 Howard Street

In 2016, following City approval to further develop portions of the north St. James Town neighbourhood, the William Whitehead house was moved several hundred metres west to its current address at 28 Howard Street. The move took place over the course of a single day on November 26, 2016. Following its move, the exterior of the home was restored and sold in 2021 for 2.4 million dollars.

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Howard Street

Past and Present

A Growing Neighbourhood

Bloor Street

The William Whitehead House

76 Howard Street

The William Whitehead House

28 Howard Street

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