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Today, we explore the wonderful history and homes of the Danforth, Beach and Riverdale area.
The Danforth area in Toronto traces its origins to the late 18th century when it was a rural, sparsely populated region separated from the city by the Don Valley. Named after Asa Danforth Jr., an American contractor who didn’t actually build the road bearing his name, Danforth Avenue was constructed in 1851 by the Don and Danforth Plank Road Company to connect Toronto to Kingston Road. Initially a dusty country lane surrounded by fields, market gardens, and brickyards, it transformed into a bustling suburb following the 1884 annexation of lands south of the Danforth by Toronto, with further growth spurred by the Prince Edward Viaduct’s completion in 1918 and the Bloor-Danforth subway line opening in 1966. The area saw waves of immigration, starting with English, Irish, and Scottish settlers, followed by Italians in the 1950s and Greeks in the 1960s, establishing its famous Greektown identity, though gentrification since the 1970s has diversified its cultural and economic fabric.
The Beach, or Beaches, area along Toronto’s eastern waterfront evolved from a quiet, cottage-dotted shoreline into a vibrant residential neighborhood. Originally part of the land inhabited by Indigenous peoples and later settled by European farmers, its development accelerated in the 19th century due to the Grand Trunk Railway, established in 1856, which brought industry and visitors to the region. By the late 1800s, it became a popular summer retreat for Torontonians, with amusement parks like Scarboro Beach Park thriving until their decline by the 1920s. The area, once part of the short-lived Town of East Toronto (1888-1908), was annexed by Toronto, and its growth continued with the construction of homes south of Kingston Road, evolving into a family-oriented community known for its sandy shores, boardwalk, and distinct Victorian architecture, though it faced challenges like the loss of industrial sites and environmental shifts along Ashbridges Bay.
Riverdale, stretching from the Don River Valley to Jones Avenue and from Danforth Avenue to Lake Shore Boulevard, began as a small rural community shaped by its proximity to the Don River. Settled in the late 18th century by British pioneers like the Playter family, who farmed and operated brickyards, it remained isolated until the Grand Trunk Railway arrived in the 1850s, sparking industrial growth with factories and slaughterhouses that polluted the river. Annexed by Toronto in 1884, Riverdale’s development surged with the 1918 Prince Edward Viaduct, linking it to downtown, and it became a working-class hub with a mix of semi-detached homes and public housing. Over time, it diversified culturally—hosting Greek, Italian, and Asian communities, notably in its East Chinatown along Gerrard Street—while landmarks like the Don Jail (opened 1864) and Riverdale Park underscored its historical significance amid ongoing gentrification and environmental cleanup efforts.
Here are the spaces we will be exploring on this tour....
868 Broadview Ave, Toronto, 866 Broadview Ave, Toronto, 19R Columbine Ave, Toronto, 37 Secord Ave, Toronto, 329 O'Connor Dr E, Toronto, 187 Oakcrest Ave, Toronto, 530 Victoria Park Ave, Toronto, 148 Barrington Ave, Toronto, 44 Epsom Ave, Toronto, 35 Wallington Ave, Toronto, 129 Oakcrest Ave, Toronto, 2523 Gerrard St E, Toronto, 52 Galbraith Ave, Toronto, 952 Greenwood Ave, Toronto, 1006 Greenwood Ave, Toronto, 507 Plains Rd, Toronto, 26 Milverton Blvd, Toronto, 459 Dawes Rd, Toronto, 635 Coxwell Ave, Toronto, 146 Coleridge Ave, Toronto, 124 Roseheath Ave, Toronto, 2398 Gerrard St E, Toronto, 21 Orley Ave, Toronto, 229 Gamble Ave, Toronto, 102 Springdale Blvd, Toronto, 358 Cedarvale Ave, Toronto, 189 Lawlor Ave, Toronto, 9 Chapman Ave, Toronto, 337 Queensdale Ave, Toronto, 16 Dartford Rd, Toronto, 527 Sammon Ave, Toronto, 140 Wolverleigh Blvd, Toronto, 94 Brookside Dr, Toronto, 22 Donora Dr, Toronto, 503 Scarborough Rd, Toronto, 80 Eldon Ave, Toronto, 100 Cadorna Ave, Toronto, 23 Westlake Cres, Toronto, 9 Muriel Ave, Toronto, 32 Woodington Ave, Toronto, 46 Thyra Ave, Toronto, 23 Marilyn Cres, Toronto, 152 Queensdale Ave, Toronto, 154 Elmer Ave, Toronto, 67 Gainsborough Rd, Toronto, 280 Kenilworth Ave, Toronto, 26 Ashland Ave, Toronto, 224 Floyd Ave, Toronto, 25 Norwood Terr, Toronto, 102 Frater Ave, Toronto, 155 Dawes Rd, Toronto, 82 Cedarcrest Blvd, Toronto, 225 Gainsborough Rd, Toronto, 538 Milverton Blvd, Toronto, 719 Kingston Rd, Toronto, 1326 Victoria Park Ave, Toronto, 20 Airley Cres, Toronto, 84 Kings Park Blvd, Toronto, 1263 Woodbine Ave, Toronto, 917 Broadview Ave, Toronto, 121 Hannaford St, Toronto, 43 Torrens Ave, Toronto, 1380 Woodbine Ave, Toronto, 623 O' Connor Dr, Toronto, 35 Cambrai Ave, Toronto, 27 Herbert Ave, Toronto, 708 Woodbine Ave, Toronto, 640 Glebeholme Blvd, Toronto, 461 Donlands Ave, Toronto, 12 Lark St, Toronto, 142 Meighen Ave, Toronto, 1061 Greenwood Ave, Toronto, 149 Queensdale Ave, Toronto, 10 Amroth Ave, Toronto, 52 Milverton Blvd, Toronto, 462&464 Sammon Ave, Toronto, 536 Glebeholme Blvd, Toronto, 5 Dieppe Rd S, Toronto, 30 Iona Ave, Toronto, 526 Milverton Blvd, Toronto, 209 Brookside Dr, Toronto, 770 Pape Ave, Toronto, 3 Dilworth Cres, Toronto, 330 Strathmore Blvd, Toronto, 31 Kelvin Ave, Toronto, 3 Barfield Ave, Toronto, 270 Floyd Ave, Toronto, 272 Floyd Ave, Toronto, 2 Bracebridge Ave, Toronto, 2833 St. Clair Ave E, Toronto, 1228 Victoria Park Ave, Toronto, 285 Glebemount Ave, Toronto, 85 Tiago Ave, Toronto, 28 Muriel Ave, Toronto, 66 Marlow Ave, Toronto, 52 Herbert Ave, Toronto, 411 Main St, Toronto, 133 Parkview Hill Cres, Toronto, 548 Glebeholme Blvd, Toronto, 97 Bowmore Rd, Toronto
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