The Spadina Urban History Trail

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the history of the Spadina District in the context of Toronto's history as a whole. It describes how the area developed over time and who the key agents were in the shaping of its development. The paper focuses on the district's development with regards to entrepreneurial development, in terms of both land developers and business development, immigration and transportation networks.

From the Paper:

"Of course, the history of development in the Spadina district predates the arrival of the railway. Indeed, many of the defining features in the landscape of the area were established long prior to the appearance of the railway. The Spadina district was to the west of Toronto's primary area of settlement in the early 19th century, and its landscape was dominated by families such as the Baldwins - whose names figure on the streets in the area to this day - who "initially planned" the streets around Spadina from Queen St. up to Bloor St. (Careless 96). This was then primarily a residential area for Toronto's wealthy at the time and was dominated by "gentry estates" (Careless 96). However, population and economic forces led to these "large family homes with grounds" being broken up and subdivided into "almost ad-lib subdivisions" that "offered many small lots for lower-income homes" (Careless 96)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Careless, J.M.S. Toronto To 1918: An Illustrated History. Toronto: James Lorimer and Company, 1984.
• Lemon, James. Toronto Since 1918: An Illustrated History. Toronto: James Lorimer and Company, 1985.

More papers on The Spadina Urban History Trail:

• Essay # 86760 : "The Spadina District"
• Essay # 40209 : "The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe"
• Analytical Essay # 131064 : "History of Urban Development In the Spadina District"

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