Note: This article includes historical materials from the collections of Toronto Public Library. Who tells the story, and how the story is told creates tensions when trying to present content written by settlers about Indigenous people. These materials can reflect offensive historic attitudes, and in some cases, were created by...
The current Canadian flag cemented the maple leaf as the country's most recognizable symbol. But ties between Canada and the maple leaf long predate February 15, 1965, when the maple leaf flag officially became the national flag. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag, we're highlighting rare historical...
During the First World War, several comedy-musical troupes entertained the Canadian Corps. The most famous was the Dumbells from the 3rd Canadian Division. Like similar variety-act groups, known at the time as “concert parties,” the Dumbells featured men in drag as part of their morale-boosting shows. The troupe became a...
Add a touch of Toronto history to your next video call with these 12 vintage virtual backgrounds. Download these free backgrounds of interior photos of Toronto landmarks and other spots from the late 19th and early 20th centuries — and discover a bit of history as you find a favourite!...
In 2022, Susan Anderson donated a set of postcards to TPL from her grandfather William Alfred Anderson, a photographer and postcard maker from Muskoka, Ontario. We've digitized many of these vintage views of cottage country, dating back to 1911. Read on to learn about Anderson and to see highlights of...
This year, Toronto Public Library celebrates 140 years. However, lending libraries have been part of the city for more than two centuries. We preserve rare items on our Digital Archive that showcase the history of these 19th-century libraries in what is now downtown Toronto. A big piece of this history...
Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) was an American novelist who won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and Nobel Prize in Literature. He's known for titles such as The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms and The Old Man and the Sea. What you may not know is that Hemingway had a...
King Charles III was crowned on May 6, 2023 at the age of 74. As a constitutional monarchy, Canada recognized this historic date — the first coronation in 70 years for Commonwealth nations. In an earlier blog post, we highlighted six rarities from our archives that document past coronation celebrations...
On July 1, 1923, the Canadian government passed a new Chinese Immigration Act — commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Act — to restrict Chinese immigration. For its 100th anniversary, let's revisit this important part of Canadian history through precious records in our community-built Chinese Canadian Archive. Brief history of...
Did you know that we once had a branch devoted just to music? The Music Library opened its doors in 1959 and operated for nearly two decades. It offered thousands of records, books and scores to borrow or use on the spot. Here's a look back at this largely-forgotten location...