Toronto of the 1940s
Toronto of the 1940s was place defined by war and its aftermath. Many of these images reveal the effort taking place at home and overseas, whether it be people shopping with ration coupons, the co-mingling of propaganda and advertising or new housing projects built to accommodate soldiers returning home from Europe.
Although not a period that saw sweeping changes on the skyline, along with the war effort, the 1940s is likely best known for the waves of immigration that got underway during the latter part of the decade.
Toronto saw the arrival of massive numbers of people from throughout Eastern and Southern Europe, which lead to a profound shift in the city's cultural makeup.
Needless to say, the diversification of the population kept up, and multiculturalism has become the hallmark of contemporary Toronto.
Here's how it all looked.
Sunnyside Pool and Beach
Fruit and Vegetable Stand
Entrance to the QEW
CN Telegraph Office
Aerial View of Old City Hall
Miss Worker Beauty Contest
Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings
Christie's Crackers Ad
Duchess Street
Union Station
Eaton's
War Savings Stamps
Island Airport
Milkman on the Toronto Islands
Imperial Bank of Canada Building
Jolly Miller Tavern
Scholes Hotel
Broadview Hotel
Winston Park Blvd.
VE-Day
VE-Day
Adelaide near Yonge
Toronto Road Map
Parkdale Theatre
Dominion Grocery Store
The Eglinton Theatre
The Eglinton Theatre Interior
Subway Construction Gets Underway on Yonge St.
Subway Construction
The Toronto Archives, Ontario Archives, and Wikimedia Commons. Written by Derek Flack.
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