Immigrants to Earlscourt

Photo by the City of Toronto - Posted October, 2011

Photo and transcription by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted October, 2011

Attached to this eastbound St. Clair Avenue West transit shelter at Earlscourt Avenue is this City of Toronto plaque. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.677019 -79.447055

As the name suggests, Earlscourt was first developed by British immigrant workers, largely in an unplanned way between 1900-1920. Until it was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1910, there were no building regulations. Many people built their own homes often starting with shacks that they later improved or replaced. After annexation, owner-builders moved north beyond Rogers Road, then the city limits, into York Township.
At first Earlscourt had no municipal services: a city-run streetcar line (1913), and then water and sewer lines were constructed after the area was partly settled. Then, stores sprang up along the streetcar line.
In the late 1950s, a wave of Italian immigrants moved into the area making improvements in homes and small businesses. They built extensions and cantinas on their homes, while transforming porches with Romanesque arches and ironwork.

More
Towns and Villages

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

(none yet)

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as the comment is posted, a link to it will appear on the home page in the section "Here are the 10 latest plaque pages with a new comment added by a visitor to this site."