Past

Our history goes back to 1881, when many of the Second Empire Victorian homes were first constructed. Although the street was first built for laborers working in the railway lands, it has evolved considerably during the past century along with it’s inhabitants.

• 1856 – Draper Street begins  -The following plan by J. Stoughton Dennis shows his original survey laying out what would become Draper Street, as registered by landowners William George Draper (son of the Hon. William Henry Draper) and Charles Jones.  Read more at the Friends of Fort York

• 1881 Constructions begins with the second empire cottages (Type A)

• 1886 Bay and gables style houses at 1, 1½ and 2, 2½ (since demolished)

• 1889 Northern end of the street’s bay and gables style houses built

•  1939 2 and 2½ are demolished
• 1942 The houses at 17-19 Draper Street were demolished. A factory, initially used by Farrell Plastics
  Limited, occupied the property from 1950 until 1970.
• 1970 Fire destroys the Farrell Plastics factory and the plot is left vacant, later being utilized by the residents as a parkette.
• 1998/99 Draper Street becomes a Heritage Conservation District.

 

Heritage Preservation

 

Skyline of Old Toronto

http://ve.torontopubliclibrary.ca/panorama/images/panoramic.jpg