The Queen's Hotel was a large hotel, in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, located on the north side of Front Street, between Bay and

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

streets - the current site of the Royal York Hotel. In 1927

Canadian Pacific Railways The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

acquired the Queen's Hotel, across the street from the newly opened

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

, so it could demolish it, and build a larger hotel.

History

In 1844 four rowhouses, designed by

John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the ...

, were combined to form a hotel, which opened as "Sword's Hotel", in 1856. In 1860 the hotel was renamed the "Revere House". The hotel was purchased, and renovated, by Thomas Dick, and renamed the "Queen's Hotel" in 1862. The Hotel was considered luxurious, and hosted prominent guests, including the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

the hotel was very popular with Americans from the

Confederate States The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

. Some accounts assert Southerners had booked the entire hotel. At its height it provided 210 rooms, a restaurant, and extensive gardens. It was the first hotel in Canada to have elevators installed.

References

External links

* {{Coords, 43, 38, 47.1, N, 79, 22, 52.3, W, display=inline,title Hotels in Toronto