Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden and Toronto Canada Car Rental
Located on 285 Spadina Rd, you will see history come to life when you visit the Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden with your Toronto Canada Car Rental. The museum is located on an escarpment which once was the shore of prehistoric Lake Iroquois. You should definitely check out the immediate area when you travel with your Toronto Canada Car Rental. The Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden is close to Sir John Craig Eaton and Lady Eaton’s estate, Ardwold and Major- General Sir Henry Mill Pellatt’s Casa Loma.
The first house
The first house built on the Spadina site was in 1818 by Dr. William Warren Baldwin, who also designed the two storey home. He called his 200-acre estate, Spadina, after the native word espadinong meaning “hill” or “sudden rise of land.” Unfortunately, the house was burned down in 1835Dr. William Warren Baldwin moved to a home on Front Street and built a smaller estate on the site in 1836.
A new owner, a new home
Overtime, parts of the Spadina property were sold off. In 1866 the majority of the property (80 acres) was sold to James Austin, the founder of The Dominion Bank and Consumer Gas. By this time in the 19th and early 20th century this area was home to some of the wealthiest families in Toronto leading the area to be occupied by large estates. In 1982, James Austin turned over the estate, the house and 20 acres, to his son, Albert William Austin. Albert Austin began renovations that included the addition of a third floor in 1912. Albert Austin died in 1933 after selling the majority of the property in 1913 to the City of Toronto.
In need of a change
The last occupant of the aging home was Anna Kathleen Thompson, daughter of Albert Austin. Anna Thompson lived there from 1942 to 1982. Within this time the house was outdated in its wiring and needed a major overhaul. Several private companies were interested in buying the home including the Keg Restaurant, but the family decided to donate the house and its contents to the City of Toronto. When you visit with your Toronto Canada Car Rental you will see the integrity of the house preserved and containing several historical furnishings.
A home for everyone
The Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden was officially opened in 1984. It was jointly operated by the City of Toronto and the Ontario Heritage Foundation. Make sure to see the gardens when you visit with your Toronto Canada Car Rental as the Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden is well known for its beautiful garden area.
Gaining recognition
The Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden has been recognized by several organizations and has gained several awards in the process including the Peggi Armstrong Public Archaeology Award in 2004, and the Ontario Museum Association Award of Merit in conjuction with Dawn Roach Bowen for Black History Month.
Before you go…
The Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden is open from Tuesday to Friday noon to 4 pm and Saturday to Sunday noon to 5 pm. Guided tours are the only way to see the house and begin on the quarter of each hour. Admission is $6 for adults, $4.75 for seniors and children, and $3.80 for children 12 and under.
For more information on the Spadina Museum Historic House and Garden when you visit with your Toronto Canada Car Rental you can call 416 392 6910 or visit their website at http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina.htm