Muddy York: A Toronto History Podcast

When Toronto Tore Down the Fancy Stuff

Muddy York: A Toronto History Podcast

Show Notes

We’re kicking off a new series that we're calling When Toronto Tore Down the Fancy Stuff — a deep dive into the beautiful, bold, and totally doomed buildings this city once had … and then promptly erased. In this episode, we're talking about Moss Park, Crystal Palace, Government House and Hanlan's Hotel. So buckle up, we’re heading into the age of grandeur — and the wrecking balls that followed. Many sources were used, but special thanks to Lost Toronto by Doug Taylor.

You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Music: The Westerlies – Dover Freedom Trail Studio – Classic 1985 (Movie Soundtrack) Zachariah Hickman – Argonne Joel Cummins – Gaiety in the Golden Age Brian Bolger – A Fool’s Theme Jimena Contreras – Hopeless Quincas Moreira – Central Park Jesse Gallagher – Divine Life Society Joel Cummins – Resolve Dyllah – Randy Flutternubs

More from Muddy York: A Toronto History Podcast

Oct 20, 2026

Halloween will soon be upon us and so this episode focuses on the dead of Toronto. Mt. Pleasant Cemetery is famous for its natural beauty and for the many important people buried there. But its story begins with a different cemetery that was erased and forgotten alongside many of the people who were buried there.

Oct 6, 2026

Toronto the Good - that nickname has fallen out of fashion over the years, but it used to be quite common. This episode is about the man who first coined the term. His name was William Holmes Howland and he was running for mayor. Check out this episode to learn all about him from Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.

Sep 15, 2026

Okay, it was the Junior World Series, but it still counts.

Sep 1, 2026

It took more than 20 years to build the current Union Station. Over the next century, new lines like TTC, GO and VIA would arrive, it would nearly be knocked down to make room for a new development called Metro Centre and the rail lands around it would slowly be replaced by the lakeshore neighbourhoods that we know today. A year before its 100th anniversary, learn about the history of Union Station on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.

Aug 27, 2026

In 1972, the Toronto production of Godspell featured one of the greatest casts in the history of theatre, including Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber, Dave Thomas and Paul Shaffer among others. Nick Davis has directed a new documentary about that show called You Had to Be There and he is here to talk about this sometimes-overlooked piece of Toronto cultural history.

See all episodes →