The CN Tower is probably the most recognizable symbol of Toronto. Every Torontonian also knew that it was the tallest free-standing structure in the world; we memorized that phrasing. But why was it built and what is it used for besides selling postcards? Today, we look at the history of the CN Tower on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.

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:

1. Dover – The Westerlies

2. Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack – Freedom Trail Studio

3. Looping Ascent – Joel Cummins

4. Resolve – Joel Cummins

5. Don't Fret – Quincas Moreira

6. Circa 1983 – Freedom Trail Studio

On this episode, we explore the history of the Don River Valley. Jennifer Bonnell, author of Reclaiming the Don, joins us to talk about the river, the valley, the parkway and the people who've lived and worked there. Learn more on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.

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

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

Is it The Beach or The Beaches, singular or plural? We're calling it The Beaches and this episode of Muddy York is dedicated to the history of this distinctive Toronto neighbourhood, from amusement parks to racetracks to stylish water treatment plants. There's a lot more to The Beaches than the beach, although there are plenty of beaches.

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 Dover – The Westerlies

Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack – Freedom Trail Studio

Resolve – Joel Cummins

Looping Ascent – Joel Cummins

Everything – Joel Cummins

Looping Ascent (Repeat) – Joel Cummins

Argonne – Zachariah Hickman

Allégro – Emmet Fenn

Resolve (Repeat) – Joel Cummins

The Dover (Repeat) – The Westerlies

Potato Deal – Unknown Artist

What comes to mind when you hear Castle Frank? A TTC station? An area of Rosedale? Bob Georgiou joins us to talk about one of those little corners of Toronto whose story touches on the man who founded the town of York, a lost landmark of pioneer days, and two of the biggest infrastructure projects in Toronto's history.

Special Guest Star: Nathalie Muzinga as Dame Elizabeth Simcoe

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:

"Dover" – The Westerlies

Used as theme music at the beginning and end of the episode

"Cylinder Three" – Chris Zabriskie

Genre: Ambient Minimalism

CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Resolve" – Joel Cummins

Genre: Cinematic Ambient / Piano

Free to use via YouTube Audio Library

"Looping Ascent" – Joel Cummins

Genre: Piano / Ambient

Free to use via YouTube Audio Library

"Argonne" – Zachariah Hickman

Genre: Classical / Chamber

Free to use via YouTube Audio Library

"A Fool’s Theme" – Brian Bolger

Genre: Reflective / Indie Instrumental

Free to use via YouTube Audio Library

We're doing something a little different for this episode of Muddy York. We got our hands on a copy of the city budget from exactly 130 years ago and we're going to look at some of the ways that the government used to raise and spend money. There is some interesting stuff - well, it's interesting if you're the kind of person who listens to history podcasts.

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 – The Dover

Aaron Kenny – Gaiety in the Golden Age

Aaron Kenny – The Curious Kitten

Freedom Trail Studio – Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack

Joel Cummins – Resolve

The Westerlies – The Dover

Florence Linehart is one of Toronto’s greatest unsung visionaries. And yet … outside of a very specific group of academics, subway historians, and people who take brunch way too seriously, her name has been completely forgotten. She shaped the Toronto subway system and she fought the souls minions of orthodoxy at City Hall. On this episode of Muddy York, she joins us to discuss her overlooked contributions to this city.

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:

1. "Resolve" – Joel Cummins

2. "Looping Ascent" – Joel Cummins

3. "Divine Life Society" – Jesse Gallagher

4. "Argonne" – Zachariah Hickman

5. "A Fool’s Theme" – Brian Bolger

6. "Randy Butternubs" – Dyalla

7. "Calmity" – Yung Logos

8. "Allégro" – Emmit Fenn

9. "Dover" – The Westerlies

The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres were built to host vaudeville as the Canadian flagship of the Loew's theatre chain. The building would become one of top cinemas in Toronto before being converted back into a theatre to host the Canadian premiere of Cats during the 1980s. Learn about the last stacked theatres in the world on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.

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

Arron Kenney - Gaiety in the Golden Age

Doug Maxwell - Honky Tonkin'

Dough Maxwell - Rag Time Time

E Jammy Jams - Dark Town Strutters Ball

Zachariah Hickman - Argonne

Track Tribe - Members Only

Joel Cummins - Resolve