Learn a little of Toronto's history as told through its plaques.

The Macdonald-Mowat House 1872

Photos by Alan L Brown - March 2004

Did you know that our first PM, Sir John, lived in Toronto for a time? True, and in this house at 63 St. George Street. So who was this Mowat guy and what did he have to do with this house? Well, to quench your curiosity, here's the text of an Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario plaque on the site with the details:

Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, purchased this house in 1876 and lived here 1876-78. It was built in 1872 in the French Second Empire style by Nathaniel Dickey, a Toronto iron founder. Macdonald owned the property until 1886 and it was occupied by his son, Hugh John, 1879-82. The Hon. Oliver Mowat, prime minister of Ontario, bought and occupied the house in 1888 and retained ownership until 1902. The property was leased, 1897-98, to the Hon. Arthur Sturgis Hardy who succeeded Mowat as prime minister and sold to Knox College in 1910.

Plaque Location Co-ordinates: 43.661430 -79.397120

Related Toronto plaque pages
Sir John A. Macdonald
Sir Oliver Mowat
Northfield

More residential buildings

Here are the comments for this page.

Posted April 23, 2009
Don't you mean Oliver Mowat was Primier of Ontario and Minister of Justice? Prime Ministers run the Country and a Primier run the Province. Sir Oliver Mowat 1820 - 1903 was born in Kingston, Upper Canada. Not sure who made this plaque but it should be redone. lol

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