Foresters: Land of Insurance Enchantment

Remember the good old days – when pops would go to renew his life insurance policy at Foresters, and be gone for two weeks or more? We wouldn’t see hide nor hair of him, but he would send back enchanting postcards just like this one, telling takes of his adventures in actuary tables and policy updates. Oh, how we longed to see the dancing waters ourselves! But we had to make do with these brief, beautiful postal missives home from Don Mills and Eglinton. Nobody sends postcards from thier insurance company anymore. And that’s a darn shame.

Early Log School In Don Mills

Do excuse the wrongly-sized photo! I am experimenting with posting from my Hand-Held Telephonic Device and cleaarly have a bit of a learning curve to get over. They didn’t teach me this mobile blogging business at ye olde log cabine school!

Don Mills: Canada’s Most Modern Integrated Community

Here’s a little something I just found from the Toronto Public Library archives. To have a look and zoom in at all the copy and the pics – including those of of the original office buildings around the area (seen on the right) such as IBM, Philco, Shirriff’s, the Upjohn Company, Barber Greene, Hallicrafters Canada, Hugh C. MacLeans Publications and Perfect Circle, simply click here.

Also, there’s another reference to the mysterious ‘lake’ that never happened – ‘Damming of Don River in co-operation with Don Valley Conservation Authority will create a mile-long lake. Project will include facilities for bathing, tennis, picnic grounds.’

Abandoned Don Valley Ski Centre

You used to be able to ski in Don Mills… now, all you can see is the remains of the ski lift (and a few other icky things I’ll leave to to the article to describe).

Don Mills Dominion Circa 1962 – Now the Metro

Model Homes: A House With Extra Play Space

From Canadian Homes and Gardens… another pic of a Don Mills home as it was when it was built! By Architect N. R. Stone – a fella I haven’t heard of so far in my research, but he does some fine work, to be sure. Love the lines of this home. I’m not sure where this model still stands today, but if you see one out in the wild, report it! And I will add the location here. Of course, you won’t be able to pick it up or 16,500 – the original selling price…and it probably no longer has mahogany walls and a slate entrance floor – but compared to some neighbourhoods downtown where you would pay 3/4 of a mil for a semi detached… Don Mills is still – dare I say – a bargain!

Another Mid Century Modern Article on Houzz.com

Houzz seems to love Mid Century modern homes… and that’s OK by me! Check out this article here for some great photos of 50’s and 60’s house exteriors.

Let’s All Go For a Swim at the Inn On The Park!

Toronto is having a hot and crazy summer, so what better way to beat the heat than to but on your cotton bikini or high waisted woolen swim trunks, and go for a swim at the elegant Inn on the Park? Oh, wait. Right. It’s been torn down for a car dealership. But you can still buy a vintage postcard to remember the good times that were… on Ebay!

 

Model Homes: A Courtyard Shelter by James Murray

Welcome to another in my series of posts called ‘Model Homes’, where we look at the photos and floor plans of our Don Mills homes as they were when they were built! This unusual model – one of my favourites – has a courtyard feature that isn’t found on most other homes in the area. You can see several of these models still around today, in the southeast quadrant of the Donway, on Waxwing Place, Deepwood Crescent, and Plateau Crescent. I really like the wood partition wall seen in the photo, which seems to be a feature that most modern owners have removed. The architect was James Murray, and this baby would set you back a cool 16 grand in 1955. 

Bonus round: Go to my November 27, 2012 post to see how one of these looks now… or at least… looked in November!

Ranch House Love on Houzz

Check out this article on Houzz (my new favourite home inspiration site) on ranch house renos. You know I don’t like any old renos. Especially to mid century homes. But there’s some decent work here. So, a little more summer browsing for y’all! And if you do decide to remodel your DM home, remember, STUCCO IS THE TOOL OF THE DEVIL. Cheers.