Distillery District

Toronto’s distillery district began with two English immigrants named James Worts and William Gooderham in 1832 who built a small windmill at Toronto Bay’s edge. When steam replaced wind power, a distillery was added by Gooderham that would soon become the driving business to transform Toronto’s waterfront. The company once produced approximately 7,600,000 liters of whisky, the majority of which was exported on the global market, but was eventually acquired by rival Hiram Walker Co., another large Canadian distiller.

Though the windmill was demolished in the 1860s to make room for more buildings, the Stone Distillery is the oldest and largest heritage building in the district. During WW1, the district was converted to a war industry.

Today, the district stands as a symbolic fusion between Victorian-style architecture and the fast-paced environment of a modern city. Since 2010, the Toronto Christmas Market has annually taken place in the distillery district and continues to be a popular tourist attraction.

DISTILLERY DISTRICT ITINERARY

1:00PM: Walk to St. George Station

1:10PM: Get on the Line 2 train Eastbound to Castle Frank Station

1:30PM: Arrive at Castle Frank Station, then walk to the buses

1:40PM: Get on the 65 Parliament bus (Southbound to Queens Quay and Sherbourne) 

2:00PM: Exit bus at Parliament Street & Mill Street and walk east to the Distillery District

2:00PM-3:30PM: Students complete the scavenger hunt and have time to go into the different shops

3:30PM: Students meet their groups back and head to the streetcar stop

3:45PM: Get on the 65 bus to Castle Frank

4:00PM: Arrive at Castle Frank, and group is dismissed