The Daniel Brooke
Building, located on the northeast corner of King and Jarvis, is one of the few surviving
buildings from Toronto's days as the Town of York. The Toronto Historical Board plaque on
the building reads: "This building was first constructed in 1833 for owner Daniel
Brooke, a prominent merchant in the Town of York. It was substantially rebuilt between
1848-49 prior to the great fire of April 1849 which started in a nearby stable. While much
of the business district was destroyed, this building escaped major damage. It housed a
variety of commercial enterprises over the years, including the prosperous wholesale
grocery business of James Austin and Patrick Foy in the 1840s. Austin went on to become a
president of the Consumers' Gas Company and of the Dominion Bank. His home Spadina became
a museum in 1984. During the mid-19th century, the Daniel Brooke Building contained the
offices of The Patriot, an influential conservative newspaper. The block is a rare example
of Georgian Architecture in Toronto."
