The Tunnel Monster of Cabbagetown
Plus this weekend's big event, a sneaky devil, and more.
Toronto loves its ravines. Green spaces snake their way through the heart of our city, carved out by creeks filled with all manner of life. But there used to be many more of those streams than we're familiar with today. By the end of the 1800s, Toronto's waterways were getting dangerously filthy, so gross and polluted that the city just gave up on many of them. They were covered over and buried, encased in brick tunnels and transformed into sewers. They're still down there today, flowing through their tunnels, mysterious and hidden from view.
And it was from one those old buried creeks that people say the monster emerged…
On a summer day in 1978, a man named Ernest was searching for a lost kitten in Cabbagetown. He'd heard strange noises coming from a big hole that opened in the ground between his apartment building and the next one. It sounded like a wounded animal.
So, Ernest climbed down his fire escape to investigate… The gaping crevasse lay open before him, the entrance to a dark passage beneath a toppled hunk of concrete. Worried the kitten might be inside, he crawled forward into the mouth of the hole.
"It was pitch black in there," he would later tell Lorrie Goldstein of The Toronto Sun. And as Ernest swung his flashlight through the darkness, the beam of light fell upon something terrible.
It would become known as the Tunnel Monster of Cabbagetown.
"The eyes were orange and red, slanted… It was long and thin, almost like a monkey… three feet long, large teeth, weighing maybe 30 pounds with slate-grey fur." Maybe it was just a raccoon or a big rat, hard to say in the darkness.
Except... then... the creature spoke…
"Go away, go away!" it hissed, according to what Ernest told the newspaper. And then the monster turned and ran, fleeing away into the depths of the tunnel, disappearing into the bowels of the earth beneath our city.
Ernest fled too. "I got out of there as fast as I could," he admitted. "I was shaking with fear." His wife remembered just how terrified he was when he got safely back inside, and he was not a man who scared easily.
He didn't go to the papers with his story. He seems to have kept it pretty quiet, only telling family and friends. It was a year later that the tale finally reached the Sun, and Goldstein headed off to Cabbagetown to investigate.
"I wish you'd never come here," Ernest told him, refusing to give his last name. "If I tell you what I saw, people will think I was drunk or crazy, they'll never believe me." It seems to be the only interview he ever gave. His wife and friends all vouched for his sanity, his soberness, his honesty… But that one article in the Sun is all we have to go on. And in the decades since, there have been many theories about what Ernest may have seen.
Some think it really was a raccoon, or an escaped pet monkey. Others imagine it was someone living in the sewers; people were known to sleep down there, mattresses found in the dark. Many mention the Memegwesi, spirits described by the Anishinaabeg peoples who'd already been living here long before Toronto was founded. Some even say there's an alien city buried beneath ours, that the creature is an extra-terrestrial living in the ruins of a parallel subterranean metropolis — one that emits powerful magnetic disturbances that cause traffic accidents in the east end.
And what did the reporter, Goldstein, think the monster really was? Well, he deferred to the experts: the Toronto sewer workers who know what lies beneath our city better than anyone else.
"People who work on the surface just don't know what it's like down there," they told him. "It's a whole different world… I don't know what he saw… but I'll tell you one thing… I sure as hell wouldn't want to go down alone."
The Tunnel Monster of Cabbagetown is just one of the strange things said to lurk in our city’s shadows. We’ll be meeting lots more of them in my new online course! “A Supernatural History of Toronto” will be full of stories about ghosts, monsters and mythical beasts. It starts soon! Learn more here.
THIS SUNDAY!
EXPLORING OUR CITY’S ROMANTIC HISTORY
I’ll be at the Toronto International Festical of Authors once again on Sunday, this time sharing stories from The Toronto Book of Love. Last weekend, we had a wonderful, intimate chat about The Toronto Book of the Dead, which suggests this event should be pretty special — a chance to dive into stories of devotion, scandal and heartbreak from our city’s romantic past.
Best of all, it’s totally free! I’d love to see you there!
THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY!
LOVE STORIES OF THE HUMBER
And that’s not all I’m up this weekend. I’ve also teamed up with Myseum to develop a free walking tour: a romantic stroll around the mouth of the Humber River, uncovering stories of passion and heartbreak that have shaped the landscape over the last few hundred years. “Take in the beautiful city lights at dusk with accompanying music as you listen to stories from tour host Adam Bunch, who will tell tales of heartbreaking farewells, torrid affairs, and long-lasting romance. Hear about the legacy of two artists who challenged the city’s attitudes toward same-sex relationships, the war-time romance behind Toronto’s most notorious highway, a French-Canadian fur trader’s four weddings, and many more.”
“Love Stories of the Humber” is part of Myseum’s “Sidewalk Stories” series, which also features some other fascinating-looking tours. (I’ve included them in the event listings below.)
Free with registration! — October 1 & 2 — 3pm & 5:30pm each day (I recommend the 5:30 slot; it will be dusk by the time we end, which should add to the romantic ambience)
Before we continue, just a very quick reminder that The Toronto History Weekly will only survive if enough of you are willing to switch to a paid subscription. Only about 5% of readers have made the switch so far, which basically means that by offering a few dollars a month you’ll be giving the gift of Toronto history to 20 other people. You can make the switch by clicking here:
QUICK LINKS
The best of everything else that’s new in Toronto’s past…
LOST RAILWAY STATION NEWS — The Canadian Pacific Railway’s Leaside station has been standing on the tracks near the Don Valley since the 1940s. But Metrolinx quietly demolished it this summer, making way for a maintenance and storage facility for the new Ontario Line subway. Jack Landau wrote about it, including a tweet from Rudy Limeback that shows what the station looked like in its glory days, and what has become of it since. Read more.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS NEWS — Last week, I shared an article by Dan Panneton about one of Canada’s most notorious early conspiracy theorists. On Twitter this week, he followed up with a related thread about the time Satan was discovered hiding in Queen Elizabeth’s hair:
Click to read the full thread.
TORONTO THE GOOD NEWS — When I offered my “Boozy History of Toronto” course this summer, it was filled about just how hard authorities have made it to get a drink in our city over the last century and a half. The LCBO was born out of the prohibition, meant to limit drinking and not encourage it. I hadn’t seen this footage back then, but it’s a great glimpse into what shopping at the LCBO was like back in 1960:
THEY MESSED UP BLOOR STREET NEWS — Back in June, I wrote about how Bloor Street got its name (and the story behind the notoriously chilling photo of the brewer it’s named after). And this month there was another neat tidbit of Bloor Street history exchanged on Twitter. When Bob Georgiou shared a map of Toronto from the 1850s, Eric Sehr responded with a wee thread about the strange mistake made when the street was built:
Click to read the full thread
TELEGRAPH NEWS — Torontonian Instagrammers are about have a bit harder time finding a good angle on one of our city’s most photogenic buildings. The Flatiron is getting new telephone poles installed in front of it. But Sehr also points out that’s not the first time the corner has looked a little cluttered:
EARLY NEWSPAPER NEWS — A bunch of students from a variety of departments at the University of Toronto are teaming up to digitize Canadian newspapers from the late 1700s and very early 1800s. It sounds like it’s going to be an absolutely amazing resource. They hope to launch it next year. Read more.
SOPHIA LOREN FOR SOME REASON NEWS — Jamie Bradburn uncovered a ridiculous and aggressively-gendered ad for U of T’s Progressive Conservative Club from the 1960s:
TORONTO HISTORY EVENTS
FREDERICK BANTING: THE MAN YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW
September 28 — 7:30pm — Online — North Toronto Historical Society
“‘Insulin was but a means to an end.’ wrote Frederick Banting. Grant Maltman, curator of Banting House in London, Ontario, will highlight insulin's centenary, and also show that there was far more than this Nobel Prize-winning discovery in Banting's life and career: his service in both World Wars, his use of art as an escape and his role as a catalyst for Canada's military and medical research.”
Free with registration, I believe
TORONTO’S STOCKYARDS THEN & NOW
October 6 — West Toronto Junction Historical Society
“Toronto’s Stockyards District – Then and Now is an illustrated talk on one of the most important and unique industrial areas of Toronto, which has all but been replaced by large box stores and homes. The talk will feature both Vincenzo Pietropaolo’s photographs from the1980s—most of which have never been seen before—and his photographs of the same streets and lands as they appear today.”
SIDEWALK STORIES: PUNK, CREED & CREE MÉTIS ON QUEEN WEST
October 8 & 9 — 10am & 12pm both days — Walking Tour — Myseum
Explore the counterculture of Queen West from ’77 to ’83 with a storytelling tour seen through the eyes of Cree Métis artists Rebecca and Kenny Baird. Delve into the history of this tumultuous and flourishing vanguard arts hub as told by the Baird siblings. You’ll hear their contributions to punk, queer, street and magazine subcultures, ground-shifting local music, thought-provoking art installations, and more. Weave through this radical time, hearing about the many illustrious arts allies and locales they frequented, such as The Cameron House, Toxic Plan 9, Art Metropole, and more. The tour ends with an artist talk and Q&A with Rebecca and Kenny Baird. Developed in collaboration with Caroline Azar and Franco Boni.”
Free with registration!
GHOSTLY WALK THROUGH THE TOWN OF YORK
October 13, 20 & 28 — 7pm — The Town of York Historical Society & Toronto’s First Post Office
“Brave the darkness as we head into the city to explore the ghostly haunts of the Old Town of York, and hear tales of dread and mystery from those who walked Toronto’s streets before us. The walk will proceed rain or shine, so please dress for the weather. Tours start/end at Toronto’s First Post Office.”
$16.93 for non-members; $11.62 for members
SIDEWALK STORIES: OLD MEETS NEW
October 15 & October 16 — 1:30pm & 4pm both days — Walking Tour — Myseum & The Toronto Society of Architects
“Explore over 150 years of unique architectural history in and around the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, delving into how architects have worked around, added to, repaired, adapted, and even relocated some of the earliest structures in the area. Tour through one of the most remarkable architectural collections in Canada, taking stock of buildings such as the Royal Ontario Museum, the Faculty of Arts and Science, and Robarts Library. Led by Joël León of the Toronto Society of Architects, this walk will challenge preconceptions of what heritage is and raise questions of how to preserve our past while meeting the needs of the future.”
Free with registration!
A DAUGHTER REBELS: THE STORY OF ANNE POWELL
October 20 — 7:30pm — Online — Etobicoke Historical Society
“For Anne Powell in 1807, life in York (now Toronto) was unbearable. Her mother's rules of genteel propriety were intolerable, as were her father's insistence that a daughter's only role in life is to marry. But Anne craved a different future. As a midwife and nurse, she saved a friend from a botched abortion, delivered a servant's baby, and nursed the wounded during the American invasion of York - activities her parents hated and opposed. Author and educator Ann Birch will draw on her research from her historical novel, A Daughter Rebels, to follow the adventures of the real-life Anne Powell as she dared to challenge the norms of early 19th century society.”
Anne Powell was one of the figures I was most fascinated by while writing The Toronto Book of Love!
Free for members; an annual membership is $25.
TRACING IRISH IMMIGRANTS
PART ONE: THE IRISH COME TO TORONTO
October 20 — 7:30pm — Online — Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society
“An exploration of pre-Famine and Famine Irish migration to Toronto in the 19th century, and a reflection on the records used to track Irish individuals and families. There will be a special emphasis placed on tracking nearly 200 Irish orphans who were placed from the Widows and Orphans Asylum in Toronto in 1847–1848. Speaker: Mark G McGowan is a Professor of History and Celtic Studies at St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto.”
&
PART TWO: TRANSPORTING IRISH FAMINE EMIGRANTS IN THE CANADAS IN THE SUMMER OF 1847
October 27 — 7:30pm
“Laura Smith and Charmaine Lindsay will give an overview of the Canadian government’s management of destitute emigrants from Ireland during the mid-1840s and particularly in the peak Famine year of 1847. They’ll discuss the findings and progress of the ongoing Tracing Famine Migrants in Ontario project, which is combining a little known group of records known as the Emigration Service Fund, with genealogical and historical research to trace the journeys and ultimate fates of approximately 5000 Irish emigrants who were provided with government transportation into rural townships from Toronto and Cobourg in the summer of 1847. Finally, they’ll discuss ways in which members of Toronto Branch might assist in the next phase of the project which is tracing emigrants treated at Toronto’s Emigrant hospital in the summer of 1847.”
$20 for non-members; $15 for members. Tickets include admission to both events.
SCHOOLING THE SYSTEM: A HISTORY OF BLACK WOMEN TEACHERS
October 27 — 7pm — Online & at Toronto’s First Post Office — Town of York Historical Society
“Dr. Funké Aladejebi will speak about her most recently published book, Schooling the System: A History of Black Women Teachers and her exploration of the intersections between race, gender and access in Canadian educational institutions. ‘Using oral narratives to tell the story of black access and education in Ontario between the 1940s and the 1980s, Schooling the System provides textured insight into how issues of race, gender, class, geographic origin, and training shaped women’s distinct experiences within the profession. By valuing women’s voices and lived experiences, Dr. Funké Aladejebi illustrates that black women, as a diverse group, made vital contributions to the creation and development of anti-racist education in Canada.’”
$22.23 for non-members; $16.93 for members.
ARTIFACTS & APPARITIONS: AN EVENING TALK
October 27 — 6pm — Clark Centre for the Arts (191 Guildwood Pkwy, Scarborough)
“Join us for an informative talk about the history of our site and archival collection with Alex Avdichuk, Supervisor Collections & Conservation for the City of Toronto. You will also get to hear tales of the ghosts that are said to roam our halls.”
Free!