Campbell House was built in 1822 for Upper Canada Chief Justice Sir William Campbell. It was originally located at Frederick and Adelaide, in York’s (now Toronto) east end. The home was constructed for Campbell and his wife after their children had grown up hence its “smaller” stature.
Campbell House was built for entertaining elite business owners with spirits provided by Gooderham & Worts. The house is quite cozy and would be quite comfortable to live in – even by today’s standards. The structure is one of the few remaining buildings, in Toronto, which were stylized in late Georgian architecture. Many others were unfortunately demolished over the years.
Upon the death of Sir William Campbell in 1834, the estate of Campbell House was conveyed to Lady until her death in 1844. The home remained a private residence for most of the 1800’s – housing prominent families in York. By 1890, the neighborhood had predominantly become an industrial area and the living conditions were not desirable due to smog and drunken rapscallions. Today the area is has been redeveloped and is rather bland.
During the 1900’s, the building was used as office space by companies that supplied the industrial trade with finely crafted products such as nails and whatnot. over the years, a well known greeting card company acquired Campbell House and wanted to demolish it in 1972 in lieu of a parking lot. Coutts-Hallmark Greeting Cards Company offered anyone to purchase the building and to move it to an alternate location.
With assistance from maintenance trucks of the TTC the home was moved westward to the northwest intersection of Queen Street and University where Campbell House remains to this day. It is now a historic site and is owned by the City of Toronto . It serves as both a historic museum and a club for the members of the Advocates Society.
