Elmsley House — King Street residence
Canada → Ontario → Toronto → King and Simcoe streets
Originally the home of Chief Justice John Elmsley, this house became a government residence in 1815. A Parks Canada architectural study describes a two-storey timber building with a kitchen wing and verandahs. Stucco was applied in 1836; John Howard designed a ballroom addition in 1838. The lieutenant governor’s office names Francis Gore, Peregrine Maitland, John Colborne, Francis Bond Head and George Arthur among its residents. Destroyed in 1862, it preceded the separate Government House occupied in 1870 on the same site. Elmsley Villa, used by Lord Elgin in 1849–1851, was another residence and is not merged into this record.
Visiting
The historic house no longer survives and cannot be visited. This entry identifies a lost residence at King and Simcoe streets, not an operating museum or a surviving palace. No interior-tour offer is implied by the location.
Source review: 2026-10-30.