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The Distillery District: Gooderham and Worts, 1832 to Today

Updated · 5 min read

The Distillery District is a 13-acre (about 5-hectare) group of 30 brick and stone industrial buildings on the east side of downtown Toronto, built between 1859 and 1927 for the Gooderham and Worts firm. Parks Canada designated the complex a National Historic Site on November 11, 1988. The distillery closed in 1990, and the buildings reopened to the public in 2003 as a pedestrian district of galleries, studios, and restaurants.

A windmill on the waterfront

The story begins with two brothers-in-law, James Worts and William Gooderham, who built a brick windmill on the Toronto waterfront in 1832 to grind grain. The Canadian Encyclopedia gives its height as 22 meters (72 feet). Worts died in 1834, and Gooderham carried on alone. In 1837 he added a distillery, using surplus grain from the mill; Parks Canada dates the first still to that year.

Older machine-written pages on this site place the first Toronto still in 1832. That year belongs to the mill. Distilling began in 1837.

Growth in the nineteenth century

James Gooderham Worts, Gooderham’s nephew, became a partner in 1845, and George Gooderham, William’s son, joined in 1856. Construction of the main complex began in 1859. The five-story Stone Distillery, designed by David Roberts Sr., opened in early 1861 and raised capacity from 80,000 gallons a year to two million, according to the Canadian Encyclopedia. The windmill was demolished in the early 1860s. By the mid-1890s the last Victorian buildings, designed by David Roberts Jr., were finished.

The site suited industry. It sat on the lake for shipping and beside the railway to the south, and Parks Canada notes that the buildings relate physically to each other and to the rail line.

Architecture and historic buildings

Parks Canada’s statement describes the complex as showing the whole distilling process, from raw grain to storage for export. It lists a large stone distillery built in 1859 to 1861, a brick malthouse, kilns, warehouses, shops, and offices built before 1900, and later buildings up to 1927. The buildings share a consistent design, construction, and craftsmanship. The statement says recognition covers the buildings standing at the time of designation.

Timeline

  • 1832: Worts and Gooderham build a windmill and grist mill.
  • 1837: Distilling begins.
  • 1859 to 1861: The Stone Distillery is built.
  • Mid-1890s: The last Victorian buildings are completed.
  • 1927: The last two major buildings are added, according to the Canadian Encyclopedia.
  • 1957: Whisky distilling stops at the site.
  • 1988: Designated a National Historic Site of Canada on November 11; a plaque was approved in 1989.
  • 1990: The distillery closes permanently.
  • December 2001: Cityscape buys the heritage buildings.
  • 2003: The district opens to the public on May 22, according to Wikipedia.

The distillery during Prohibition

During the First World War the distillery was converted to make acetone, an ingredient in smokeless gunpowder, under the name British Acetones. The Canadian Encyclopedia says Ontario’s prohibition ended around 1927. United States prohibition lasted until the end of 1933 and, according to the same source, benefited the distillery. Wikipedia adds that the company was convicted of tax evasion in 1928 and fined $439,744 (CAD), citing Toronto Star reporting; that detail rests on one secondary source.

Ownership changed in the 1920s, and the sources disagree. The Canadian Encyclopedia states that Harry C. Hatch merged Gooderham and Worts with Hiram Walker in 1927. Wikipedia says Hatch bought Gooderham and Worts in 1923 and acquired Hiram Walker in 1926. The exact sequence remains open.

Closure and redevelopment

Whisky distilling ended in 1957, and the plant closed for good in mid-1990. Wikipedia reports that the empty buildings were used for filming in the years that followed. Cityscape bought the heritage buildings in December 2001 and converted them to a pedestrian district. Archaeologists working in 2003 uncovered the base of the original windmill, which measured 10.2 meters across. Wikipedia describes the district as the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian industrial architecture in North America; Parks Canada describes it as an outstanding example of Victorian industrial design without making that ranking.

Balancing preservation and development

The Parks Canada designation is commemorative and covers the historic buildings. Wikipedia reports protection under the Ontario Heritage Act from 1976 and a heritage easement on 70 Mill Street in 1996. The wider rules are explained in the article on Toronto heritage designation. For current shops, events, and opening hours, use the district’s own website, since those details change often.

Frequently asked questions

What was the Distillery District before it was a tourist area?

It was the Gooderham and Worts distillery, which made spirits from 1837 until it closed in 1990. The complex was built mostly between 1859 and 1927.

When did the Distillery District become a National Historic Site?

Parks Canada lists the designation date as November 11, 1988. A plaque was approved in 1989.

Did the Distillery District operate during Prohibition?

The Canadian Encyclopedia says the firm benefited from United States prohibition, which lasted until the end of 1933, and that the plant made acetone during the First World War. Production details under Ontario prohibition are not covered in the sources checked.

How many historic buildings are in the Distillery District?

Parks Canada describes 30 brick and stone buildings on about 13 acres. Wikipedia gives more than 40 heritage buildings, so counts depend on how attached structures are tallied.

For the wider city story, see An overview of Toronto history.

Sources

  • Parks Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations: Gooderham and Worts Distillery National Historic Site
  • The Canadian Encyclopedia: Distillery Historic District (Gooderham and Worts) National Historic Site
  • Wikipedia: Gooderham and Worts and Distillery District (secondary, named where used)
  • Parks Canada: Gooderham and Worts Distillery National Historic Site
  • The Canadian Encyclopedia article

Last verified: October 2026

Cite this page

APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 23). The Distillery District: Gooderham and Worts, 1832 to Today. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/the-fascinating-history-of-torontos-distillery-district-and-its-transformation-into-a-vibrant-cultural-hub

MLA: “The Distillery District: Gooderham and Worts, 1832 to Today.” History of Toronto, 23 Oct. 2026, https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/the-fascinating-history-of-torontos-distillery-district-and-its-transformation-into-a-vibrant-cultural-hub. Accessed .

Chicago: History of Toronto. “The Distillery District: Gooderham and Worts, 1832 to Today.” Last modified October 23, 2026. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/the-fascinating-history-of-torontos-distillery-district-and-its-transformation-into-a-vibrant-cultural-hub.

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