The Big Tomato (1961)
Leamington, ON

Leamington is known as the Tomato Capital of Canada, as the former home of a large Heinz processing plant and host of the annual tomato festival for which this kiosk was built.

I hope however the future plans for the General Amherst High School site pan out, these murals are preserved somewhere in town.

Tonight! We’ll be talking about Henry Box Brown — the man who mailed himself out of slavery — and his time in Toronto with Cheryl Thompson & Martha Cutter.

All happening online at 8pm. Learn more: bizarretoronto.com

In March 1964, some in the government tried to sell Bill 99 as a way to fight organized crime. Instead, they inflamed concerns Ontario would become a “police state.” — by Jamie Bradburn #onpoli tvo.org/article/how-th…

Happening tonight…

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NEW! For TVO.me, I look at the furor surrounding Bill 99, legislation that the Ontario government introduced 60 years ago to increase police powers that was so bad, even the minister responsible was concerned about it. #cdnhistory tvo.org/article/how-th…

Happening tomorrow... #TOHistory

Look where the “food professor” is showing up (spotted while exiting a Shoppers)

Side research find: that time Garfield Weston (grandfather of Galen Jr) had some...interesting things to say about apartheid-era South Africa.

My head is still processing this one.

Toronto Star, January 31, 1966 #TOHistory

The latest edition of my newsletter is out, rounding up a lot of stories (and getting over a cold)... jamiebradburn.substack.com/p/15-the-post-…

Spotted at a Michael’s in Scarborough…

Next Tuesday! We’re going to be talking miraculous cures, bizarre contraptions and ridiculous rackets with three of my favourite Toronto history writers: Jamie Bradburn, K Taylor & toronTO!

Learn more & get your tix: bizarretoronto.com

Excited to be joining Jamie Bradburn and toronTO on May 7th as part of Adam Bunch's Festival of Bizarre Toronto History. We'll be talking about strange inventions, oddball businesses and the minds that dreamt them up. Hope you'll join us!

Happy to announce that I will be part of Adam Bunch's Festival of Bizarre Toronto History! Join me, K Taylor and toronTO on May 7 as we spin a yarn or two! #TOHistory

Another mall from my childhood bites the dust: Lakeside Mall in suburban Detroit. The redevelopment plans look pretty good. freep.com/story/money/bu…

Research pet peeves: news/journalistic websites that don't even allow you to have one free sample story, if you're going there for only one story or what to briefly sample what the site is like.