The Gooderham & Worts Distillery began operation and produced its first whiskey in 1837. Photo by Alisha Karim-Lalji.
A Profile of the Distillery District
Article by Joelle Berlet
After surviving fire, war and multiple financial setbacks within 153 years of operation, Toronto’s Gooderham & Worts Distillery, once a thriving producer of whiskey and spirits, officially closed in 1990. Over one decade later, the distillery reopened as an artsy tourist attraction, boasting the largest and best-preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America. It became known as the Distillery District.
It all began with James Worts, the first of his family to immigrate to Canada in 1831, where he quickly established a gristmill. Worts was followed a year later by a group of family members, including his brother-in-law, William Gooderham, who decided to invest 3000 dollars in the newly founded business. Thus, a historic partnership was born.
The Gooderham & Worts Distillery began operation soon after, producing its first whiskey in 1837. Once the ‘50s rolled around, business was booming. Flourmills, a wharf, the distillery, storehouses and an icehouse were among the numerous facilities being run at peak performance. In 1859, a new distillery was built on Mill Street.
Throughout the years, owners of the distillery came and went as the operation was passed down through the Gooderham and Worts family. A large fire in 1869 resulted in a temporary setback, but the distillery once again pushed forward. Just two years later, the distillery’s annual whiskey and spirits production equaled almost half the total spirits production in Ontario.
In 1914, World War I took its toll. In order to support the war effort, the distillery converted its operations to manufacturing acetone. Shortly after, the distillery took another hit as the prohibition era brought production of alcohol to a standstill.
Harry C. Hatch bought the declining business in 1923. Three years later, he merged the distillery with Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd., creating Hiram Walker – Gooderham & Worts Ltd. By 1957, Hatch made a switch from rye whiskey production to distilling rum products. Eventually, in 1986, the conglomerate Allied-Lyons bought the company.
1990 brought an end to many years of the distillery’s ups and downs. As operations finally ceased, the area became the number one film location in Canada, with more than 1700 films using the site over the years. In 2001, Cityscape Holding Inc. purchased the distillery with the intention of restoring its more than 40 buildings and dedicating the area to an arts, culture, and entertainment village. In May 2003, the Distillery Historic District was officially opened to the public.
Toronto’s Distillery District now offers a wide variety of entertainment. Quaint shops, art galleries, sunny studios, restaurants, bars and cafes all inhabit the small, cobble-stoned village, creating the perfect atmosphere for a sunny afternoon stroll. Office spaces and condos look out over the historic district that once supported the flow of whiskey and spirits in the heart of Toronto. Further construction, including additional condo buildings, represents the ever-changing nature of an idea born from the inspiration of William Gooderham and James Worts.
All information found in this article was taken from the official website.
Additional information found on the Distillery District Heritage site.