Medallions from The Clifton Gate Memorial Arch -- Toronto, ON Canada
Posted by: 
jkozik
N 43° 38.975 W 079° 22.274
17T E 631352 N 4834242
Medallions from The Clifton Gate Memorial Arch -- Toronto, ON Canada
Waymark Code: WM5DCZ
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 12/22/2008
Views: 29
The Medallions from The Clifton Gate Memorial Arch are on display on Front Street at Jarvis in downtown Toronto -- kitty corner across the street from the St Lawrence Market. The sculpture work is on display as part of the Mackenzie House Museum.
The medallions are remnants from the memorial arch, built at the entrance to the new Niagara Parkway in 1938. The arch was designed by William Lyon Somerville and it had four large panels, illustrated by C.W. Jefferys, that represent different parts of Canada's history. The sculptor Emanuel Hahn created the actual stone work.
These panels were preserved when the arch was torn down in 1968. Two of the panels are medallions depicting the sailing vessels Griffin and St Lawrence. The Griffin was the ship of the French explorer La Salle who discovered Niagara Falls; St. Lawrence, a War of 1812 British ship. These medallions are pictured in this posting.
Two other panels are installed, outdoors, in the sideyard area of the Mackenzie House; not pictured in this posting.
The architecturally interesting part, The Clifton Gate Memorial Arch, is gone. These remnants are very artistic and have a rather noteworthy history. The St Lawrence Market area is very well traveled by regular office workers and tourists, some of whom, like me, are delighted to learn a little about the history of Canada through their public display. The references tell a very rich story.
Vehicles of nationalism: Defining Canada in the 1930s - (
visit link)
Remnants of Niagara’s “Arc de Triomphe” - (
visit link)
Mackenzie House Museum - (
visit link)
Historical Narratives of Early Canada, The Offending Arch - (
visit link)