Stones, Bricks, and History: The Corner of "Duke and George", 1798-1984, by Sheldon and Judy Godfrey. A special edition to commemorate the City of Toronto's Sesquicentennial and the Bicentennial of the Province of Ontario.
This book is a unique addition to Canadian historical consciousness. It can be read at several levels. In one sense, it it for browsing through history with over a hundred pictures dating back over 10 years. In another sense, it is a story of a miraculous restoration of a burned-out hulk that turned out to be a national treasure. In a deeper sense, it is a story of the region, seen through the windows of a tangible group of buildings that were at the centre of events since the early years of the last century. At the deepest level, this is a book that enriches our awareness of our past as Canadians by picking up the themes of economic development and the struggle for political, social and religious liberty in this country.
Sheldon and Judy Godfrey were involved in all phases of the restoration of the historical buildings at the "corner of Duke & George Streets." The restoration took two years during 1980 and 1982 and was, according to Sheldon, "just about the limit of what ordinary people should be trying to do." The project won the Godfreys two national awards for restoration of heritage buildings, special recognition by the Toronto Historical Board, and the nickname of "lunatic heroes" from the Toronto Star.
Paperback
75 pages
ISBN 0-88619-070-3
Published 1984