a charming, registered heritage house open to the public at the corner of Bathurst Street and Davenport Road in Toronto. We are one of the few remaining examples of a Tollhouse on nineteenth century roads. See the unique vertical plank construction, and hear about the lifestyle of a working class family.
Come to visit the oldest tollhouse surviving anywhere in Canada, when roads were muddy and farmers paid to go downtown amid great hardship to market. See how one tollkeeper’s family lived, up to nine people, crowded, without electricity or running water. Examine their tools, their cookware, their clothing and bedding as our all-volunteer staff take you on a tour back in time to mid-nineteenth century Toronto. View the huge, rough planks that came from a single giant pine tree, a testament to the ancient forests of that time. Look out from here, as they would have, at one of the oldest roads in Ontario, a vestige of the last ice age.
Whats on …
Wishing all our Tollkeeper Friends a 2026 filled with good health, new adventures and great joy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COOKIE DAY Thank you to our bakers and buyers for a successful Cookie Day this year. We made almost $900. for the care and maintenance of the Tollkeeper's Cottage. And also a big thank you to those who decided to support us by taking out or renewing their membership. This Spring, members will be able to attend our AGM and vote on the issues that have arisen this year. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Membership is valid from January to December 2026 and may be purchased at any time! $20. individual, $35. family. Receipts for tax deductions will be sent by email in February. THANK YOU FOR DECIDING TO CONNECT WITH, PRESERVE AND CELEBRATE OUR UNIQUE HERITAGE COTTAGE! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PHOTO FIESTA Congratulations to David Raymont for his winning photo "Tollkeeper Window"(bottom left). David has received his prize, a gift certificate kindly donated by our local Fiesta Farms Grocery Store. THANK YOU TO FIESTA FARMS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COTTAGE CLOSUREAs in other years, our hard working volunteers take a break for the holiday season. We closed at the end of Cookie Day, December 13 and we'll remain closed during January, as the Tollkeeper's Cottage is cold and dark during that month. We will re-open on Sunday February 1, from 1-4 pm. We'll see you next year! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||
| ||||||
Open Tomorrow
Enjoy Summer.. keep tuned for special events at the cottage..
Plan your visit j
At any time we are open, our trained docents are happy to explain the Cottage, its original use in tollkeeping, and the way our selected 19th century working class family, the Bullmins, survived in what was…
Bulletins
Sign up for our newsletters, or read the latest newsletter
alternate front page carasol grid
a charming, registered heritage house open to the public at the corner of Bathurst Street and Davenport Road in Toronto. We are one of the few remaining examples of a Tollhouse on nineteenth century roads. See the…
Plan your visit
Thanks to Zeitguys Inc, we have brochures for some of our Tours below.. Brochure for Seniors An informative brochure specifically tailored for seniors planning to visit the Tollkeeper’s Cottage. Includes useful tips, historical context, and accessibility…
Community History Project
The COMMUNITY HISTORY PROJECT (CHP) was founded and led by citizen Jane Beecroft as a project for Toronto’s Sesquicentennial or 150th year since its founding. Its purpose was to collect writings and documents primarily from the…
Davenport
For next page please push arrow on line above (4 pages)
Media
Explore the broader context of Ontario’s historic tollkeeper cottages—including the Tollkeeper’s Cottage in Toronto and others scattered across the province. This Wikipedia page delves into their origins, architectural significance, and roles in the 19th-century toll road…
Plan your visit a
Tollkeepers Cottage Plan your visit Tours Groups Walks/brochures Rentals Hours Admission fee charges Tours: Come in any Saturday, noon to 5 pm, or the 1st Sunday of the month, 1 pm to 4 pm, and our…
first cottage aka thistoryn without zoom moda
Toronto’s Tollkeeper’s Cottage Cottage in its location on Davenport Road and Bathurst in 1875 A Humble Home Built in the 1830s, this structure housed multiple tollkeeper families over the years The Families Who Lived Here Including…
Gallery 2
These galleries open in a full screen window. The number of slides and time to watch if you let it play is given. Click on a picture to start the show. Saved from demolition. Key steps…
Contact Us
Our Location Transit instructions Email no phone The tollkeeper’s cottage is located in The Tollkeeper’s Park (formerly Davenport Square Park) northwest corner of Davenport Road and Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, Canada. Its street address is 750…