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Caption: University Avenue Armouries, Toronto, 1909

Beginning in the 1870s, the government built large numbers of armouries for training volunteers. Their architecture is often reminiscent of medieval fortifications, as seen in this 1909 postcard of the University Avenue armouries in Toronto. The building was opened in 1894 and demolished in 1963 to make room for a courthouse. When first built, the Armouries was the largest building of its type in Canada, and was used for trade shows and social events as well as for military training.