Mechanics' Hall was a concert hall on the ground floor of the Mechanics' Institutes

Mechanics' Institutes

Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...

 building in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. The hall was used for theatrical productions, music concerts, public meetings, and lectures from 1856-1883. Located on the east side of the downtown area at Church and Adelaide streets, the building was designed by Cumberland and Stone. The hall was designed with raised semi-circular seating and sat 500 people. Its construction was finished in 1856 but was later altered in 1861. During the 1860s the hall was the home of the Musical Union, a Toronto based choral society. In 1874 the Toronto Philharmonic Society made their debut at the hall under conductor F.H. Torrington. In 1883 the Mechanics' Institutes building was sold to the city of Toronto. The city turned the building into Toronto's first public library and the hall was converted into storage space. In 1930 the building was demolished.