Trinity College then (1925) and now (2025)

100th Anniversarty of 6 Hoskin

Celebrating a century of learning, gathering, and belonging

Trinity College is celebrating 100 years at 6 Hoskin Avenue (1925 – 2025)! For a century, this building has been the beloved home of the Trinity community and is arguably one of the most beautiful buildings on the U of T campus. Thanks to the vision of its founders and the care of so many who have walked its halls, the College will celebrate 100 years of Trinity’s home on Hoskin in October 2025. Read the full story: 6 Hoskin at 100.

Join us for celebratory events to mark this special occasion: 

100 Years of Hoskin

Trinity College acquired its present property on Hoskin Avenue in 1913, but construction was not completed until 1925 because of the war. The foundation stone for the new building was laid on June 4, 1923, and the College held its formal opening and dedication ceremony on October 21, 1925 (image above). Follow the milestones that shaped Trinity’s home on Hoskin Avenue.

Trinity from the past: accessible text

  1. When the women came to Hoskin from St. Hilda’s or were waiting for class, they were not permitted in the JCR, and had their own common room.
  2. Residence Rooms, built 1942-1963 – Originally housing only men of college, since 2004 Hoskin has been home to a mix of all Trinity students.
  3. View of the west Hoskin façade
  4. Junior and Senior Common Rooms, completed 1942 – The Junior Common Room (JCR) and Senior Common Room (SCR) have always been favourite hangouts and places that create community.
  5. Choir singers in the Trinity Chapel in the 1970s
  6. The Quad, completed 1963, refurbished 2007 – This beloved outdoor space is a beautiful respite and central meeting point on campus, now decorated with a medieval knot pattern.
  7. Strachan Hall, completed 1942 – The beautiful wood-panelled dining hall has hosted countless dinners, dances and high tables and remains a centre of activity on campus.

Trinity’s Centennial at Hoskin Avenue

More than a building, learn about the first 100 years of Trinity’s home on Hoskin Avenue.

Explore Our History

Discover Trinity College: 1850 to the present. View timeline and College milestones.

Give Hoskin a Birthday Gift

Join us in honouring Hoskin's centennial with a birthday gift. Help sustain our beloved home for the next century.

Alumni Memory Wall

View Hoskin memories that are part of Trinity’s story. Share your Hoskin memory!

Looking Ahead: Lawson Centre for Sustainability

Learn how our new residence & academic building will prepare Trinity for our next century.

Visit Hoskin

Tour the commemorative exhibit in the Trinity Archives and discover artifacts, photographs & stories from the past 100 years.

Fascinating Facts: Did You Know?

Discover hidden stories and quirky details about 6 Hoskin Avenue.

Classes Once at Hoskin: Until the 1970s, most undergraduate classes were taught in the Hoskin building before teaching was centralized in Arts & Science.

The Mystery Sculptures: The 12 carved stone heads in Seeley Hall have never been definitively identified. Archivist Sylvia Lassam would “love to know the source.”

Zodiac Signs Above the Quad Doors: Astrological carvings surround the north Quad entrance — unusual for a religious college, though not without precedent (see Chartres Cathedral).

A Chapel Before the Chapel: From 1925 to 1955, Seeley Hall served as Trinity’s chapel.

The Ladies’ Lounge: Today’s Provost’s Office was once a lounge reserved for women, who were excluded from Strachan Hall and the men’s common rooms.

From Reading Room to Student Services: The Student Services Centre began life as the library reading room, complete with a fireplace and a dumb waiter (now the elevator shaft).

Shakespeare in the Quad: From 1949 to 1958, the Earle Grey Players — a professional Shakespeare company — staged summer performances in the Quad.

Frank Darling’s Final Work: Hoskin was architect Frank Darling’s last project. A biography of Darling will be published in 2025.

Treasures from Queen Street: The Hoskin entrance includes the original cornerstone from Trinity’s first building, and benches with carved gryphons were brought from Queen Street.

The Heart of College Tradition: Strachan Hall was built to seat about 250 students for dinner. Though Trinity has grown far beyond that capacity, it remains the ceremonial heart of the College.