Hidden Gems of Cabbagetown

As the story goes, early Cabbagetown residents were working class Irish imigrants, many of whom lived below the poverty line. They lived in tiny Victorian row housing, such as The Wellesley Cottages, pictured above. The impoverished residents grew cabbages in their front yards, hence the namesake. Nowadays, these "poor" houses have been beautifully restored, and present residents have increased their space considerably by extensive rear additions that are not visible from the street. Digging in their backyards was a bit of a hazard, however, as bones often washed down from the adjacent St. James Cemetery. Now these and other Cabbagetown historic homes are only affordable to the very rich.