The land for the neighbourhood was annexed by the city between 1910 and 1919. A 1913 map shows that the present-day Queen Elizabeth area overlaps two registered subdivisions of the day: the G.T.P. 1/4 Section in the west, and part of the Broadway Addition in the east. During the speculative real estate market between 1909 and 1912, ambitious developers had a local lumber company built three stately brick homes at 1906, 1908 and 1910 York Avenue (at the intersection with Taylor Street). Though they were far away from the city core, developers anticipated that residential building would soon expand outward quickly. Foundations for other houses nearby were built, but abruptly abandoned as a recession took hold in 1913. Meanwhile, the homes became known as the "Three Sisters" and were landmarks for travellers. The city eventually developed the land near the houses in around 1953. The northmost "sister" was demolished to make way for Fire Station #3 - the two remaining homes survive to the present day.