Lost Ottawa

Night Out in Lost Ottawa ... at what is described as the "Auditorium" in Britannia Park. It soon became known as Lakeside Gardens, home to endless concerts and dances over the years, until the building caught fire and burned to the ground in 1955. According to the original record, the building was moved to Britannia Park in 1904 from Victoria Park on Holland (which was Ottawa Electric Railway Park made redundant by the opening of Britannia). I understand that Victoria Park is now Fisher Park.

Andrew Schofield shares the Evening Puzzler with a question about an empty lot in Ottawa's far west end. Writes Andrew:

It's not the Twelve Days of Christmas yet, but we do have an early Lost Ottawa present to give. Right now you can get the ebook version of Lost Ottawa Book 1 for free. Amazon is letting us give it away until midnight Friday PST (which means three in the morning on Saturday EST, if you are a really late shopper). ... The point? Get it free while you can! Also, are you a member of Kindle Unlimited? Then you are able to read all three Lost Ottawa ebooks for free through your subscription. Thought I would mention it.

Here we go with more postcards of Ottawa from a set dating to approximately 1945, shared by Bryan Horton. This particular set has a sort of "Official Ottawa" character to it, and includes several federal government buildings, reflecting the evolution of the "government style" in architecture into the Thirties. From West to East they are:... The Confederation Building on Wellington, opened in 1931. The Connaught Building on Sussex, completed in 1916 The Royal Mint on Sussex, originally completed in 1908 Rideau Hall in New Edinburgh, originally built by Thomas McKay, a major contractor on the Rideau Canal project, and taken over for use by Canada's Governors General in 1864. It has been extensively added to since then.

Heather McDougall shares the Evening Puzzler, writing: "I found this in an old wallet. It’s dated 1962. Anybody remember these auctions?" And the puzzler is, how did the auction work, and what did you bid on?

Our new book is out! Lost Ottawa 3! With Sixty more stories of people and places in Ottawa and Gatineau you are sure to remember. One of the chapters is about life in school and here are pictures from four of the stories in that chapter, about .... the bike you rode, Elmer the Safety Elephant, the Four Square Court, and Home Economics Class. For more on what's in the book, check out the Lost Ottawa website at:... https://lostottawa.ca/ Cheer yourself up with Lost Ottawa 3!

Where NOT to build your cottage in the Ottawa area -- on the cliffs of the Gatineau River, described as "near Limbour" in 1955. Part of the river bank beneath the cottage collapsed in April of that year. The cottage had just been bough by Henri St. Jacques. He and a group of friends were apparently able to haul the cottage back to safety. ... Close one! (City of Ottawa Archives CA032011)

Your Morning Commute and the Morning Puzzler! It's Merivale Road in 1953 and I'm going to say north of Slack Road -- as a complete guess based solely on the idea that the Shell Oil truck is leaving the tanks at Slack and heading to Ottawa. That still leaves a lot of Merivale! The only other clue is would seem to be the vet houses on the left. The picture was taken for the Ottawa Suburban Roads Commission, responsible for maintaining the bigger roads in and out of Ottawa at t...he time. For them, the main thing about this picture was the glorious new ditch on the far left!! (Annual Report of the Engineer, Ottawa Suburban Roads Commission, 1953.)

Now that winter has returned, I guess the use of these shelters will resume in and around Ottawa (if kids are still going to school). We never had a shelter when we were taking the bus to Sir Robert Borden (which was strange because Sir John A was literally a five-minute walk way. However, that was Ottawa and we lived in Nepean). Despite the cold beginning, every day on the bus seemed to be a new adventure as hilarity ensued.... This sentry box was put up by a farmer on the Chesterville Road in 1957. I've never heard of the road, but Chesterville is in farming country about 45 minutes southeast of Ottawa. (City of Ottawa Archives CA042822)

Your Morning Commute ... on the Merivale Road to and from Ottawa. Warren Foster shares an article about Merivale when it was a toll road from "Hopper's Corners," to Carling and Parkdale, and seems to have been in existence from 1872 into the 1920s. Writes Warren: "The newspaper article that talks about the toll booth on Merivale road, that my great great great grandfather ran for most of his life. My great great grandfather was Alex Dynes, who had a large Yorkshire pig farm o...n what is now Dynes road." The Merivale areas was once known as "Hopper's Settlement," I read on the internet, but exactly where the corners were I don't know.

Linda Seccaspina shares a story about the numerous the businesses that all occupied 145 Sparks Street over the years, including the Tea Garden Restaurant. Writes Linda: "Remember when you were growing up, and you’d find a prize inside your cereal box? Prizes, premiums and box-top offers have been a staple of modern marketing since the 1800s. Well there was one heck of a scam going on at a store on Sparks Street ...".... http://ow.ly/v1e050BS82g

Looks like late Autumn in Ottawa, what with all the leaves gone from the trees in this park along Elgin in the early 1960s. The park marks the former site of Ottawa City Hall, which burned down in the 1931 and wasn't replaced until 1955 (with New City Hall on Green Island). The two statues on the right used to stand in front of the Old City Hall, which was located on the east side of Elgin between Queen and Albert. ... One of the statues commemorates the participation of local men in in the Boer War and the other is for the Riel Rebellion. They have moved around the downtown many times. They were moved from this site to make way for the NAC. One is now in Confederation Park the other in front of the Drill Hall. (LAC e999906427-u)

Boys and their toys at the Model Train Club of Ottawa open house held on May 12, 1956. Must have been a riot! The event was held in association with a big annual meeting of the National Model Railroad Association of Canada at the Chateau Laurier. The big surprise for me was the location of the Ottawa train club, which was 113 1/2 Bank Street, right downtown, and over what is now the Venice Nail Spa, next to the Bridgehead at Bank and Slater.... The picture makes me wonder, though -- how many cool model railroad installations have been built while people have been cooped up during the Covid crisis? (City of Ottawa Archives CA038380)

Remember going around Ottawa on "field trips" with you school? Leslie Juden remembers the going to the Ottawa Citizen. "In the ‘60’s we all took field trips to The Ottawa Citizen," says Leslie. "Each student was given their name set in type. Oddly enough, in those days we were thrilled."

Lost and found in the Trainyards and a not-quite-on-topic follow-up to our last post shared by Andrew Parkes, who must have thought he was having a "Lost Ottawa" kind of day. First, his Mr. Sub was gone from Elmvale Acres Plaza. Then it seemed the Farmboy was gone from the Trainyards. In fact, this would have to be counted as a success story because the Farmboy simply moved to a much bigger space in behind, as you can see in the second picture.... Still, I laughed at these photos because I had exactly the same experience as Andrew, pulling into the lot and shouting to myself: "What happened to the Farmboy! I was just here last week!"

Brian Double shares a story about nefarious doings in Ottawa in the summer of 1932 -- a kidnapping. Of a kid. Read the details below:

A bus looks like it's trying to scoop an Ottawa streetcar for passengers at the corner of Carling and Bank Street ... when Carling still met Bank Street in 1934. I'm guessing that when they expanded Carling to be four lanes in the late 1950s or so, that is also when Carling east of Bronson was renamed Glebe Street. The building on the far corner is still there, but houses La Strada restuarant, not Carleton Motor Sales.... BTW, this bus is described as an "AEC Banger Diesel." Banger? Really? Truth in auto names? (City of Ottawa Archives CA018249)

Four more postcards of Ottawa shared by Bryan Horton from a set dating to approximately 1945 and showing what people thought was characteristic and distinctive of the city at that time. Three of these views are classics you find in almost all sets of postcards. For example, you have the Centre Block looking great between the trees. You have Queen Victoria's statue, which was unveiled in 1901, and now just one of a ring of statues around Centre Block. Then you have a shot from... the top of the Parliament Buildings looking towards Nepan Point and the Alexandra Interprovincial Bridge (which also dates to 1901). The unusual item here is the last card, featuring what looks like a squad of Spitfires or Hurricanes flying over Parliament, and includes the Confederation Building and the Supreme Court. I felt sure we had had a post of this last card before with some details about the flight. Alas, I can't find it in my database.

As we know in Lost Ottawa -- you are never too old! These young ladies knew it, too, skipping rope just outside the Res at Carleton University in 1978-79. It's an oral history I always thought should be done, recording the skip-rope songs of the various Ottawa schoolyards. Even us guys could admire the rhymes.... I wonder if these ladies would remember the words! (Carleton Resolution)

Here's a feature of Lost Ottawa, I don't think I was ever aware of. It's not the cars parked on the terrace of the Chateau Laurier, or even their giant size. No it's that there appears to have been an entrance to the car park off the terrace. ... The record says this is the "new garage," in August of 1970. Learn something every day! CSTM CN-70373

Migue Dan Padilla shares two items you might have got if you were a member of the Kinghts of Columbus here in Ottawa, circa 1974. First a letter dunning for your membership fees. Second, a raffle ticket for a a freezer already filled with $500 worth of beef. The proceeds fo the draw went to Camp Echon, which was summer camp up the river near Fitzroy Harbour that in the 70s and 80s (at least) served children with disabilities. For pictures of the camp, check the link.... https://www.ocapdd.on.ca/?ID=87

Nick Hauser shares a story about the restoration of several items that will be familiar to many former (not old!) Ottawa bus-riders. Part of OCTranspo's historical collection. Who can forget the 1A? Writes Nick:... "Fresh off the bench! After 8 years, these old Ottawa Transportation Commission sign boxes are ready for service again! They hung in the side windows of the CC&F Brills, GM Old Looks and Twin Coach buses, usually in the first door-side window. Two varieties have been identified, sharing similar looks and parts. Boxes 1A, 1B, and 59 are one style (note the 59 has another paint variation -- a green face). Boxes 02 and 03 are a different version. All the components were cleaned, and made operational again to be enjoyed for years to come!"

Janet McCredie shares this wonderful photo of an Ottawa gas station, dating back to 1925-35. Says Janet: "My grandfather and great-uncle owned the first gas station in Ottawa over 85 years ago (or more). It was called McCredie's garage and it was right on Bank street. Cars stopped on Bank street to fill up. The building became a bakery and I think it is now Bond's decor."... The address was 1242 Bank Street, according to the newspapers, which would indeed put the gas station on the northwest corner of Bank and Chesley, where the paint and decor store is now. A map from 1922 shows a garage on the corner. But that building to the left of seems to be exactly where Chesley should be. Puzzler!

After School? ... Ottawa boys hang out on street corner in front of the Classic Barber and smoke shop. located on the southwest corner of Nicholas and Laurier in 1929. One of those kids on the left must be a budding historian. That's one big book! Also hipsters (which includes me, since I have two of them), check out the kid of the right. He has a classic kick scooter! Electricity, bah!... (Detail of LACe999908782-u)

The Historical Society of Ottawa says winter is coming...! But don't worry... the HSO also has three great (virtual!) Speaker Series presentations coming up that you can enjoy from the toasty comfort of your home! Visit the HSO website for all the exciting details and the links to pre-register:... https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/activities/events

As you know, we love postcards because they show what people thought was important and distinctive about Ottawa at any given time. Recently we had a movie about a set of postcards dating to 1914 or so. Now Bryan Horton has shared another set of postcards, dating to approximately 1945. We're going to share them over the next few days -- starting with these three unusual items (when compared with the past). First up is an aerial looking down on the city ... and that's already ...unusual compared to many of the postcards of the city we've shared over the years (from the days before airplanes!). This picture seems to be from around 1930 when, as you can see, the city didn't extend out very far! Next we have the Metropolitan Life building at the corner of Bank and Wellington, which was completed in 1927. For it's time it was a huge building, even if it was't that tall, and one of the treasures it contains is a Byzantine-Style Mosaic in the (no longer used) west vestibule. You should grab the chance to see it during Doors Open when you can. Finally, we have the Lord Elgin, and that's unusual compared to the past ... because it didn't exit until 1941, when wartime needs for accommodation led to the construction of what was at first called the Ford Hotel.

Not long ago we had a picture of several gents waiting for the Colonial bus on the northeast corner of Albert and Elgin. That's where the inter-city bus station was in the 1920s. The sign said passengers could go to places like Kemptville, Prescott, and Iroquois. This seems to be the Colonial bus that would take you there in 1927. Classy! ... It's parked outside of the station (the windows at left). The entrance to the Russell Theatre is to the right, and this whole block was demolished a year or so after the picture was taken. (Bytown Museum 2014.004.01.97.01) #Ottawa, #Bytown Museum, #Lost Ottawa

Carl Schultz shares a song and a video about railroading in the Ottawa area. It's got tons of pictures of steam locomotives, some of which even I recognize as being from the Ottawa area. It's starts and ends with two brief interviews of railway men. Then there's the song, about which Carl says:

Need to get out, but COVID has you stuck in your Ottawa home? Check out this virtual tour of the Diefenbunker. See if you can find your way from the underground to the vault. You can find more tours of the Diefenbunker at the link below. They are very well done: http://diefenbunker.ca/virtualtours/... You can find even more tours of Ottawa and Ontario at: http://ow.ly/MYdP50BSaMQ Link shared by Victoria Edwards.

Things didn't always go perfectly for Ottawa bread men. Here, a crew tries to untangle a horse pulling a Walker's Bread Truck in June of 1956. Seems the horse has got its legs on the wrong side of that wooden pole which -- I'm no expert on wagons -- seems to have been called the tongue or the tug. I'm puzzled, though. There only seems to be one pole. Most of pictures of bread and milk wagons show two poles, one on each side of the horse.... (City of Ottawa Archives CA038917)

Andrew Schofield shares the Evening Puzzler with a query about some items for Lost Ottawa in the Greenbelt. Writes Andrew: "My girlfriend and I went hiking on the Old Quarry Trail in the Greenbelt, using the Hazeldean entrance this Thanksgiving. We came across some oddities we were hoping someone better informed could help us with. ... One of the first things we noticed, when you come off the main trail from the parking lot (facing the Hazeldean Mal) is this little path that's beaten down, and leads to the concrete foundation you see in Picture 1. Anyone know what that was/is? In Pictures 2 and 3, you cane se photos of these strange cement disks found in the dirt. We noticed these further along the trail at the intersection you see in Picture 4. Katie thought they might have been the bases for old trail marking signs, since removed. Seems logical, but could be a number of things. Any ideas, folks?"

Night Out in Lost Ottawa with photographic history of Al's Steak House in Bells Corners up to 1976. Originally shared by Ryan Eaton way back in July of 2013. A little blast from our own past!

Here's a nice painting of an Ottawa street shared by Lloyd Walton. Seems just right for a Sunday Evening. Lloyd sent us only two words by way of explanation. They were "Lost Ottawa." I feel it! Thanks, Lloyd!

Autumn in Ottawa, with two teens playing football in the street, leaves piled on the side, and more youngsters playing behind them. Alas, the actual street is not identified. Date would appear to be the late 40s or early 50s. (LAC e999917171)

Here's a post for all you Ottawa golfers. It's two tickets for 18 holes at the Pine View Municipal Golf Course on Blair Road in 1974. Cost of the round? Three dollars! Date is November 6. Brrrr ... Shared by Migue Dan Padilla, who found the tickets yesterday while renovating an Ottawa kitchen.

Here's a wee reminder about tonight's virtual lecture sponsored by the Historical Society of Ottawa. It features a look into Ottawa's past through a digital lens, presented by JoAnne McCutcheon. The talks gets underway at 7 am -- and did I mention it's virtual? That means it's online and you can watch it from the comfort of your own home. The meeting is on zoom, so you will need to register to get the information you need to join the meeting. You can register directly by goi...ng direct to this link: http://ow.ly/SPlY50BS6Fq Or by going to this page on the Society's website: http://ow.ly/XDZy50BS6E1

Sunday Driver, demonstrating some possibilities. For example, when Ottawa pot-holes become too much -- there's an alternative! Shared by our friend Anna who snapped this Amphicar tootling along the Rideau Canal last week. The Amphicar (Amphibious+car) was made in West Germany from 1961 to 1965. Here's a link to a CTV story about this particular car:... https://beta.ctvnews.ca/local/ottawa/2020//9/1_5140322.html

MIshelle D shares the Morning Puzzler in form of a photo and a close-up of an amazing ice castle built for Ottawa's Winter Carnival. I've got the year as 1895, but I'm not certain about the location. I think the castle was built in Major's Hill Park, or else on Nepean Point. Writes Mishelle:... "Hi, I have a bunch of very old photos from Ottawa (1880-1920?). Here's one of them I thought it would be neat to share & learn more. People might know where or when it was taken?"

A visitor to downtown Ottawa walks down the circular staircase to the right of Union Station that used to take you down from the Plaza to the level of the Rideau Canal. Date is 1971. Down below, a ton of people exit one of the boats from Paul's Boat Tours. I took that tour with a bunch of convention visitors once. It was super-corny from a history point of view -- and a lot of fun! There's a regular staircase there now, but if you are nostalgic, there's still spiral stairs at Laurier!

Sunday Drivers ... featuring members of Ottawa's Capital Corvette Club assembled at Billings Bridge in 1970. Every once in awhile we go searching in our Lost Ottawa database for something and come across a great pic we had in the past. This one was shared in 2014 by Neal Wilson. (Photo taken by Barry Shulman)

While we are on the subject of Ottawa cars, here's a classic Chevy Bel Air captured in the Glebe, and shared by Steven Keenan.

Rick Henderson shares the next chapter in his Capital Chronicles, this one about building canals in the Ottawa area -- and not just the Rideau. Click below to get the story: https://www.capitalchronicles.ca//the-capital-builders-par

Owen Shields shares some history you can drive in the form of this car seen in Ottawa last week. Notes Owen: "In the parking lot of the Bells Corners United Church. If I'm not mistaken, a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain."

History You Can Drive ... in the form of a 1963 Dodge 440 seen in Ottawa at the foot of O'Connor recently. I was thinking the 440 might have meant it had a huge engine, but it seems the standard engine was the good old Slant Six, with the pistons turned at an angle instead of straight up. I had the good old Slant Six in my Dodge Dart "Swinger" from ten years later.

A gentleman consults the arrivals/departures board in the departure hall of Ottawa's Union Station, circa 1961. It's a little hard to make out, but the board is in between the CN "Wet Noodle" sign and those strange booths marked "telephone," which we now carry in our pocket! The trains arrived on the other side of the glass wall to the left. I believe this is the room now used as the Senate Chamber by the Senate of Canada. I've go to get in there one of these days ...... (LAC e999912430)

Happy Halloween from Lost Ottawa ... and this year I guess Halloween has been "lost" due to Covid, but some people still had the spirit going, like the good folks at this house on Adelaide Street in the Glebe.

Three nice views of what is now the Mill Street Brew Pub located beside the Ottawa River near the start of the Parkway. Shared by Alan Soucie ... who also shares a few views about the re-development of Lebreton Flats!

Now here's a good scene for an Ottawa horror story on All Hallows Eve as the Lost Horseman takes his ride down the Driveway ... under the full moon ... clip, clop ... clip clop.

Inside Ottawa: Featuring pictures of Ottawa's old Elmdale Theatre, which closed in 1994 and became a church. Shared by Richard Vernon who writes: "Soon to be lost! The old Elmdale theatre built in 1947, is currently Cornerstone House of Refuge Church. It has been sold and the congregation will be leaving in two years from what I was told. ... I was there servicing their Hammond organ and the Pastor graciously allowed me to take some pictures of the place before I left. What's amazing is the side scrim and seats are all original and in situ. Also, notice the camera window for the left theatre. As a side note, they split the theatre into two in 1981. I remember going here in the mid '70's as a kid. Rest assured, the future owner will not be preserving the building. " See more

Ken Gourlay shares a CBC story about the end of an era in Kazabazua, about an hour north of Ottawa past Wakefield. First we lost the Longest Bar in the Gatineau's. Now Irwin's. http://ow.ly/14SL50BPYCv

As a follow-up to our last post about the Ottawa Bus Terminal closing on Catherine Street, I came across this picture of the Colonial Dining Room located on the northeast corner of Queen and Elgin. The picture is dated to 1928. The restaurant seems to have been owned by Colonial Coach Lines and this appears to be the place you got the bus in those days -- standing outside the sidewalk. The sign on the wall says you could take the bus to Prescott, Brockville, Winchester, and M...orrisburg. This wouldn't be the "bus station" for long, however. The restaurant was in one corner of the Russell House Hotel (that's the entrance to the Russell Theatre on the right) and the Russell was about to be demolished. (LAC e999908869)

Ottawa Le Droit newspaper is having its own puzzlers. Here's one shared by Véronique Allard who ask: "Can someone here help identify this building? The picture was taken in 1947 and is likely a school."

Sean O'Meara shares several pictures of the Ottawa Bus Terminal at Catherine and Kent which is now closed, as Greyhound has permanently suspended service out of the Terminal due to Covid. Also some pictures of the inside of a bus. The terminal was built in 1972. Thousands and thousands of people have passed through it since then, including me on more occasions than I care to remember! Writes Sean:... "The owners allowed me to take one last batch of pics. I wish I knew, on my last Greyhound run, that I’d never be back. Inside is a ghost town."

In keeping with our boating theme of the evening, Conor Linton shares two pictures of the light house -- or rather, the remains thereof -- located near Upper Duck Island.

Blair Crawford shares two photos of the Quyon Ferry across the Ottawa River. The back of one photo says "Fitzroy Harbour, primitive ferry, 1955" Love the pointer boat attached. In case they had to abandon ship? Say Blair:... "I found these in an old photo album of my parents."

Mike Downey shares a pice of boating equipment from a store in Lost Ottawa ... Says Mike: "Up the creek ... with a Simpson Sears paddle."

Linda Seccaspina shares pictures and a link relating to an early drive from Ottawa to Smoth Falls and Niagara Falls.Show what driving was like in the early days, and why the people are always dressed up in caps and massive overcoats. Says Linda:

Maria-Christina Lepore shares a Lost Ottawa trophy: Writes Maria Christina: "Wanted to share this find from a family member's garage. Looking to try to get it to its rightful home. "Maynard Trophy - Intercollegiate Combined Downhill Slalom" . Looks like it was won by Lisgar in 1945 and then never made it to the winner of the 1946 event."

Sunday Drive, this time looking east from Elgin towards Rideau, when this section of Wellington in downtown Ottawa was a one-way west. The cars are from the mid-50s ... and there is the Daly Building past the Chateau Laurier. (CSTM CN Collection)

Sunday Drive, featuring a gentlemen gripping the wheel of his Chevy Impala two-door hardtop with both hands as he drives down Sussex Street in the 1960s. I'm thinking the model is from 1964, but I just looked at a ton of pictures online and see that the pattern of chrome on the side is relatively unusual. Canadian version? Or something extra you could order? (LAC e999916928)

Inside Ottawa, in this case the Victoria Memorial Museum at the end of Metcalfe Street circa 1912-1915, when it was still brand new. At the time, the building housed everything that would now be split (subject-wise) between the various national museums. In our first pic we have what appears to be the natural history gallery, with various stuffed animals in glass cases.... In the second we have the National Gallery with paintings and sculptures. I believe the art was in the east wing at the top. I'm not sure if the art took up more than one room! Shared by Bryan Horton from a fabulous pack of old postcards, depicting what were thought to be highlights of the nation's capital just before World War.

Outside Ottawa, featuring what was originally known as the Victoria Memorial Museum at Metcalfe and Argyle, when it still had its original tower on the front. That dates the picture to sometime around 1912-1915. My fondest memory of the "Castle," as so many people called it, is going into the old auditorium to see a guy in a tweed suite with a tweed vest give a slide show lecture (the kind with 35 mm slides and a super-hot projector) about the archaeology of Ancient Egypt. H...elped fire my love of history back in the 1970s. (Shared by Bryan Horton)