Canadian skylines of the past

[davidivivid]

First pic: Quebec City cerca 1865. The building in the foreground in the Champlain Hall, demolished in 1910 following a fire. I truly wish this building was still standing nowadays. Also pointing out the horse-drawn tram in the first pic.










https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/March%C3%A9_Champlain

[Rico Rommheim]

Didn't know about this building. Shame it's no longer around. It has a Buckingham palace vibe to it that I like.

[Rico Rommheim]

St-Jacques Street, formerly St-James street was famously known as Canada's "Wall street", although it never really measured up with Bay street in sheer scale. From the Montreal courthouse at St-Laurent all the way to the CN Viaduct the business part of St-James was just under 1km long. By the 1920's downtown Montreal was shifting away from lace d'Armes and Square Victoria further up hill around Dominion square and Sainte-Catherine street.


Screen Shot 2022-02-07 at 1.25.42 PM by Foofoo MacShoe, on Flickr

Saint-James Street, Montreal, 1843-1844. The building with the little portico at the right was the very first Bank of Montreal building.


1870

http://collections.musee-mccord.qc.ca/ObjView/02831000.jpg

Bank of Montreal in 1875

Montréal, vers 1875. Panorama, depuis une tour de l'église Notre-Dame >Nord-Ouest by Philippe Du Berger, on Flickr

Saint-James street, 1880


Saint-James street 1880

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/petite/52-03.jpg

Merchant's Bank building on St-James and Bleury in 1875


Merchant's Bank building on St-James and Bleury in 1900

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/illus/0040-10-0289-00-02.jpg

Merchant's Bank building (now a very fancy hotel) on St-James and Bleury in 2006

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/illus/0040-10-0289-00-00.jpg

1888

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ged0YawGNjw/W...156891696430260_164169197834731520_n.jpg

The New York Life Insurance in 1888

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwIyitjT8YM/T0...y4i0YQ/s1600/Place+d'Armes+c1895.jpg

Buildings lining St-James at Place d'armes 1895

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/06-05.jpg

The canada Life building on St-James and Bleury in 1898. This is low-key the first steel-framed highrise built in Canada

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/illus/0040-11-1613-00-11.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Canada_Life_Assurance_building_Montreal_1897.jpg

St-James street at Place d'Armes

St. James Street, Montreal Quebec in 1901. by Philippe Freyhof, on Flickr


in 1905

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-04.jpg

St0James in 1910

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/74/dd/c4/74ddc4d67338f3a3be893cbfce921464.jpg


https://imtl.org/image/big/1919_notman_james.jpg

St-James at Mcgill street circa 1910

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2WeR_FY9AErdNh50L0B6KeUe02htPcZuyYA&usqp=CAU

St-James at Mcgill street

https://img.banq.qc.ca/iiif/2/dmoOT4rQZI9f5vm5yfOF6w/full/800,/0/default.jp

1910

https://cdn2.picryl.com/photo/1910/12/31...-montreal-qc-about-1910-10b9eb-small.jpg

1910

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/illus/0040-11-2737-00-02.jpg

St-James in 1920

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/KAB2K6/royal-bank-st-james-street-montreal-qc-1920-KAB2K6.jpg


https://img.banq.qc.ca/iiif/2/IQc6BAuZlNZ5NvWBP5tjgg/full/800,/0/default.jpg



http://collections.musee-mccord.qc.ca/ObjView/MP-0000.839.7.jpg

Circa 1930

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/...James-Street-Montreal-Canada-Vintage.jpg

in 1930

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-05.jpg

The Queen visits Saint-James street in 1959

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-06.jpg

1940

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/illus/0040-22-6465-00-09.jpg



1965

Vues de la place d’Armes 9 septembre 1965. VM94-A0238-009. Archives de la Ville de Montréal. by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr

Place d'Armes from the Bank of Montreal HQ on St-James 1965

Place d'Armes. 1966. VM94-Ad114-001. Archives de la Ville de Montréal. by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr

St-James and Place d'Armes seen from above 1961

Vue aérienne de la place d'Armes en direction nord. Rhéal Benny & Marcel Houle VM94-B011-058. Archives de la Ville de Montréal. by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr

The St-James street "skyline" in 1961

Vue vers le sud avec en en premier-plan le boulevard Dorchester (aujourd’hui René-Lévesque) et le parc Dufferin. by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr

1965

La Place d'Armes à l’approche de Noël. – 23 décembre 1965. Photo par Maurice Macot. VM94-A0268-009. Archives de la Ville de Montréal. by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr

1965

[MolsonExport]

^great finds.

[SignalHillHiker]

Via FB - a colourized photo of St. John’s just after the Great Fire (1892).

And a couple excerpts from the coverage at the time:

Of the whole easterly section, scarcely a building remained; of the costly and imposing structures and public buildings which were the pride and glory of the people, scarcely a vestige remained; and St. John's lay in the morning as a city despoiled of her beauty, her choicest ornaments, presenting a picture of utter desolation and woe.

It made the heart ache to see the groups of men, women and children, with weary, blood-shot eyes and smoke begrimed faces, standing over their scraps of furniture and clothing -- some of them asleep on the ground from utter exhaustion -- all with despondency depicted on their faces. They filled the parks and grounds around the city. Many hundreds escaped with nothing but the clothes they wore. At least twelve thousand people were burnt out.

[ScreamingViking]

Wow. So devastating and so many lives changed. And how it changed the city... e.g., I have to wonder what St. John's would have looked like today.

[Laceoflight]

^^
So many canadian cities radically changed after important fires.
In fact, I wonder if there's even 1 major city in Canada that hasn't burned at one point.

---------------------------------
An intersection in Montreal, 3 different stages of development:

Here is a series of images of the Crescent / René-Lévesque (formerly Dorchester, formerly Grand chemin de la Haute-Folie) intersection in Montréal.
All of the churches are no longer there either.

1870
We see the reminiscences of old vernacular canadian architecture
(A. Henderson, Musée McCord, MP-0000.1828.59)


1890
Upgraded streetscape - Dorchester goes victorian
(Archives de la Ville de Montréal)


Nov. 2020
(Google Street View)

René-Lévesque/Crescent on Google Street View, nov. 2020

[Rico Rommheim]

Wow great finds!

[Rico Rommheim]

Some neat finds in flickr, these are personal family pics from the early 20th century

Montreal skyline in 1915, taken from the Linton apartment building on Sherbrooke street


Linton Apartments Sherbrooke St 1915 by Michael Goodfellow, on Flickr


Linton Appartments Sherbrooke St 2 by Michael Goodfellow, on Flickr

YMCA building on Dorchester. It was replaced by the Sun Life building only a couple decades after it was built in 1895.

YMCA Building Montreal by Michael Goodfellow, on Flickr

Place d'Armes 1890's

ice palace by Michael Goodfellow, on Flickr

Dominion square and Windsor station 1890's

Windsor station Montreal, Place du Canada. by Michael Goodfellow, on Flickr

[Coldrsx]

https://www.nfb.ca/film/city-under-press...qBoz_iCDhfsRGZBNgpO-KU1ljX-LHsGoCqf3m2dA

[KnoxfordGuy]

Toronto skyline in 1977 from a promotional video produced by Ontario.

https://twitter.com/JamesMcGrath1/status/1492527155829485578?t=WRrGKX2ZUYzMH0Q9w2FGOg&s=19

[Rico Rommheim]

Random vintage canada postcards and images


Ottawa 1912

View to Parliament Hill from the tower at the Victoria Museum in 1912, now the Museum of Nature by Ross Dunn, on Flickr


Halifax

Sledding in Downtown Halifax - undated by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

White Rock

c. 1907 Real Photo Postcard - A Very Early Photo of the Large Rock at White Rock, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr


The Royal York Hotel, Toronto, expected completion, 1929. by Halloween HJB, on Flickr

Montreal 1908

c. 1908 European Post Card Company - View of Victoria Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Ottawa

Construction of Centre Block 1919-20 by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Calgary 1912

c. 1912 H. Enida Olive Co. Postcard (Series No. 26) - View of Calgary, Alberta, Looking East (postmark from Calgary, Alberta on 28 January 1912) by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Prince Rupert 1910

c. 1910 J. D. Allen Postcard (#43732) - View of the Town of Prince Rupert, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Lake Louise

c. 1905 Bailey Bros. Ltd. (#69) Postcard - View of the Chalet at Lake Louise near Laggan, Alberta (4100 - Trueman photo taken c. 1893) by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Ottawa

1930s view of Sparks St. Ottawa by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Toronto 1937

Corner of Bathurst & College St. -1937 by Jim Cagney, on Flickr

Halifax 1909

c. 1909 Valentine & Sons' Postcard (#104,664) - View of Government House at Halifax, Nova Scotia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Esquimalt

c. 1908 Valentine & Sons' Postcard (#102,907) - View of the H.M. Ships at Naval Station at Esquimalt Harbour, Victoria, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Ottawa

Belle Claire, Queen St, Ottawa. by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

North Van

c. 1915 European Import Company postcard - View of the North Vancouver Ferry Landing, North Vancouver, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Quebec

Quebec, Canadian Pacific Railway, 1922 by Halloween HJB, on Flickr

Victoria

c. 1907 Valentine & Sons' Postcard (#102,896) - View of the C.P.R. Office & Wharves at Victoria Harbour, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Moose Jaw 1910

c. 1910 Lewis Rice Postcard - View of the Zion Church in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Halifax

Looking north on Barrington St. Halifax by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Ottawa 1920's

Aerial view of the Ottawa core in the early 1920’s by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Vancouver 1908

c. 1908 Valentine & Sons' Postcard (#102,978) - View of Vancouver, B.C., from Hotel Vancouver by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

New West 1909

c. 1909 Valentine & Sons' Postcard (#104,794) - View of the Russell Hotel at New Westminster, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

DTES 1910

c. 1910 Valentine & Sons' Postcard (#105,705) - View of the Carnegie Library at Vancouver, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Toronto

c. 1906 MacFarlane / White's Vintage Photos Postcard - Early Views of Toronto, Ontario, Canada (#2) by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr


c. 1906 MacFarlane / White's Mini Vintage Photos / Postcard - Early Views of Toronto, Ontario, Canada (#1) by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Halifax 1908

c. 1908 Montreal Import Company (No. 905) Postcard - View of the British Fleet in Halifax Harbour, Halifax, Nova Scotia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Ottawa 1958

Sparks St. Oct. 1958 by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

TO 1950

Corner of Yonge & Dundas Streets, Toronto 1950 by Jim Cagney, on Flickr

TO 1978

Corner of Yonge & Dundas Streets - 1972 by Jim Cagney, on Flickr

Quebec 1940

c. 1940 PECO Postcard (#42) - View of the Chateau Frontenac and Citadel from Ferry at Quebec, Canada by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Ottawa pre-1916

Wellington St. Ottawa by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Halifax 1912

Duke of Connaught at City Hall 1912 by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Ottawa 1910

Grand Union Hotel at Queen and Elgin Streets 1910 - before the Chateau Laurier was built, this hotel and the Russell House were the two leading hotels in the city by Ross Dunn, on Flickr


New West 1909

c. 1909 (104,787) Valentine & Sons' Postcard - View of the Exhibition Grounds and Buildings at New Westminster, B.C. by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Ottawa

Sparks St at Elgin St. Ottawa, Canada by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

Montreal 1909

c. 1909 Postcard - View of the City Hall Building at Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Victoria 1909

c. 1908 (102,916) Valentine & Sons' Postcard - View of the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Vancouver 1909

c. 1909 W.G. MacFarlane Postcard (#I - 702) - View of the Canadian Pacific Railway Depot at Vancouver, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Vancouver 1911

c. 1914 (111,067) Valentine & Sons' Postcard - View of the West End, looking down Comox Street, Vancouver, British Columbia by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Victoria 1908

c. 1908 (#102,902) Black & White Valentine & Sons Postcard - View of Government Street, Looking South, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

Halifax 1908

c. 1908 (103,199) Valentine & Sons' Postcard - View of the Custom House at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada by Nova Scotia Postal History, on Flickr

[Rico Rommheim]

St-Antoine street in 1913

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/46-02.jpg

Saint-Antoine in 1915

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/46-03.jpg

Saint-Antoine in 1953

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/46-04.jpg

Saint-Antoine in 1975

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/46-05.jpg


St-Jacques street 1843

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-01.jpg

St-Jacques street 1880

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-02.jpg

St-Jacques street 1898


Was replaced by this in 1930


St-Jacques street 1899

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-04.jpg

St-Jacques street 1900


The temple building was built in 1890 and was demolished in 1907


St-Jacques and McGill 1910


St-Jacques street 1912


1912


St-Jacques street 1930

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-05.jpg

St-Jacques street 1959

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/52-06.jpg

St-Jacques street 1878


St-Jacques street 1915


Notre-Dame street 1830


Notre-Dame street 1844


Notre-Dame street 1866


Notre-Dame street 1870

https://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/icono/grande/42-03.jpg

Notre-Dame street 1870


Notre-Dame street 1878


Notre-Dame street 1900


Notre-Dame and St-Laurent 1909


Notre-Dame street 1882


Notre-Dame street 1887


Notre-Dame street 1895


Notre-Dame street and Place d'Armes 1900


Same view in 1931



Notre-Dame street 1914


Notre-Dame street 1920's


Notre-Dame 1928



Saint-Paul street 1821


Saint-Paul street 1852


Saint-Paul street 1866


Saint-Paul street 1878


Same view 1900


Saint-Paul 1905


Saint-Paul street 1884



Saint-Paul street 1886


Saint-Paul street 1890


Saint-Paul street 1910


Saint-Paul street 1910


Saint-Paul and McGill 1910


Saint-Paul and McGill 1912




1925


Saint-Paul street 1926



Saint-Paul street 1953


Saint-Paul street 1965

[SignalHillHiker]

1963. This one is from FB, but there is a copyright at the bottom that I believe is from CN? That'd make sense as its a view from the former Newfoundland Hotel, which I believe became a CN hotel after Confederation in '49.



1948, via FB:



(An aside I read about recently - prior to WWII, Newfoundland had no concept of a weekend. The idea was introduced by the Americans, but never implemented here. Workers had Wednesday afternoons and all day Sundays off. When we joined Canada, initially that was still the case and there was a huge influx of now-provincial civil servants switching to the federal government solely for the hours. In 1953, we finally introduced weekends off.)

1944, also via FB.



And, finally, 1881 - a decade before the Great Fire destroyed just about everything pictured save the Basilica. Usually in paintings from this era, the roofs are all blue, that seems to have been the dominant visual impression of the city pre-fire.

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Halifax

Looking north on Barrington St. Halifax by Ross Dunn, on Flickr

The third building "up" Barrington on the left-hand side (with the staircases out front and the corner window bays) was abandoned in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and became a squat known locally as "Hell's Hotel".

If you were a teenager downtown around that time, you either had or had heard stories from in there. Pretty sad sort of place, actually.

It burned down sometime around Christmas, 1993.

[someone123]

I have heard of "Hell's Hotel" but it was a bit before my time. There are pictures of the fire here: https://twitter.com/hfxfirehistory/status/1249747933991448577

The early 90's were hard on Barrington. There was the NFB fire, this one, and the demolition of a row of buildings by St. Paul's.

[Coldrsx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=Ww7QHslZmz0&feature=emb_title

[Innsertnamehere]

Oof. Reminds me of this one:

[Rico Rommheim]

1870

Bonsecours Market and wharves, Montreal, QC, about 1870 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

1893

Hockey Match, Victoria Rink, Montreal, QC, composite, 1893 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

1910

025-1030 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

View of the Mile-End in 1910

Montreal Annex from Mount Royal, Montreal, QC, about 1910 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Facing being placed, Dandurand building, Montreal, QC, 1913 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Mr. Baumgarten's house, McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, 1904 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Mount Stephen Club, Drummond Street, Montreal, QC, 1934-35 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

Ste-Cath and Union 1915

St. Catherine Street at Union Avenue, looking west, Montreal, QC, 1915 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


West End Branch Bank of Montreal, QC, about 1895 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Regal and Palace Theatres, St. Catherine Street, Montreal, QC, about 1927 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Palace Theatre interior from balcony, Montreal, QC, about 1935 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Goodwin's department store (future site of T. Eaton Co.), St. Catherine Street, Montreal, QC, ca. 1912 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

Interesting that 105+ years later this intersection still houses a TD bank.

Dominion Bank, corner Bleury and St. Catherine Streets, Montreal, QC, about 1915 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Imperial Theatre, Nicklodeon, Bleury St., Montreal, QC, 1913 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


St. Catherine Street, looking west from Metcalfe Street, Montreal, QC, about 1870 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

St-Denis and Ste-Cath 1910

St. Denis Street from St. Catherine Street, Montreal, QC, about 1910 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


St. Lawrence Boulevard, Montreal, QC, about 1910 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


J. A. Lepage and H. P. Labelle & Cie, Ste. Catherine St., Montreal, QC, about 1920 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Looking East along Sherbrooke St. from Redpath St, Montreal, QC, about 1929 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

Holt Renfrew 1937

Holt Renfrew & Co. under construction, Sherbrooke St., Montreal, QC, 1937 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

1897

Windsor Hotel and Dominion Square from St. James Cathedral, Montreal, QC, 1897 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

1905

Montreal from Notre Dame Church tower, QC, 1905 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

1927

View looking East from top, Royal Bank building, Montreal, QC, 1927 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr


Montreal 1896

Montreal from Street Railway Power House chimney, QC, 1896 by Musée McCord Museum, on Flickr

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=Ww7QHslZmz0&feature=emb_title

Oh wow