The Canadian Pacific Railway at North Bay, Ontario in 1884
We’re excited to share a recent find with you — an important pioneer photograph of Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) railroad workers in North Bay, Ontario. Penciled on the reverse is a note which says: “Old Time Ry. Men, CPR, North Bay. Taken in March 1884.”
A North Bay, Ontario Furniture Store and Funeral Home
This important early North Bay, Ontario real-photo postcard (RPPC), tells us much about the lifestyle and social mores of North Bayites nearly 100 years ago. The imposing gentleman wearing an overcoat and hat is local businessman Frederick J. Martyn, a building contractor, furniture store owner and undertaker.
Ham Radio Operators and QSL Cards in North Bay, Ontario
Ham radio operators have been sending QSL cards for almost a century, and here are two examples from North Bay, Ontario. QSL stands for “I acknowledge receipt.” The traditional use of the postcard-sized QSL card was to serve as written confirmation of a two-way amateur radio communication or one-way reception of a signal from a radio or television station.
North Bay, Ontario: The New Ontario Brewery
The New Ontario Brewery led a short but eventful life in North Bay. Established in 1905 by a group of businessmen headed up by James Palango, it produced a German-style lager beer. The company prospered, and enough beer was produced to supply both North Bay and surrounding communities. By 1910, the New Ontario had begun to hire “brewery boosters,” traveling salesmen who traveled by horse and buggy to locations as diverse as Cobalt to the north and Kitchener, Kingston, Ottawa and Pembroke.
Historic Mattawa, Ontario Video
We never did find out who created this video of vintage postcards from our Mattawa collection and put it on YouTube, but we like the results and the rousing Stompin’ Tom tune.
North Bay, Ontario Mystery Solved: Canada’s Largest Indian Location
A serendipitous purchase has solved a mystery: the former location of Canada’s largest Indian, a roadside attraction which was in North Bay, Ontario. Chief Standing Moose, a spectacular example of roadside Canadiana (technically known as roadside Americana) was 24 feet tall and billed as “Canada’s largest Indian.”
North Bay, Ontario: What Happened to Canada’s Largest Indian?
Somewhere on Lakeshore Drive in North Bay, Ontario stood Chief Standing Moose. This spectacular example of roadside Canadiana (technically known as roadside Americana) was 24 feet tall. He was billed as “Canada’s largest Indian.”
Bruno Charron, Canadian Photography in Mattawa, Ontario
This charming cabinet card documents the work of Canadian photographer Bruno Charron, who worked as a photographer and barber in Mattawa, Ontario between at least 1882 and 1922. We believe this portrait of the Napoleon Fink family dates to about 1889.
Early Old Home Week Celebrations in Canada
A 1904 patriotic private postcard which shows that Old Home Week and a “Champlain celebration” were held as early as June 1904 in Saint John, New Brunswick. This is the earliest Old Home Week postcard we’ve personally seen.
Logging in the Paxton Township East of South River, Ontario
This scarce pioneer real-photo postcard shows the log cookery building at the Temagami Company’s logging camp, c. 1902-1907, which was 24 miles east of South River, Ontario in Paxton Township. Was the photographer Patrick McDermott of South River?
