Today’s old photo comes again from the dumped collection of the Detroit News. This photo is dated January 27, 1923, but was clearly not taken in January. I think this is the same photo that once ran in the Windsor Star, although the photo has a photographers stamp in the bottom corner:

“E. Rogers
Day & Night Studio
25 Pitt St. E.
Windsor, Ont.”

I’m going to guess that Evan A. Rogers sold his photo from 1922 to both the Star and the News.

This photo reveals in the details a man hard at work either sprucing up or putting final touches on the stalls…

It was a nice looking building. A shame this one was lost too… I like the “D” in the roof. Nice architectural details.

Have a good weekend everyone. See you back here on Monday.

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Happy Friday, once again, we’ve got an old Windsor Photo to look at. This old shot was taken by Sid Lloyd, Windsor’s pre-eminent commercial photographer of the 1930′s, 1940′s and 1950′s. Each and every one of his photographs were works of art. The man had an amazing eye. Today we’re casting a glance towards the corner of Ottawa and Langlois.

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A gas station is still located on that corner 70 years later…

It’s the small details that always catch my eye, like this old car marked “Sefton Art Studio – 150 Pitt St. W.”

Just beyond the Bank of Commerce Sign, you’ll see Copeland’s Bookstore. When the store closed for good in the early 1990′s it was Windsor’s oldest business dating back to the 1870′s or 1880′s…

Have a safe long weekend everyone. See you back here on the holiday Monday.
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Happy Friday everyone! Time again for another look back at Windsor through some old photos…

Today’s photo was snapped August 10, 1956.

The Baby house must have been freshly renovated, as there is no lawn, no shutters on the windows and the door is exposed to the elements.

Contrast the picture above with this postcard from a year or two later.

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Here’s the same view today, the house is boxed in by the Cleary and the other riverfront Hotels.

I wonder when and why the chimney’s disappeared? It kind of looks dumb without them, compared to the photos from the 1950′s…

The Baby House is just one of the 24 sites that will be featured on Doors Open this year, Sunday, September 26. They have said that they will be giving tours through their vaults, and a chance to see some artifacts that rarely make it to display due to a severe lack of space. Mark it on your calendar!

Have a good weekend, see you back here Monday.

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Happy Friday, today’s old photo dates to November 1919, and takes us over to the Walkerville Federal Building on Devonshire, more commonly referred to as the Walkerville Post Office.

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Surprisingly this view hasn’t changed much in the last 91 years…. Designed by David Ewart, the chief architect for the government, in 1914, the story has it that he designed the building to be built in buff brick because he thought there was too much red brick in the area. Ewart was no enemy of red brick… locally he also designed the Windsor Armouries, and the Sandwich Post Office.

A detail view of the sign on the building, part of some civic drive…. Possibly related to WWI?

A detail shot of the tree on the front lawn and some early bicycles… Maybe that’s someone’s “King of Scorchers“.

Have a great weekend. See you back here Monday.

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On August 19, 1942, the ill fated raid on Dieppe took place. Of the 553 member of the Essex Scottish Regiment of Windsor who took part in the raid, only 51 were part of the evacuation back to England, two of which died from their wounds. The other 501 soldiers were either killed or captured as prisoners of war. The Essex Scottish sustained the highest level of losses of any assault group engaged in the raid.

A very detailed account of the history of the Dieppe Raid can be found here.

So, tomorrow at 12:30 pm, if you’re free make your way to Dieppe Park for the unveiling of the Dieppe Memorial, an exact duplicate of one erected in Dieppe in 2006.

Credit: Library and Archives Canada / C-014171

Canadian prisoners of war being lead through Dieppe by German soldiers.

Library and Archives Canada / C-017293

German Officers standing on Dieppe beach among Canadian dead and wounded

So don’t forget our vets. If you can try and make it down.

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It’s been a long while since we’ve poked our head over to the US side of the international metropolis, but seeing as it’s Friday, and time for an old photograph, this is one that caught my eye, a stunning photo that really captures the fire that befell the Briggs Manufacturing Company on Detroit’s east side April 10, 1963.

The Briggs Manufacturing Co. made automotive bodies for the major automotive companies. This plant was located at Meldrum and Mack, and the block long five storey building building went up in a spectacular fire. At the time of the fire Briggs was a division of Chrysler.

This plant was originally built to house the American Automotive Trimming Co. The Canadian branch was located in Walkerville, and was called the Canadian Automotive Trimming Co. The company later changed its name and became Gotfredson.

A good history of the Briggs Corp. can be found here. Interestingly enough, the Briggs Co. is still around today, after having sold their automotive interests, they retained their “Beautyware” line of plumbing fixtures, a business they are still in today.

A victim of the fire was the neighbouring Our Lady Of Sorrows Catholic Church, which was destroyed by the blaze and later demolished. Some photos of the church during the fire can be found here at The Virtual Motor City.

Someone’s car didn’t make out so well…

Photos capture a moment in time, this photo is no exception, while the firefighters battle the blaze, and neighbours gather to watch, note the utility truck at the hydro pole trying to cut the power to the plant.

The land remained industrial, with a new warehouse/factory having been erected, however the parking lot on the south east corner of Benson & Meldrum was the site of Our Lady of Sorrows. However the parrish held a huge fund raiser and less than a year later in 1964, the new Our Lady of Sorrows was dedicated and opened directly across the street.

Have a good weekend everyone – see you back here Monday.

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This excellent photo come to me from regular reader Doug S. who got permission from the photographer Charlie Whipp to post it here. Thanks to both Doug and Charlie for this amazing shot…

The photo dates to May, 1974 and is a shot of Canadian National’s steam engine 6060 at the waterfront roundhouse.

Here’s a map for reference showing the location of the roundhouse on the waterfront. As you can see the roundhouse was just east of Louis Ave.

Doug also sent along info that 6060 is still around. The 4-8-4 is in Stettler, AB (between Calgary & Edmonton) and is operated as a tourist train by the Rocky Mountain Railroad Society.

More info on the engine can be found here: http://www.6060.org/Default.aspx

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Now, on to today’s photos.

From the Detroit News, these shots dated June 13, 1958, and the dedication of the new Windsor Airport Terminal Building.

The terminal was designed by Government architects, and built by the Eastern Construction Company.

Obviously a big party was held, and all kinds of important people turned out for the occasion. This photo was taken on the Airside of the terminal. Note the 1950′s design elements, such as the big chrome “W I N D S O R” letters, and note the observation deck, where one could stand outside and watch the comings and goings of the aircraft.

What was at one time a pretty nifty little terminal, has suffered through the years, and been subject to some unsympathetic renovations over the years. Note the metal siding on the control tower…

I know the interior was spruced up, but not a lot has changed with the outside of the terminal building.

Now if only we could get more flights to more places…

As a side note, the airport is currently conducting a survey to see who goes where, and from where. So if you’re a traveler, you might be interested in filling out this survey here. There was little blurb about it in the local daily newspaper the other day…

Have a good weekend everyone, see you back here Monday.

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The centennial celebrations of 1954 were a big deal, and city wide celebrations were held.

This photo is dated September 2, 1954, and the caption on the back reads:

“Duchess of Kent, Mayor Reaume of Windsor, and Princess Alexandra stand to receive welcome by guest at banquet in Prince Edward Hotel.”

More info about Princess Alexandra can be found here.

Have a safe long weekend everyone. See you back here Monday.
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A neat photo from May, 1922 of the first electric Trolley Bus in Canada. I met up with John and Bernie this weekend, and we took a walk along the area trying to determine exactly where the photo was taken. Following our invesitagtion, we determined it was the corner of Lincoln and Seneca, looking south on Lincoln Road towards Tecumseh.

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Here’s a view of the same corner of Seneca and Lincoln, looking south on Lincoln today.

The big vacant space between the two house (both of which are still standing), is today occupied by the Emmanuel United Church

Back in October of 2005, I posted this photo also from Bernie’s collection:

photo from the Bernie Drouillard & John Stefani Collection

This one the location was already identified as the corner of Windermere and Cataraqui.

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Here’s the same view today…

The Trolley Bus route ran along Lincoln Road as a connection between the streetcar lines on Wyandotte and Tecumseh. It ran north along Lincoln, turning right on Wyandotte, right on Windermere, right on Cataraqui and left on Lincoln to Tecumseh Road. At Tecumseh, the line turned left, left again on Windermere, left on Seneca and right on Lincoln. The trolley bus was short lived, only running from 1922 to 1923.

Another first in Windsor, that not many know about.

Big thanks to John and Bernie for sharing this great old photo.

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Happy Friday! Today’s photo is stamped on the back with only a date March 28, 1933. A neat shot showing the Windsor Shoreline in its natural state.

Interesting to see this little restroom hut, long a favourite little building of mine.

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This was neat to see… A big old house on the river hard by the bridge. Looks like the bridge gobbled up part of the lot, as the east end of the decorative path in the gardens is lopped off…

Anyone know anything about it? Westsiders? Did it make it to the 1950′s, was it pulled down for Villa Maria?

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Welcome to this week’s edition of Old Photo Friday. To we have a photo that likely dates to 1928-1929, unlike the date stamped on the back of the photo “April 15, 1930″. The Bridge opened November 11, 1929.

According to this brief history of the Bridge, because the Bridge opened ahead of schedule there was a deal where the Bridge owner would split the revenues with McClintic-Marshall, the company who constructed the bridge 50%/50% between the opening and April 16, 1930.

The date on the back of the photo is the day prior, meaning the story/photo likely ran the next day. Perhaps a story about how the profit sharing deal was expiring with the builders?

Regardless of the reason, it’s an interesting photo all the same…

Have a safe weekend everyone, see you back here Monday.
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Another Friday, another old photo… Today features a old press photo from the fall of 1927.

The caption on the back indicates the building cost $1 million, and was set to open December 1st.

As is often the case however, some of the details in the photo are more interesting…

I love the 1927 style scaffolding… According to the paper in the windows, the glass was supplied by Windsor based Hobbs Plate Glass.

This corner is taken somewhere around where Aardvark’s/Lefty’s is located today… Note the old Victorian porch, and the old stop sign. Interesting to note the back wall of Meretsky & Gitlin Furniture…

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Even today, traces of the painted sign still exist…

Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Seventh Prime Minister of Canada, and best known today as the $5.00 bill guy… paid his last visit to Windsor September 9th, 1911. To the left of Laurier is the back end of the Armouries, and this photo was taken at “Ouellette Square” an area today now occupied by the block between University & Park, that is home to among others, the Canada Building and the Palace.

Upon Laurier’s death in 1919, a local publication called the “Border Cities Era” ran the photo above with the following caption:

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Reproduced from photo taken of late Liberal leader on Sept. 9, 1911, when he was prime minister
of Canada and addressed a monster gathering on Ouellette Square. This was barely two weeks before
the memorable election on Sept. 21st. and the defeat of the Liberal government over the issue of re-
ciprocity with the United States. The photo shows Sir Wilfrid with hands upraised in earnest and
eloquent gesture, a characteristic “action” pose of the great Canadian statesman., Sitting on the plat-
form is Dr. James Samson, formerly of Windsor but now of St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Later in the same issue this editorial was found:

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C. L. BARKER, Editor and Publisher.
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PASSING OF A CANADIAN STATESMAN

Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s name will live in Canadian history.
It may be too soon now to approximate his relative status
among the great men this country has produced, but as the
memory of Sir John A. Macdonald was kept green for the
past quarter of a century we may rest assured the political
genius of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Laurier traditions
shall survive and be recalled during the quarter of a cen-
tury that is to follow. Laurier is likely to grow in history
as Macdonald has done.

A man of distinguished appearance and bearing, kind and
courteous to a marked extent, wonderfully endowed with a
brilliant mind and a remarkable personality, it was not dif-
ficult to understand the affection and loyalty bestowed upon
“The Old Chief.” Indeed, in the latter years of his life the
esteem he enjoyed approached positive veneration. He was
loved and admired by even those who did not always agree
with him on political issues.

For fifteen continuous years – from 1896 to 1911 – Sir
Wilfrid Laurier was monarch of all he surveyed and not only
stood at the head of the government during the most pros-
perous and glorious fifteen years Canada enjoyed but added
lustre to the Dominion by the glowing impression the prime
minister created abroad. He was easily the outstanding col-
onial figure at Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee and as-
sumed commanding rank at the colonial conferences. Sir
Wilfrid advertised Canada before the whole world and
blazed the pathway to new ideals of nationhood.

In the memorable election of 1911 he went down to de-
feat but was not dishonored, chancing the fate of the gov-
ernment on the issue of reciprocity, which was rejected at
the polls. The only cloud, if such it may be called, on Sir
Wilfrid’s political career was the unfortunate racial feeling
aroused on the advent of the, military service bill, but time
may do justice to Laurier’s stand when we get a true per-
spective of the disturbing and troublesome conditions that
prevailed when the battle of conscription was fought.

If Laurier had not taken the stand he did who can say
now what might have happened in Quebec, which needed
only a match to explode the powder barrel? Laurier held
Quebec in check as no other living man could have done.
If he had announced his acceptance of conscription and
joined with Borden the province of Quebec would have been
enveloped by Bourassa and Nationalism, probably resulting
in an uncontrollable movement for secession, with civil war
‘as the inevitable contingency.

Even intimates like Fred. Pardee and George Graham,
who pleaded with their chief to endorse conscription and
go down in a glorious sunset of Canadian history may not
have glimpsed the Laurier vision that it were better to lose
the election and save Quebc for Confderation than partake
of the sweets of office and dwell in the tents of his political
enemies.

With union government victorious and the military ser-
vice act placed on the statutes, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, with a
true appreciation of constitutional authority, counselled
Quebec to abide by the vote of the majority, accept the re-
sult and obey the law.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier was the greatest Canadian of his day
and will sleep among the immortals.

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Interesting to see that fears of Quebec separating were at the forefront a century ago… An interesting snapshot in time.

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A neat old photo postcard of Engine 801. One the backside of the card is a ton of info about the engine.

It was built in 1904 by the Kingston Locomotive Company, it was construction number 401, and was originally owned by the Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway. That was Hiram Walker’s railroad that ran throughout Essex County.

The photo was taken at Walkerville, May 21, 1919 at the station looking north.

Interesting to see the Walker Power Building in the background. The City Inventory has the date of construction on that building as 1911-1913.

So either the date on the postcard is wrong, as the 4th floor is clearly under construction and being added to the building… Or the top floor was added later than originally though…

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** Please note with the Holiday tomorrow, International Metropolis is taking Friday off… Some people have Thursday off, some have Friday, whatever you get have a safe long weekend, and we’ll see you back here Monday. **
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