Calgary Historic Walks

08/01/2024

To add to my previous post on the opening of Oxford Square, I thought I would add some ads about stores that opened on Nov 4, 1976 to hopefully bring back some memories. Calgary Herald Nov 1, 1976

07/31/2024

The first phase of Oxford Square opened on Nov 4, 1976. Approximately 55 retail stores and services were ready for the opening. Upon completion, it will have two office towers (Dome Tower and Home Tower), 3 floors of retail and 2.5 acres of indoor/outdoor space park space.
Dome moved into its tower in February, 1977 while Home moved into its tower in July, 1977.
Oxford Square was renamed to Toronto Dominion Square on Sep 1, 1977.
Click on each photo for more info. Click on the second and last photo for floor plans showing stores in Nov 1976 and Aug 1977.
Saving floor plans and opening the saved ones will be better to read.

07/22/2024

Next Thursday starts the Calgary Folk Fest. The first one was on Aug. 28 and 29, 1980 at Prince's Island.

Attached is an ad from from the Calgary Herald adverrizing the festival dated Aug 21, 1980.

The second article by George Lyin thinks the music wasn't really folk. Of course now, there is a variety of music and not just folk. I find it interesting that Valdy wasn't mentioned in the article. Maybe Valdy was after his deadline? Calgary Herald Aug 30, 1980

The second article are letters responding tivLyon's article. Calgary Herald Sep 4, 1980

05/16/2024

I found some interesting details of the first photo which is a postcard from 1908. The construction in the foreground is for Crown Lumber which now is partially occupied by Crown Surplus.
Click on each of the other photos for more details.

04/20/2024

The Carpathia (first photo) rescued survivors of the Titanic including Albert and Vera Dick. From Calgary The second photo shows the passengers of the Carpathia when it arrived in New York on April 18th, 1912.

04/15/2024

A comparison of the staircase of the Dick residence (Albert and Vera Dick survived the Titanic) and a copy of the Grand Staircase of the Titanic at Titanic Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Do you think the two are the same?

04/14/2024

Posted this before but since it's the 112th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, thought it would be good to repost with a few additions.

The Titanic struck an iceberg at around 9:00 pm MDT and sank around 11:40 pm MDT. On the ship were two Calgarians, Albert A. and Vera Dick. They were on their honeymoon and in first class. Both survived.

After they returned, the false rumour spread in Calgary that Albert dressed as a woman to get on the lifeboat since it supposedly was women and children first. This was not true. Apparently, he was pushed into the lifeboat while he was kissing Vrea goodbye. A number of first class men who survived were accused of the same thing.

Dick owned 2 buildings that still exist. The Dick Block (902-904 9th Ave SE) in Inglewood was built in 1910 but was damaged in a fire in 1986.

The other building is their residence in Mount Royal at 2211-7th St SW (last 2 photos).

03/31/2024

Happy Easter to everyone. Hope you have a wonderful day.

The Easter Bunny visits with children at the Hudson's Bay Company Store. Published in The Albertan, April 2, 1956, page 3.

Photo by De Lorme, Jack. CU1141301 Digital Collections U of C

03/26/2024

Another article from the Inglewood Community Association Newsletter on the history of the Alexandra school on 9th Ave SE.
If you have a hard time reading, save it on your computer or phone.

03/17/2024

When and where did green beer start in Calgary?
Attached is an article from the Albertan dated Mar 16, 1967 giving the possible start of green beer in the Shamrock Hotel near the stockyards. Aparrently it started as a joke in the late 30s or early 40s. However, I haven't found a story yet from the time. Still looking.

Saving to your phone or computer allows an easier read.

Happy St. Patrick's day.

03/15/2024

Just heard that negotiations have started again concerning the Grand Theatre. Hopefully this will keep the theatre going. It recently celebrated its 112th anniversary. Here's to many more.

03/15/2024

I hope this will be good news for the Grand Theatre which recently celebrated its 112th anniversary.

The Grand Theatre Society is “optimistic” about the future after its landlord re-entered negotiations over a potential rent reduction last week.

03/15/2024

Hopefully this is good news for the Grand Theatre.

The Grand Theatre Society is “optimistic” about the future after its landlord re-entered negotiations over a potential rent reduction last week.

02/15/2024

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone whether you are with someone or not. Be kind to everyone including yourself.
Ad for flowers from A. M. Terrill.
Albertan Feb 13, 1911
The photo shows A. M. Terrill's greenhouse at 604-1st St SW (where the Lougheed building is now). Ca 1911
Digital Collection U of C. CU1122977

02/06/2024

Today is the 112th anniversary of the Grand Theatre.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=940119341282046&id=100058519665794&mibextid=9R9pXO

01/31/2024

The Southern Alberta Pioneers and Their Descendants is offering a "free" for the speaker series at their Memorial Building. Come on down and hear some talks about Calgary's history.
RSVP the address in the poster.

01/30/2024

Manfred wrote this article on Col. James Walker in the Inglewood Community Association Newsletter for February. He was declared Calgary's Citizen of the Century in 1975 (Calgary's 100th anniversary).
Note that the name in the last paragraph should read Alan Lynas.

01/05/2024

Interesting video on Victoria Park from 5 years ago. Not sure if it is cometely correct but still has some good info.

Take a tour through one of Calgary’s oldest neighborhoods, and check out some of the more interesting historical landmarks in Victoria Park.PLEASE READ THE N...

01/02/2024

When we hear the name of John Kanerva, we all think of Dinny and the other dinosaur models he created at the zoo. I never knew he painted athis mural.

The mural was apparently on the fossil house. It showed cavemen, woolly mammoths and a sabre tooth tiger.

ca. 1953-06-26, CU1204612 by Calgary Herald

01/01/2024

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Here's to a new year of discovering the history of Calgary.

Card from Tom Baine's of the Calgary Zoo showing his residence on St. George's Island.
ca. 1950-1964, CU1227045 Digital Collection U of C

12/23/2023

Never heard of this. Blue Bus Lines. Calgary Herald Sep 10, 1929.
Anybody heard of this bus line?

Update: the Blue Bus lines were incorporated in April, and 1928 and were going to have their head office in Calgary. were mentioned in the Henderson's Directory from 1930-1932.
In May, 1930, the Yelloway Greyhound Lines announce their motor coach service at the new terminal in the Herald building. The Blue Bus Lines were running their buses to Turner Valley from the same terminal.
The only mention of a Blue Bus Lines in the Calgary papers was in August, 1944 in reference to an accident but not sure if it is related to the same company.

12/22/2023

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. All the best for 2024.
Christmas display, Calgary, Alberta.", 1954-12, (CU1141495) by De Lorme, Jack. Digital Collection, U of C

12/20/2023

A short history of public Christmas light displays in Calgary.

https://calgaryheritage.org/wp/holiday-light-displays/?fbclid=IwAR2UuqIUXJJ6q57ZcAkGhLDPhEFs2g2-T5CHotapP6DevfRh_f2_Y7_dGdA

‘Tis the season for outdoor light displays to brighten dark winter nights. The tradition of lighting fires on the winter solstice is an ancient one. In the 16th-century, trees appeared […]

11/30/2023

Info on the Rutherford Block in Inglewood. Link with more info in a link.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=741886221305772&id=100064532026822&mibextid=9R9pXO

𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤: 𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 – 𝟏𝟐𝟐𝟔 𝟗 𝐀𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐄

Inglewood, Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood, is host to a large number of sites on the Inventory. However, most of these sites come from after 1905, when Calgary’s first big population and building boom occurred. There are only a dozen sites on the Inventory that were built before 1905. Including this week’s featured site, the Rutherford Hardware Store.

The Rutherford Hardware Store is a simple Commercial-style, single-storey building. Built in 1901, it is possibly the oldest extant commercial building in the community. The façade is composed of a plain parapet with coping and decorative brick detailing in the form of common bond brick pattern, the brick surrounds the fenestration of the building, which is made up of two large bay windows and a recessed entryway. The building is valued for its continuous service as a commercial retail storefront for over a century, including over 60 years as a hardware store and 40 of those years also serving as tin smith.

The building gets its name from its first occupant and builder, John J. Rutherford of Michigan, who moved to Calgary in 1907. Rutherford opened a business with W. Sanders, who had moved from Ontario the same year. Initially they were tenants of the building, but were able to buy the store in 1918. Rutherford passed away in 1933, and his widow Mary assumed control of the business and expanded to farming supplies.

Learn more about the Rutherford Hardware Store and other sites on the Inventory here: heritagecalgary.ca/explore-inventory

11/18/2023

Check out the presentation on the history of the Grand Theatre (608-1st St SW) by Dr. Donald Smith. He wrote the book "Calgary's Grand Story". It is free. There is a link to RSVP and get a ticket. Note that the walk is sold out.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=878812090746105&id=100058519665794&mibextid=9R9pXO

Join us Nov. 21st at 1:00 PM for a unique presentation from The GRAND & Dr. Donald B. Smith, Professor emeritus of history at the University of Calgary and author of "Calgary's GRAND Story'' and learn about our long and rich history in Calgary's arts and cultural ecosystem and how we serve the city today.

Join us Nov. 21st at 1:00 PM for a unique presentation from The GRAND & Dr. Donald B. Smith, Professor emeritus of history at the University of Calgary and author of "Calgary's GRAND Story'' and learn about our long and rich history in Calgary's arts and cultural ecosystem and how we serve the city today.

For More Information, or to buy tickets visit:
https://www.thegrandyyc.ca/the-grand-then-and-now

🗓 Nov 21, 2023
⏰ 1:00PM
📍The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
🎟 RSVP - FREE

11/18/2023

The sad story of what happened to the York Hotel plans wrt the Bow building and bricks. Hopefully, 2 of the walls of the York will come back, if they find the bricks.
https://www.facebook.com/100064626406442/posts/762169499280590/?mibextid=9R9pXO

The construction plans for The Bow office tower originally included a second building incorporating heritage features from the York Hotel.

11/08/2023

Great conversion of 1911 electrical substation which includes a distillery among other things. This shows you can keep historic buildings.

A building that was once a cornerstone of Calgary’s electric grid is set to become the home of one of Canada’s largest craft distilleries.

10/18/2023

Great story on the history of the City Hall clock which is still hand wound.

When Calgary first became a municipality in 1884 it was without a town clock and the new council’s first duty was to coordinate timepieces across the community. This was accomplished by having retired North West Mounted Police officer James H. Walker (1848-1936) fire a cannon every day at noon, to...

10/15/2023

Great article on the history of Calgary newspapers with some great photos.

This article explores the history of the prominent early Calgary newspapers The Calgary Herald , The Calgary Tribune/Albertan , and the Calgary Eye Opener .

10/08/2023

Article mentioning the capture and killing of an Ogopogo, an aquatic serpent usually attributed to Okanagan Lake in BC and Rocky Mountain House. Apparently it is similar to the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. Conveniently, it was vooked with remaining parts disposed of before a photographer arrived.
The article is from the Calgary Herald dated Jul 30, 1942.
The drawing is the one mentioned in the article and is from the Calgary Herald dated Jul 27, 1942.