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Canafornian

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Posted: 01 Oct 2016

Taken: 10 Jan 2012

1 favorite     5 comments    432 visits

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postcard •
winnipeg •
manitoba •
nairn •
elmwood •
louise bridge •

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WP1383 WINNIPEG - NAIRN AVENUE AT LOUISE BRIDGE

WP1383 WINNIPEG - NAIRN AVENUE AT LOUISE BRIDGE
POSTCARD

Date: Posted April 29, 1908. Sent from Winnipeg to Mr. A. T. Brown in Acton, Ontario.

Publisher / Photographer: Unidentified

Notation:
The note on the reverse side reads; "Dear T. This is a photo of our business corner, the small building just past the bank is where I slept my first few months here. You will see my opposition is very close. At present our street is in a terrible state with mud. Our auto had to get a team of horses to pull it out this afternoon. hope Harry is better now, also[?] Grandma T. Kerry[?]"

This is a view looking east on Nairn Avenue (then Lemoine Avenue) seen from the from the west side of Stadacona, To the right, is the entrance to the Louise Bridge and Higgins Avenue.

Building signage on the right side - foreground to background:
- Louise Bridge Post Office / Free Press / Evening News Bulletin 25¢
- Elmwood Drug Store
- Riverview Hotel. (The sign is visible over the sidewalk.)

Building signage on the left side - foreground to background:
- Butchers (I believe this shop may have been operated by Chalmers & McGrath, but I am awaiting confirmation.)
- Charles Mulvey Hardware
- Drugs

Building signage at far end of the street:
- This large building has a prominent "Millinery" sign on it, but I can't make out the name/word that precedes it.

The building on the left, just past the "Drugs" sign was the Canadian Bank of Commerce, built in 1906 at 325 Nairn Avenue. It is still standing today, in 2016.

Alan Mays has particularly liked this photo

Comments
 wintorbos
wintorbos club
The famous "Louise Bridge" post office ... wow! What a gem!
7 years ago.
 Canafornian
Canafornian club
I came across an interesting collection of five articles on Historic Elmwood written by Hugh G. Jackson - apparently in 1955.

In one article he writes; "Leaving the bridge, they would pass Mr. Harris's store on the bridge side of Nairn. He had the post office first and sold it to McGrath." He doesn't give a time line for this commentary, but most of his other commentary was on events in the late 1800s through to 1900.

Another excerpt from one of the articles; "Grocer McGrath had the post office in his store. In the centre was a large cracker barrel and there would be discussed the latest news (in 1902 King Edward's Coronation would be mentioned); no doubt checkers would be played and plenty of wise-cracks and fun pass back and forth."

In another article, James McGrath and James Chalmers there listed among about a dozen "early citizens of Louise Bridge area.

Another article, mentions; "The butcher's name was Trim and the grocer McGrath. Chalmers Wagon works were established at this time... In 1905 Mr. J. Kerr Brown opened his drug store."

From all this I am surmising that the building in this image is the grocery store of Mr. McGrath and that he and Mr. Chalmers perhaps bought out (or went in competition with) Mr Trim - with their butcher shop just across Nairn from his store. It is likely that Mr. Brown owned one of the two Drug Stores in this image.

Link to "Historic Elmwood" articles:
media.wix.com/ugd/051154_bcdd7d0dd1a74136a325f3a60875612b.pdf
7 years ago. Edited 7 years ago.
 wintorbos
wintorbos club
Great research! The historical articles are really interesting, including the reference to the change of street names from the early "French" ones to the current ones. I had noticed that on maps of the time. There is also a reference to the St. Cuthbert's church, which had already been demolished at the time of the articles. I have a postcard of its interior... www.ipernity.com/doc/wintorbos/37154478
7 years ago.
 wintorbos
wintorbos club
I knew the name "Lucas" in the first of those Elmwood history articles rang a postcard bell ... www.ipernity.com/doc/wintorbos/30705563
7 years ago.
 Canafornian
Canafornian club
That is a fabulous image! I think I need to re-browse all your postcard listing sometime! (sigh) ;)
7 years ago.

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