Photographs - Winnipeg

SOUVENIR OF WINNIPEG - Pewter Cup Date: Approximately 1903 Originator: Sold by W. F. White Curios Notation: Bottom of pewter souvenir cup.

SOUVENIR OF WINNIPEG - Pewter Cup Date: Approximately 1903 Originator: Sold by W. F. White Curios Notation: Front view of pewter souvenir cup.

Notation: This write-up on "White's Museum" appeared as part of a larger article which profiled many of the companies and organizations that were confirmed exhibitors at the 1903 Provincial Exhibition. (My thanks to Wintorbos for securing the original image of the newspaper page.) I should note that the write up was printed in two sections on the page & I spliced them together for this image. The article concludes with a description of "one of the most handsome novelties" in White's store - "... silver drinking cups. Worked and engraved on the outside of each is a typical view of Winnipeg, women plowing, the interior of Fort Garry, Labor Day parade and the buffaloes at Silver Heights." I managed to acquire one of those cups (pewter, not silver) and images of it follow.

PHOTOGRAPH 12 x 9.25 cm Date: Likely approximately 1903. (Business was mentioned in a newspaper article that year.) Publisher / Photographer: Unidentified Notation: A side view (from the south) of the frontage W. F. White's Museum.With what appears to be a preserved version of a young buffalo and a small spruce tree suspended over the sidewalk, it would be hard to miss this place if you were a pedestrian.

PHOTOGRAPH 15.25 x 12 cm Date: Likely approximately 1903. (Business was mentioned in a newspaper article that year.) Publisher / Photographer: Unidentified Notation: This is a front view of W. F. White’s Museum at 563 Main Street in Winnipeg. To the best of my knowledge, the building would have been located on the east side of Main Street, somewhere on the first block north of its intersection with Market Avenue. I suspect Mr. White is one of the two gentlemen posing on the threshold - hopefully, the less blurry of the two. I am not certain what the actual name of the business was. In a newspaper article of the time, it was referred to as "W. F. White's Museum. On the bottom of one of its products, "W. F. White Curios" was inscribed. In this picture, one of the signs (bottom right) appears to read "W. F. White Tax(idermy)." On an accompanying photograph, signage reads "Curiosity Emporium" and "Free Museum". Whatever it was called, it definitely would have drawn me in. It seems like First Nations artifacts as well as pelts and mountings of Canadian wildlife constituted a large part of its inventory.

PHOTOGRAPH Approx. 15 x 20 cm Date: Not evident. This image, however, was grouped in a set of photographs dated from the mid 1880s through to 1889. Publisher / Photographer: Unidentified, but was among a collection of other photos by Mitchell, Winnipeg (most likely J. F. Mitchell). Notation: The Governor's House (located within the Fort is seen in the background.

PHOTOGRAPH Approx. 10 x 18 cm Date: Not evident. this Building, however was first opened for services on July 25, 1884. Given the size of the trees in this image, This image was likely taken early in its history. Publisher / Photographer: Mitchell, Winnipeg (most likely J. F. Mitchell). Notation: Located at 256 Smith Street. Further information on Holy Trinity Church buiding can be found at: www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/historic/pdf-consv/Smith256-long.pdf

PHOTOGRAPH Approx. 10 x 18 cm Date: Not evident, but this bridge (Winnipeg's first bridge) was built in 1881. The lack of trees and shrubbery suggest that this is likely a very early image of the bridge. Publisher / Photographer: Mitchell, Winnipeg (most likely J. F. Mitchell). Notation: The Louise Bridge was opened on July 26, 1881,, crossing the Red River to from Elmwood to Point Douglas. It was part of the deal that brought the Canadian Pacific Railway to Winnipeg. The CPR was considering a route further north near Selkirk. But Winnipeg sweetened its offer by promising to construct a bridge across the Red River which the CPR could use for free.The Louise Bridge was constructed to convey traffic and pedestrians as well as the trains. It did so until about 1905. At that point, the CPR determined it was not strong enough to carry its newer and heavier trains - so a new railway bridge was constructed further south, With that development, the City of Winnipeg replaced the original Louise Bridge in 1911.

PHOTOGRAPH Approx. 10 x 18 cm Date: Not evident. This grand version of St. John's College, however, was completed in 1884 and the photograph appears to have been taken in that general period. Publisher / Photographer: Unidentified, but this was was in a collection of photos by Mitchell, Winnipeg (most likely J. F. Mitchell). Notation: The college was located on a large campus at Main Street and Church Avenue.