A stroll through history: Elgin Street over the years
A stretch of Elgin Street is set to reopen next week — but archival photos show growing pains are nothing new for the historic Ottawa thoroughfare.
Construction caused headaches for downtown street’s vendors decades ago, too
CBC News ·
In this reproduction of a photo, Elgin Street undergoes a renovation in 1939 during the construction of Confederation Square. (Library and Archives Canada)
Roadwork is nothing new for the historic Ottawa thoroughfare.
Ottawa Mayor William Borthwick lays down the first asphalt on Ottawa’s roads during a ceremony at the corner of Elgin and Sparks Street in 1895. (City of Ottawa Archives)
This north-facing photo reproduction in 1938 shows a pile of rubble in the middle of the street with the National War Memorial in the background. (Library and Archives Canada)
In this reproduced photo of Elgin near Laurier Avenue in 1939, the street (with a roundabout) had been recently widened. Elgin's current overhaul will see sidewalks widened, not roads. (Library and Archives Canada)
And this vendor apparently wasn't happy about the street being torn up … in 1955.
The city’s archives say this man was one of many affected by work completed on the street. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA034299)
Cyclists and pedestrians weren't an uncommon sight …
There were no bike paths on Elgin Street in 1903, meaning cyclists also had to contend with horses and carriages. The present-day construction project hopes to make the area a bit more bike friendly. (City of Ottawa Archives)
Benjamin Everest pushes his daughter Ivy down Elgin Street near McLeod Street in 1914. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA018978)
… and the Elgin Theatre was a hot spot to catch the newest flick in town.
In 1938, the cinema advertising was the 1938 Technicolor film Drums. You’d have better luck grabbing a burger or a cup of coffee if you visited that same corner today. (City of Ottawa Archives)
A fire truck, firefighters and passersby stand in front of the Elgin Theatre following a 1974 fire. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA018926)
Or, you could walk a few blocks south to rent a movie.
In 1990, you could down some ice cream from Lois 'n' Frima's or rent a VHS at this stretch of Elgin between Waverley and Frank streets. You'd be hard-pressed to rent a movie anywhere on the street today. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA055380)
Winter looked about the same, though.
Children play in front of the Protestant Orphan’s Home on the west side of Elgin Street, between Lisgar and Cooper in this photo reproduction. (Library and Archives Canada)
Snow blankets a decorative stone lion at the base of Ottawa’s former Central Post Office at the corner of Sparks Street and Elgin Street. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA035472)
What else can you spot?
The Lord Elgin Hotel and the National War Memorial can be seen in this aerial shot of a section of Elgin Street in 1959. (Alexander Onoszko/City of Ottawa Archives | CA008168)
