O Christmas Tree! Ottawans trimmed trees large and small over the decades. Here's a look at some of our favourites from the archives.
CBC News ·
Social Sharing
A large tree towers over the entrance to Ogilvy's Department Store on Rideau Street in this undated photo. Ogilvy's was in business for about 80 years before closing in 1986, according to Heritage Ottawa. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA024764)
There's a tree-mendous amount of archival material out there.
A large Christmas tree is deposited in front of the Château Laurier on Dec. 1, 1955. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA035658)
An Ogilvy's window display in 1956, when fighting tuberculosis was a going concern. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA041844)
In this 1960 photo, student Beverley McGinnis shows off the Christmas tree cutout she made at her one-room schoolhouse in Osgoode. (Chris Lund/Library and Archives Canada)
A Christmas party for new Canadians in 1955. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA035821)
This tree looks good enough to eat.
'Cake tree at Green Valley' from 1955, likely the old Green Valley Restaurant at Prince of Wales Drive and Baseline Road. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA036036)
Apparently wider trees were in style in the 50s.
Women gather around a tree at an Ottawa home, year unknown. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA035996)
Children at an IBM Christmas party in a photo dated Dec. 17, 1955. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA035953)
Military halls were decked.
A photo of a military mess hall identified only as No. 1 Depot in 1967. (Library and Archives Canada)
Tree lots did a brisk business...
Meeting the demand for Christmas trees in 1967
5 years ago
Duration 0:41
A group of several men worked to cut down Christmas trees in 1967, using a tree trimmer to do the chopping and then pushing them through a machine that wrapped them in twine.
An Optimist Club Christmas tree sale in 1955. (City of Ottawa Archive | CA035807)
The passage for this Christmas tree lot scene from the mid-1950s suggests it was in the Carlingwood area. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA042421)
...but when Christmas is over...
'A photograph of four children sitting in the snow looking unhappy and behind them seems to be a fire.' (City of Ottawa Archives | CA042952)
Christmas trees piled at a dump near what's now Riverside Drive on Jan. 16, 1957, according to the Alta Vista Community Association. (City of Ottawa Archives | CA042797)
