Cool old pictures of Cowtown

[algernon]

Originally Posted by browna

1966

Such a shame that that school is gone. I would have loved for them to build their parkade around it some how. I know, probably impossible.

[Pinner]

Notice the separate entrance for the Ladies, it was the law. Lots of old Hotels still have double doors on the outside but are renovated on the inside.

It was also illegal to carry your beer, the waiter would move your drink/beer if you wanted to switch tables.

Ralph Kline, well lots of City staff filled the seats of the St.Louis in the 80's.


King Eddy 1966

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

Great thread guys!

I just think this thread reinforces how important architecture is to the character of a city. Great seeing beautiful old buildings that remain as landmarks amongst their changing surroundings.

[Buzzard]

McMahon shortly after completion in 1960. This must be the east side, looking north. Check out the bald ass landscape in the distance.

[Tyler]

^ A dump back then, and an even bigger dump today!

[Buzzard]

^Kind of ironic.

In the accompanying article with the picture was this:

Built to replace the l6,700-seat Mewata Park Stadium as home to the Calgary Stampeders. In the '50s Mewata was called the "black hole of Canadian pro football." The dressing room lighting and spectator facilities were considered the worst in Canada.

History repeats itself again and again!

[Acey]

Shameless Lethbridge plug... 4th Ave and 7 St S:
1888:


2009:


Stafford Drive looking north:

1912:


2009:

[JiriHrdina]

LOVE this thread guys - I've often wondered what that old round hotel was downtown. It's one of the few landmarks that I remember vividly from my childhood - along with the old "beefeater" steakhouse on 4th....that I think burnt down?

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

McMahon shortly after completion in 1960. This must be the east side, looking north. Check out the bald ass landscape in the distance.

I'm pretty sure that is where Nose Hill Park and Edgemont are now?

[Regulator75]

An almost before and after (would be ideal if I was standing on the roof of the old children's hospital).

All of those buildings have been surrounded by larger neighbours and cannot be seen anymore from this vantage point.

A scanned postcard from around 1963-66.


Similar shot taken in March 2010 (Right of the steeple and not as zoomed in).

[getbak]

Originally Posted by BurningYears

I'm pretty sure that is where Nose Hill Park and Edgemont are now?

The Stadium isn't exactly North-South (it's more NW-SE), so the view is slightly west of those areas. It would be more Varsity and Brentwood.

If you were standing in that location today, the thing that would dominate the view would be the University Library and the rest of the campus.

I'm not sure, but I believe the building you can see in the distance behind the Stadium is what is now called Science A at the University. It was one of the first buildings built on campus, and opened in 1960 (when it was still a satellite campus of the UofA).

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Pinner

It was also illegal to carry your beer, the waiter would move your drink/beer if you wanted to switch tables.

I heard they finally changed this for the Olympics so we wouldn't look so lame to the rest of the world. Is that true?

Great work guys. Loving this thread.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by getbak

It would be more Varsity and Brentwood.

I would say that's where Edgemont and Hawkwood are, Brentwood and Varsity are too close and too low to see in that picture, even Dalhousie wouldn't show up in that pic.

I think Brentwood would already be established in 1960

[Pinner]

That law was never enforced in the 80's but it could have been on the books, I do remember it was frowned upon and rarely done.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Pinner

I would say that's where Edgemont and Hawkwood are, Brentwood and Varsity are too close and too low to see in that picture, even Dalhousie wouldn't show up in that pic.

I think Brentwood would already be established in 1960

Yeah, I was thinking orientation more than elevation. So, yeah, the hills in the background would likely be Hawkwood today.

Brentwood was established in 1960, but would have been in the early stages of development.

Here's an aerial view of the University in 1961. Quite barren indeed:


The building in the background of the McMahon photo has to be Science A and/or the UofC Administration Building.



As an aside, seeing his name on the map reminded me of something I've been curious about for some time but never took the time to look up; who was John Laurie?

http://www.ucalgary.ca/lib-old/SpecColl/laurie.htm - He was a white man from Ontario who moved to Calgary in his early 20s to be a teacher. When he was 40, he became interested in the struggles of the local First Nations groups, working with youth and becoming an advocate for First Nations' issues, helping to found the Indian Association of Alberta. He was later named an honourary Chief of the Stoney Tribe.

[NiklasSundblad]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Wow, what is that place? It looks really nice and totally doesn't seem like something you would find in rural Alberta in the 60s.

It looks like some sort of Resort out of James Bond or the Thunderbirds.

http://www.cardcow.com/89481/happy-v...anada-alberta/

Five miles west of Calgary. Over 400 acres. Year round playground featuring swimming, skiing, golf, trail rides, picnic and bar-B-Q facilities, kiddies playgrounds, trailer court, service station and groceries. Outdoor and indoor pool facilities capable of handling over 2,000 guests. One and three metre boards. /Five metre diving tower

What the heck? Where is this place and what is there now?

Took some time but we figured it out on Skyscraperpage, it's in Valley Ridge, here:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=&q=cal...10375&t=h&z=17

[Pinner]

25 yr's ago Macewan Glen was waay out in the boonies, the economy crashed in 1981 and interest rates went up to 20% but somehow Macewan got built before/after ? Nothing between John Laurie & 14st to Macewan, not much anyhow, it was a country drive. I lived in Dalhousie and would go up and over Nose Hill to visit in Macewan.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Pinner

25 yr's ago Macewan Glen was waay out in the boonies, the economy crashed in 1981 and interest rates went up to 20% but somehow Macewan got built before/after ? Nothing between John Laurie & 14st to Macewan, not much anyhow, it was a country drive. I lived in Dalhousie and would go up and over Nose Hill to visit in Macewan.

I lived in Beddington and across the street was a farm. That's where they built Macewan - a couple years later.

I marvel at how far north the city now goes.

[Buzzard]

One of the prettiest buildings Calgary's had imo. It's a shame it was torn down, especially to be replaced by a drab 70's style building that's there now. Sure would of looked nice alongside the Grand Theatre, as well as the HBC building and that old church which are lucky enough to still stand. This isn't it's best picture, but you can get an idea how impressive it was.




Imagine it there today.




Edit: Sorry. For those that don't know, this was the Calgary Herald building.

[Tron_fdc]

While on the topic of Mcmahon...

It is named after the Mcmahon brothers, 2 Calgary businessmen. One of the brothers sold his house and land for a million dollars, which was converted to a golf course.

Now known as.....Canyon Meadows. This is his house, now the club house.


My grandparents were his neighbours. In fact, my aunts horses got out one day, and trampled/ate a few of their greens back in the late 60's.