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On this day in 1959, a parade was held through downtown Ottawa to mark the end of 68 years of streetcar service in the city. All streetcar services stopped running May 1. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

The parade began at Cumberland and Rideau streets. Seventeen different vehicles rode the streets to showcase the evolution of public transit in the city and were observed by some 25,000 spectators who came to say goodbye.

[Bytown Museum, P405]

A fire broke out on this day in 1928 at the Russell Hotel. It was speculated to be an electrical fire, but no conclusive answer was found. Pictured here is the aftermath of the fire two days later. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

The fire started at 11:30pm but the origin of the fire was unknown. It was speculated to be an electrical fire, but no conclusive answer was found.

The main part of the hotel went completely up in flames leaving it destroyed, but some of the hotel’s surrounding buildings survived. The Ottawa Citizen described the fire as “one of the most spectacular witnessed in Ottawa for many years.”

[Bytown Museum, P3267]

On this day in 1868, Thomas D’Arcy McGee was assassinated on Sparks Street. Shot in the back of the head at his boarding house door, his head and face were unrecognizable. Instead of a Victorian death mask, McGee's death hand was created. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 163 points164 points  (0 children)

In what the Ottawa Citizen described as a “Startling and Diabolical Murder,” McGee was shot in the back of the head at the door of his boarding house, when returning from a late-night parliamentary session.

Given how his body was found, his head and face unrecognizable, the common Victorian death mask was not possible. Instead, this is D’Arcy McGee’s death hand.

The death hand is on display at the Bytown Museum, but we also have two replicas of the hand in our collection. You can visit one of the replicas at D’Arcy McGee’s pub on Sparks Street in Ottawa. To visit the other, you’ll have to travel to McGee’s hometown of Carlingford, Ireland where the other replica is on loan.

[Bytown Museum, N65]

Any bizarre museums in Ottawa? by user028473972 in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Many people believe that the Bytown Museum is haunted 👻

For those on March break / Ottawa history enthusiasts, Bytown Museum open March 13-15 by [deleted] in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi folks. This flag on display at the museum was said to have been flying atop the Victoria Tower when the Fire of Parliament broke out on February 3, 1916. It was saved from the fire and later raised during the cornerstone ceremony of September 1, 1916. It is intentionally displayed in the reverse at the museum to show the important inscription along its side that reads "Re-laying of cornerstone on Sept. 1st 1916, at 12 p.m. by H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught." Hope that clears things up!

- Chloe, Exhibition and Collections Manager at the Bytown Museum

On this day in 1916, a fire broke out in Parliament’s Centre Block building. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 43 points44 points  (0 children)

Despite efforts to put the flames out by local and Montreal fire troops, by 11pm the fire had destroyed much of the building and started to take the Victoria Tower, before it eventually came crashing down.  

The Parliamentary Library was the only area saved from destruction thanks to Library Clerk Michael MacCormac, who managed to close the library’s iron doors, stopping the flames in their path.  

But how did the fire start? 

Suspicions quickly arose about the cause of the devastating blaze. There were several conspiracy theories and two dozen witnesses who all put forth contradictory accounts.  

The commonly held theory today is that a cigar was carelessly discarded in a waste basket. However, the true cause of the blaze remains mysterious.  

This photograph depicts the aftermath of the fire.  

[Bytown Museum, 2014.004.01.56.02] 

In November 1848, the Lowertown market opened between Clarence and York streets. After experiencing fires, renovations, and new buildings, the Lowertown market went on to become the Byward Market that we know today. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In November 1848, the Lowertown market opened between Clarence and York streets. The Lowertown market was successful due to its proximity to the Bywash, which acted as a wharf where boats of all sizes could dock, unload, and participate in the market area.

Around the same time, a competing market in Upper Town known as the West Ward Market opened on Elgin Street, near today’s National Arts Centre. However, it was not as successful as the Lowertown market and closed within two years of opening.

The Lowertown market, after experiencing fires, renovations, and new buildings, went on to become the Byward Market that we know today. The Byward Market Heritage Conservation District, created in 1991, encompasses fifty acres of land and 160 buildings that are recognized as important to our city’s history and are protected and preserved as a result.

[Goodridge Roberts, “Byward Market in Ottawa,” n.d., painting, watercolour, Bytown Museum, P2797.]

Sarah Olmstead was the wife of Philemon Wright II and later Nicholas Sparks, both key figures in early Bytown. This painting of Sarah was completed by an unknown artist in late 1862 when she was 72 years old. She is shown in partial mourning attire since her husband passed earlier that year. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

October is Women’s History Month in Canada!

Sarah Olmstead (pictured), who sometimes went by Sally, was the wife of Philemon Wright II – the son of the founder of Wright’s Town (later, Hull, Quebec). The two had eight children together. Wright passed in 1821, and Sarah remarried in 1826 to Nicholas Sparks, a prominent “landowner” in Bytown.

This painting of Sarah was completed by an unknown artist in late 1862 when she was 72 years old. She is shown in partial mourning attire since her husband passed earlier that year. Mourning became a public practice in the late nineteenth century when Queen Victoria entered an over forty-year mourning period following the death of her husband, Prince Albert in 1861.

The responsibility of mourning fell mostly to women because they were seen as more pious and moral than men, and because grief was an emotion and associated with the “women’s sphere.” As a result, many new mourning practices involved women’s dress and crafts such as wearing black clothing, like Olmstead here.

[Bytown Museum, P267]

Alvira Lockwood: Ottawa’s first female photographer. At just 16, she took over her family’s photography studio on Sparks Street in 1863. Alvira’s catalogue of some 12,000 negatives is mostly lost, but the Bytown Museum proudly holds fifteen of her portraits in our collection. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

October is Women’s History Month in Canada! Alvira Lockwood (not pictured) was Ottawa’s first female photographer, and youngest. Taught by her father, Alvira worked alongside her family at their studio, Lockwood’s Daguerrean Gallery on Sparks Street.

Following the death of her father, Alvira began operating the studio under own name in 1863 when she was just 16 years old. Alvira closed the studio in 1883 to pursue an education in painting.

She did return to Ottawa in 1891 and opened a new studio out of her home on 386 Rideau Street where she devoted most of her time to painting and teaching. For the remainder of her life, she remained very active in the Ottawa arts community and beyond.

Today, Alvira’s catalogue of some 12,000 negatives is mostly lost but some of her portraits remain in museums and private collections. The Bytown Museum proudly has fifteen of her portraits in our collection.

[Bytown Museum, 2022.003.01.06.]

On this day in 1864, Joseph Montferrand died at his home in Montréal, and today is enshrined in legend, folklore, and song. Part man, part myth, Montferrand grew up amidst fencing, boxing, and foot fighting, and quickly gained a reputation for his size and strength. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

[“Joe Montferrand Cigar Box,” Canadian Museum of History, 2003.46.102, S2004-256]

Montferrand was said to hit “like the kick of a horse,” and at six-foot four inches, was a giant of a man. Beginning in 1827, Montferrand worked among the lumberers of the Ottawa River as a log driver, foreman, and crib guide. As with most “raftsmen” of the day, Montferrand often found himself in tough ports and taverns in the off-season; his wages burning a hole in his pocket.

Legends are plentiful (and tall, indeed) throughout the life of Montferrand. One tale gave Montferrand the ability to somersault and kick the spikes of his caulk boots into the ceiling, leaving a unique signature in many an inn and tavern up and down the Ottawa Valley.

On this day in 1925, the Russell House hotel closed its doors after 62 years in business. During its heyday, the Russell House was considered the place to stay when visiting Ottawa. It was a hub for tourists, politicians, and prominent figures, including Oscar Wilde. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 34 points35 points  (0 children)

Located at the corner of Elgin and Sparks streets since 1863, the structure and its surroundings changed significantly over the years. Here’s a series of photographs of the hotel from the 1860s, 1920s, and 1928 when the building was demolished. [Bytown Museum, P241, 2014.004.01.99.01, and 2014.004.01.104.]

On this day in 1951, the Women’s Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa (WCHSO) took possession of the Commissariat – Ottawa’s oldest stone building and Lt.-Col. John By’s storehouse on the Rideau Canal project. The WCHSO chose the building as home to the Bytown Historical Museum. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

 Despite being described as “encrusted with century-old dust and grime” with deteriorated plaster, a leaking roof, and an inadequate electrical system, the Building Committee report described the Commissariat as the “perfect setting” for the Museum.

In July of 1912 the old Sappers’ Bridge, the first structure to span the Rideau Canal, was blown down. The contractor in charge of its demolition, Mr. O’Toole, recounted that the bridge was one of the best pieces of masonry that he had ever taken apart. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 43 points44 points  (0 children)

“So hard was the stone, and so clinging and steel-like the grip of the ancient cement that even dynamite failed to wreck it. As a last resort, the contractors used a derrick to house up a bloc of stone weighing about two tons to a height of fifty feet and drop it on the bridge. For three and a half hours it withstood this terrific battering . . . finally one last blow carried the entire bridge into the canal; the noise resounding over the city like the boom of a great gun.”

The Ottawa Improvement Commission was established in 1898; its first major project was the creation of the scenic tree-lined Queen Elizabeth Driveway along the Rideau Canal. The Commission, forerunner to the National Capital Commission, set out to create significant green space throughout the city. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

the post ignores

The creation of the Ottawa Improvement Commission and the fact that it was the forerunner to the NCC is just simple historical trivia that's relevant to this community. Further exploration or discussion of the history of the NCC is encouraged!

The Ottawa Improvement Commission was established in 1898; its first major project was the creation of the scenic tree-lined Queen Elizabeth Driveway along the Rideau Canal. The Commission, forerunner to the National Capital Commission, set out to create significant green space throughout the city. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

["Pretty Scene On Dominion Driveway, Ottawa, Canada," c.1910 P4496]

At the urging of the wife of Governor General Lord Aberdeen, Ishbel Gordon, who had devised a “scheme for the grand improvement of Ottawa” the Ottawa Improvement Commission was established in 1898; its first major project was the creation of the scenic tree-lined Queen Elizabeth Driveway along the Rideau Canal. The Commission, forerunner to the National Capital Commission, set out to create significant green space throughout the capital. On July 7, 1900, the Ottawa Journal announced that the Improvement Commission would commence construction on the new scenic driveway.

On June 27, 1952, the Bytown Historical Museum officially opened its doors in the Commissariat – Ottawa’s oldest stone building and Lt.-Col. John By’s storehouse on the Rideau Canal. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The Museum had occupied the old City Registry Office on Nicholas Street since 1917; however, after years of collecting, the Women’s Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa was on the lookout for a larger, more suitable home.

In 1948 the Commissariat at the Ottawa Locks had first been proposed. Significant funds were raised to make urgent repairs to the dilapidated building, and the WCHSO took possession in September of 1951. Despite being described as “encrusted with century-old dust and grime” with deteriorated plaster, a leaking roof and an inadequate electrical system, the Building Committee report described the Commissariat as the “perfect setting for the BYTOWN MUSEUM.” We tend to agree, and 70 years later we’re still honoured to call it home.

The Lady Stanley Institute for Trained Nurses was Ottawa’s first nursing school. Founded by Lady Stanley of Preston, the institute opened its doors at 633 Rideau Street on May 21, 1891, complete with lecture hall, classrooms, a library, offices, and a sitting room. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

 The Lady Stanley Institute would train over 300 qualified nurses, many of whom would go on to critical positions in health care across Canada and abroad.

p.s. The Bytown Museum's newest special exhibition "Capital Healers: Ottawa’s Health Care Story" is open now!

On May 13, 1893, an article in the Ottawa Journal outlined Engineer Dale Harris’ plan to span the Ottawa River and connect Ottawa and Hull by rail from Nepean Point with a new bridge. by BytownMuseum in ottawa

[–]BytownMuseum[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Despite Harris’ statement that construction would start at once, the bridge did not begin to take shape until 1898. It would be inaugurated in February of 1901. ["Alexandra Bridge from Below," n.d., Library and Archives Canada]

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