James Street, Parry Sound, Ont. George Moore & Bro. #1251

So here it is –  with Bank of Ottawa on the righthand (NE) corner of the intersection. Continuing north, is a similar sized building with a set of large sidewalk awnings and a large lightening rod on top the roof.  Several pedestrians are standing between the Bank of Ottawa and this building. It looks like they are talking.

Across the street on the west side Of James street is a 2 story building with a green roof, large green framed windows, a large white awning protecting a James Street side display. The proprietor  of this store might  be standing underneath the edge of the awning shaking out a white apron.  On the Seguin side of this street, a young girl in a white dress is running at some speed.

2 or 3 oxen are pulling a cart down the middle of James Street, it looks like they will be turning west and going north up Seguin. In front of the oxen is a more formal figure, a soldier or a constable. Perhaps he is directing traffic. Although it does seem like a slow traffic day.

Tall multi terminal utility poles are seen along the West side of James street, with smaller poles on the East side of the street.

  • a pleasant spring day is suggested with the early leaves on the trees on the left of card
  • the sky is blue/green hazy with no clouds
  • James street looks flat and disappears in the distance
  • there are no cars or trucks on the street

H.a.D. is writing to John Adam in Hamilton, Ontario. He has used a red 2 cent Edward VII postage stamp which has been cancelled.  The card has been poststamped in both Parry Sound and Hamilton. The Hamilton stamp is dated Oct 18, 1904.

H.a.D. writes  to John:

You see this is not quite the back woods. The ox cart looks somewhat ancient. The large building in the corner is the Bank of Ottawa. I think i should like it here.

James and Seguin Street, Parry Sound, Geo Moore #6071

A double sized postcard, with a panoramic view that highlights both James Street North and Seguin Street East. Although this is undoubtedly a vintage photo (possibly turn of the century) and possibly earlier than the card above –  it does have a divided back with separate areas for correspondence and addressing, likely placing the card manufacturing date in the late 19aughts or very early 19teens.

James Street, Parry Sound, Ont. W.B.W. Armstrong, Parry Sound

A non-colourized reproduced photograph clearly showing a dirt road. The photographer has cropped out the Bank of Ottawa on the right hand side but we have cleaner look at the building that is immediately north.  White awning are visible on this building and on the next 3 or 4 buildings on both sides going up James Street.

A cart with horses is visible across the street parked in the shade. Two well dressed gentlemen in hats are walking south along the West side of James. They will soon come across a small crowd that includes a woman in a long white dress.  Farther north on James street, 2 women also in white dresses are crossing from the East to the West side of the street.

Utility poles are now taller and balanced on both sides of the road. Shops signs are also visible but we can’t decipher them. James is still well treed at this point and the trees seem to be fully in leaf.

Our anonymous author is writing to his mother at Widdifield Station in Ontario.  He has used a green 1 cent Edward VII stamp that has been cancelled and has two postmarks – one of which is legible and has imprinted …ld Station, August 7, 1909.

The son writes:

Hello Mother. Does this place look familiar. I am having a swell time today, I wish you and maggie were here. I will tell more in a letter.

Main Street, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canad -46. PECO Ottawa.

Strangely this colourized card is marked -46 but is postmarked 1945. Maybe our letter writer got an early version of the card to send. Exciting.Equally probable the -46 has nothing to do with the date.

Our buildings have stablized and the sidewalks and streetlamps appear updated. Some signage is clearer – “Kodaks”, “Fen’s Hardware”, “Jackson’s” all jump out.

  • a sunny day, in the summer with some light clouds in the sky
  • the intersection and streets are appear to be compacted dirt with tire tracks visible.
  • dozens of cars are visible and parking seems to be at a premium
  • white awnings have transitioned to red with white stripes
  • many people on the street, a few in short sleeves
  • the large multi contact utility pole in front of Beatty’s is gone
  • James Street now more clearly dips down a few feet and then rises as we look north.

Our card is postmarked from Franklin Park 1945. It has a tightly cancelled George VI 3 cent stamp. George is wearing his naval cap again.

May (who has beautiful penmanship)  is writing to Mr & Mrs A. Gander in St. Catherines Ontario:

Dear Mr. & Mrs Gander & Margaret. We are truly having a wonderful time here at Camp Franklin and I’m sure I’ll hate to leave. The weather is lovely and warm, hence we are doing lots of swimming and canoeing, and I have a lovely tan. A grand gang is here. Love from May.

Better clarity on the pedestrians is offered in this B/W version

you can even  pick out a few faces and a few more letters of each sign.

Main St., Parry Sound, Ontario Canada 1. Jack H. Bain, Toronto, Canada

A busy street scene with a glimpse of the Bank of Nova Scotia (previously the Bank of Ottawa) on James Street (on the right) and all of the display window of Beatty’s on Seguin Street (on the left).

  • another summer day with a few clouds in the sky
  • our first look at a paved James Street, presumably as well with Seguin St.
  • awnings look yellow/cream, with some vertical stripes in certain cases
  • parking is diagonal on the East Side of James and Horizontal on the West Side.
  • there appears to be 3 or 4 strings of decorative lighting strung across
  • the large utility pole in front of Beatty’s has reappears in a more streamlined configuration

Our  card is Parry Sound postmarked Sept 6, 1950 in the PM, with a 3c front facing George VI stamp (he is looking older and the smokes seemed to have caught up with him at this point).

Walt  is writing to the Lebrez Family in Tonowanda New York.

Dear Folks, Resting from my hike. Caught 8 fish yesterday . Love Blu & Walt.

James Street looking North, Parry Sound, Ontario. PECO Canada

A red bus travels south on James street. William Beatty & Co. wall signage more clearly visible on the top of the Beatty building.

  • another sunny day with a few clouds in the sky
  • awing colours are of the rainbow variety,
  • no utility pole in front of Beatty’s
  • horizontal parking on both side of the street

Our card is postmarked Jun 3 2, 1950 in the AM. It has a cancelled familiar 3 cent red stamp of George VI

our letter is to Mrs. Foreman in St. Petersburg, Florida:

We played this town about a year ago. Weather is sunny and crisp at nite, not much in this small town, may send an order next week if arranged. All the next towns for a week we played last year. 

Main Business Section, Parry Sound. Thompson Photocraft

A reproduced photo by Jack Thompson offering a clearer view of James Street north.

  • another busy day on main street, sunny, slightly cloudy day
  • a white and green The William Beaty Co. sign how appears just above the marque on the Beatty Building
  • Red & White sign on the East Side of James St.
  • our first glimpse of a parking meter in the front of the Beatty building (which seemed to have disappeared in subsequent photos)

A cancelled 4 cent purple stamp of the young queen facing right. A Parry Sound postage mark from Aug 20, 1960 in the PM.

Pop is writing to Mrs. Lebrenz in North Tonawanda, New York. Perhaps “Pop” is the “Walt” from 10 years ago from a similar card above. I guess he really likes this view of downtown Parry Sound.

Pop is brief and elects to  provide a weather up date.

A little rain but has cleared up.

396 Wheatfield North Tonawanda, NY. Former home of of the Lebrenz Family

396 Wheatfield

Main Street, Parry Sound, Ontario. Thompson’s Photocraft

Our view is looking North up James Street, for a change Jack Thompson has taken a photo on the SE corner rather than on the NE corner of the intersection.  Flags, including Union Jacks, flap from the Beatty building.

  • sunny with a few clouds
  • Pedestrians are most dense on the east side of James street.
  • most of the large trees that have been visible for the last 60 years at the North (Top) of the photograph are now gone
  • new street lamps have appeared possibly sodium or mercury with about a dozen visible in this photo

Bridget has used a commemorative remembrance day stamp , stamped on Nov 7, 1964 from Vancouver BC. She is sending a note to Mr + Mrs L.F. Haidon in Welland, Ontario.

With clear handwriting she sends an honest note. Wouldn’t you like to know why Bridget went to Vancouver and what happened next?

Hi. I arrived safe in Vancouver and am broke but don’t send me any money as I ask Bill to because I know you can’t. I hope you don’t think I am awful but I will get a job. I Hope. Love Bridget.

James Street, Business District, Parry Sound. World Wide Sales Agencies.

A self described Majestic Card with an updated streetscape with many updated signs. Our view is now of the Business District rather than Main Street

  • yet another sunny, mostly cloudless days
  • sewer/water access installed in the middle of our intersection
  • Fenn Hardware has changed to Crest Hardware
  • William Beatty Co. has changed to Shoppers Mart
  • our first glimpse of Stedman’s and The Met signage
  • where has our aerial/lightening rod gone on top of the hardware store?

Parry Sound, Ontario. Photo by Ray Carpenter. Published by Dexter Colour Canada

Our latest card. With obligatory sunny day. Notable for Home Hardware  replacing Crest Hardware and our aerial/lightening rod on the East side of James has reappeared.