Okay, what do you think?

Here is that neat idea that I told you about yesterday. I did a whole lot of running around at lunch and took these pictures.
What I did was go to the provincial archives web site (one of my favourite spots on the internet) and downloaded a whole bunch of old photos from around Fredericton.

Some of them I have used many times over the years to show the York Street Station in it's former glory. In fact I used them in the other blog with the way it was then and the way it is now.

This is a variation on that idea. As I mentioned yesterday this was not my idea. I saw another person had done it on the internet and liked it so much I decided to try it myself.
I was thinking at first that I should do something to totally hide my hand from the shot but the other guy had his hand in there and it didn't take away from the effect at all in my opinion.

So off I went.

The quality of the shots isn't the best but I was working with old black and white photos from a web site.

I was disappointed in the one I did at Fredericton City Hall and didn't even bother putting it in here.

I should point out a few things of note.

In the photo showing the banner over the road "Fredericton Welcomes Canada's Premier" they are actually referring to Canada's first Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald. This was taken prior to his visit to Fredericton.

It's a little blurry but one of the photos shows a group of people playing croquet on a large lawn.
This is at on the back lawn of Old Government House and was taken around 1885.
Old Government House is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, as well as that in Fredericton of the Canadian monarch. It's a pretty amazing place. You should check out href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Government_House,_Fredericton"> to learn more about it.

The photo showing the old railway bridge shows the first train to cross the bridge when it was initially completed. I should know but I don't remember the date, sorry. All I know is that it was a long time ago. I'm sure someone reading this will be able to tell me. Steve? Are you there? :)

Those living here know that this has been a walking bridge since 1997 and is the world's longest walking bridge at 1905 feet long.
On June 07 2008 it was renamed the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge. As you know Bill Thorpe was a dear friend and was the first president of the Fredericton Friends of the Railway until his passing in 2006.

In one photo you can see Harvey Studio on the old sign. Look into the recent photograph and you'll see that Harvey Studios is still there. I thought that is pretty cool.

I won't bother going into the details of the York Street Station photos. You can see about them in my January 7 blog here. href="http://tim4nm.blogspot.com/2010/01/can-you-spot-difference.html">

In one of the old ones you see "Ross Drug United" on the building. Ross Drugs is still there and still has that historic look about it.
In fact, I believe they still have the old soda fountain in the back.

The parade photo was taken in 1937 on Queen Street and was, coincidentally, for Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Parade.

I don't know the details for all of them but I think that's good enough for these.
I had a whole lot of other photos of different spots but I think these were the most interesting. You tell me.




















I hope you like them. I had fun doing them.

Oh by the way, I have had a TON of people asking me when the work is going to continue on the York Street Station. I don't have a clue but I have put the question through to J. D. Irving. They will be getting back to me and I will let you know.
Don't worry.

Stay well,
Tim