This brings back memories. In the ’80’s I used to look out my office window on 9th Ave every afternoon and watch The Canadian go through its “car wash” before continuing westward.
I remember that thing! Wow, I’m old… Even a train needs a good cleaning. I think it was gone by the late 80s/early 90s concurrent with the ending of passenger runs through town.
We used to do something called the "pointless challenge" 🤪 and miss those days. It was so much silly fun and often frustrating as heck. In these we'd invite people to send in random photos of obscure locations, but not give any information, and then we'd track where it was and shoot something similar.
Most of these came from old family collections, as was the case here. Anyone up to resurrecting the series?
In hindsight, why didn't we pose someone in our shot?
Pointless: “Devoid of meaning (or) senseless” Merriam-Webster.
If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/ Thanks to Connie for making this post possible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: ca1970 and 2014. Posted by Connie.
Captured on a cold, cold day many years ago. We've been passing this old house for decades and it's little changed in that time. At some point we expect to drive by and it'll be gone.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
When retired old railway cars usually get cut up for scrap. Sometimes, however, they find their way into the hands of the general public or whomever. Flat cars make good bridges, and boxcars can be transformed into storage buildings and the like. Case in point here. We see them used like this often enough and in this case, it's part of a corral.
Incidentally, this boxcar dates from 1950 and this was found by tracing the old road number, which is still visible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
This central Alberta racetrack was never a commercial operation but instead just a fun place for car enthusiasts in the area to get together. Early '70s or thereabouts and it only lasted a few years. Even thought it's been abandoned for that long, there is no doubt what was here.
You know we like the the obscure stuff and this one fits the bill perfectly. Found by accident while backroad cruising and the history comes thanks to local car guy Mike.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
On top of little Myrtle Mountain in the Kimberley (BC) Nature Park.
There's some good wilderness fun to be had here and nice views as you can see, but the real reason we came is mining history. The whole area near the ski hill was extensively worked over a century ago and we were looking for evidence of this. We didn't find much in the area searched, but it's a big chunk of property and we hope to return to cover more ground again soon. Of all the subjects we cover, mining related is a favourite.
Still, it was a good hike and that can't be bad. Look to the comments for more info 👇.
Exploring nature and history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
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That was back when the Husky Tower was the tallest building in the downtown.
Now it looks so out of place, meek and almost insignificant.
This brings back memories. In the ’80’s I used to look out my office window on 9th Ave every afternoon and watch The Canadian go through its “car wash” before continuing westward.
I remember that thing! Wow, I’m old…
Even a train needs a good cleaning. I think it was gone by the late 80s/early 90s concurrent with the ending of passenger runs through town.
Interesting the way some new buildings seemed to pop up. Nice, Chris!
Like weeds! Love the love!
Oh wow! Thank you for sharing!
Please, come back often, and tell your friends to visit to. We love to share our work and appreciate all the love and support we get.
Always enjoy photos like these. Thanks!
Keep coming back. There will be more!
The power pole on the right is still leaning just the same, untouched.
Never noticed that. Good eye! So cool!
A few years earlier there would have been a Robin Hood flour Elevator in that shot!
Yes, I remember the place. It was huge and looked so out of place in downtown. Thanks for commenting!
Love these different perspectives, thanks for sharing how the city has grown/changed.
You are welcome. It’s so cool to see what’s changed. And what hasn’t. Mind blowing!
As a native Calgarian I can’t get enough of your pics! Keep them coming!!! You rock!!!!!
Thanks, we so love doing them and love that so many get something from these posts. So happy!
These are my favourite installments of your blog. Thanks for posting!
Not a blog! A website! Haha. Thanks for commenting we’ll keep more coming!
I was lucky travelling by train from Vancouver to Calgary. Must have been in the late 80s.
So lucky. Envy is a sin, but that’s how I feel right now!
Loved riding the train from Calgary to Lethbridge to visit my Grandparents in Nobleford, AB.
Oh, now that’s cool!
Fantastic old and new photos,it really shows just how much Calgary has grown.
Good read as always Chris
Oh, has it changed.
In them days everyone ran across the tracks if you didn’t want to wait for a train to pass or you just climbed on and off the other side.
I recall that but now there are fences along most of the right of way.
Love these now and then pics Chris!
And we love doing them!
It has grown but good f*****g god they could have done some better urban planning.
Ha, so right!
Loved the candycane stripes on the CP locomotive!! Miss having the Canadian come through…
We agree on both counts. The old CPR stripes ruled and the loss of the real Canadian was a blow (Calgary should have train service).