Presenting another random photo from the BIGDoer.com collection and so far they’ve been good ones, so we’re again breathing a sigh of relief here. One day, there’s going to be something embarrassing posted. Still the image seen is in every way unremarkable, even if the subject is interesting enough. We’re looking at a former lumber yard, and for a time also an International Harvester dealer/repair shop, found in a small prairie town. Wait…Ye Ole Ice Cream Shoppe?
The building seems to date back to the 1920s (possibly), with the last firm to use it operating from about the mid-1940s to the early 1970s. Or something close to that timeline. You can still see bits of the old lettering, faded as it is…WF Townsend…Service…Repairs…and we can’t make out the rest. That looks like an IHC logo up top. Above the happy smiley face…ice cream? It must be a joke, right, a variation on the “free candy” thing that’s sometimes scrawled on plain white panel vans? How curious.
Locating a seasonal business in a town with a handful of people, that few visitors pass through, in an old and dilapidated farm shop does not sound like a well thought out marketing plan. Agree? Still, a double scoop of mint-chocolate in a waffle cone would have hit the spot about then. We waited around, just in case, but they never opened. We’ve been snubbed…okay…they’ve lost our future business!
From the same card dump… Random Olds Alberta – Wandering downtown and the other side of the tracks.
Short Subjects: Reports that are brief and sweet in nature. Think silly little snippets, vignettes and things of that sort and you’ll be in and out in no time.
Thank you for sharing this! I was There a few weeks ago on The Way To Castor, Nice Little Community, Great Picture of The Old Building ,The old Ice cream Shop
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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So neat!
Thanks for stopping by!
Creepy!
Only slightly…
We just visited this town for the first time last summer. A hidden gem.
We’d never been before.
Nice photo! We were there in December. Great town for winter photography.
There was some other interesting stuff too, so yes, you are right about that.
…I remember going there with my Dad to get machinery parts. He bought a baler from Bill Townsend. Late 50’s early 60’s.
How cool!
Yes indeed. That is the IH logo.
The happy face on the door is only *slightly* creepy. Really gives off “It” vibes.
Do you want a balloon too? Ahhhhhh!
Thank you for sharing this! I was There a few weeks ago on The Way To Castor, Nice Little Community, Great Picture of The Old Building ,The old Ice cream Shop
You’re welcome!