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Old Photographs of Canada from 1858-1935

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Canada is a vast nation made up of many regions and people. Old photographs taken from bygone eras help capture the essence of this amazing nation that is diverse in so many ways, from its landscapes to its cultures. Each photo provides a slice of Canadian life in the tumultuous years of 1858 to 1935. The collection is a veritable celebration of one of the great nations of the earth. Whether you're Canadian or a Canada enthusiast, you're sure to enjoy the scenes showcased in these old images. Enjoy these illuminating photographs of Canada's rich past.

Earliest Peoples

Indigenous Peoples of the land that became Canada were often forced to move, as European settlers encroached on lands their families had resided on for generations.

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Fur Trader

The fur trade was big business in Canada's early days. This antique photograph shows a trapper draped in his goods.

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Trains for Transportation

Railroad workers helped populate the wild landscapes and transport people and goods from one side of the country to the other.

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Homesteading in Moose Jaw

These homesteaders are bound for Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Many people headed west from big cities like Toronto and Montreal, to obtain land of their own at a price they could afford. The journey, however, was usually tough.

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Miners

These Klondike miners lived close to the land and were dependent on their dogs and horses for transportation to and from the region's mines.

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Wagon Train

This wagon train is heading right down Main Street in a burgeoning Saskatchewan town.

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Winnipeg

This scene in wintery Winnipeg reveals the importance of horse travel, even well into the 20th century.

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Lumberjacks

Canada's lumberjacks helped build the country with their hard work. They often performed in harsh weather conditions.

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Nova Scotia

This image shows an early 20th-century view of Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada.

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Winter Fun

Cold weather can't keep Canadians from enjoying a day of ice skating in Ontario, back in 1910.

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Winter Roads

These cars sure look as if they could use some new snow tires! Getting around back in the day could be treacherous on Canada's winter roads.

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Banff

This early view of Banff's Three Sisters mountain helped drive tourism and settlement to Alberta and the other western provinces.

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A Family of Pioneers--1892.

This image is dated 1892 and depicts a family and their rustic homestead on the frontier.

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Hockey Time

These athletes from the 1930s are representing Canada's favorite pastime--hockey!

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Bonaventure Station

This iconic station is located in Quebec.

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Alberta Living

This Alberta street scene brilliantly captures Banff's mountain backdrop.

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Royal Newfoundland Regiment

This image depicts two Royal Newfoundland Regiment soldiers before they were sent to fight in Gallipoli, during WWI.

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Snowy Ottawa

This snowy view of Ottawa shows a busy street scene teaming with horse-drawn wagons.

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Lumber Mill

This image shows an early lumber mill in British Columbia.

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St. Lawrence River

From the first arrival of explorers in North America, the St. Lawrence River was integral to exploration and Canada's settlement. The waterway is still vital for transportation of people and materials.

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Mass Transit in Calgary's Early Days

It doesn't appear to be rush hour in this Calgary photograph.

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Vancouver, 1886

This early view of Vancouver captures its humble beginnings.

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Saskatchewan Railroad

Reaching Saskatchewan safely was often best left to train travel. Much of the Canadian railway was built in the 1880s.

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King George and Queen Elizabeth

This photo shows the royal couple aboard the train in Montreal's Windsor Station. They visited their Commonwealth of Canada in the 1930s.

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Hanging Out, Canada Style

These young couples are just hanging out in a picturesque park in London, Ontario. They are decked out in the fashions of their era.

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Inuit Families in Canada's North

This image of an Inuit mother and child was taken on Baffin Island (now the territory of Nunavut) in 1926.

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Downtown Toronto, 1920s

This photograph features a bustling view of downtown Toronto in the 1920s, near Eaton's department store.

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Bustling Montreal

This 1930s view of Montreal, Quebec shows a bustling city filled with people and cars.

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Chinatown in Vancouver, BC

This image shows an early view of Vancouver's Chinatown. Many Chinese people settled in Vancouver upon emigrating, finding work in the mines and with the railroads.

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Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police was established in 1920 to help maintain law and order, even in the most remote regions of this huge nation.

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Nathan, Heywise Staff

Article WriterNathan, Heywise Staff

Let us introduce you to the Listicle Liege, the Article Aficionado, the one and only Nathan. Since creating his first photo collage at the age of five with images clipped from his mom’s Chatelaine magazines (all of them), it’s been nearly impossible to stem this one’s tide of visual learning. Be it the annals of history or the latest celeb gossip, Nathan has probably researched it, likely already has a folder of relevant photos on his desktop, and definitely learned a lot of interesting facts to go with those images. Whereas most well-read adults have bookshelves full of classic literature, Nathan’s stacks are composed of National Geographic and TIME special editions and a curated section of first-grade readers (for inspiration). If you prefer picture books to wordy novels, listicles by Nathan are right up your alley.

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