Provincial Archives of Alberta
8555 Roper Road T6E 5W1 Edmonton, AB, Canada

Vehicles may change, but the struggle of winter driving remains.

Do you remember making phone calls through a switchboard? The operators shown here were busy at work connecting callers at Edmonton Telephones in 1959. Alex Taylor, Dominion Telegraph Agent, introduced telephone service to Edmonton in 1885, with Jennie Lauder working as the first switchboard operator. Taylor sold the company to the City of Edmonton in 1904. The City oversaw telephone service until 1995 when ED TEL (a later name for Edmonton Telephones) was sold to Telus.

January 2, 1952 was the deadline to complete a vehicle inspection and get your Approved Vehicle sticker to display. These new compulsory annual safety checks were needed to drive on the highways (a new amendment to the Vehicles and Highways Traffic Act had been passed in 1951). Over the course of 1952, 61,430 passenger motor vehicles were inspected and approved, according to the annual report. Such annual inspections were only required until 1956. Would your present-day car have passed all these tests? PAA Accession #: GR1967.0069: Motor Vehicle Inspection and Approval Campaign scrapbook.

Conservators repair glass plate negatives to ensure safe storage and to help prevent further damage when the negatives are accessed. These photos show how conservators at the PAA mend broken glass plates using HXTAL NYL-1 epoxy. The shards are first aligned and held in place using pieces of sticky wax and the plate is held vertically in a clamp system. The epoxy adhesive is then carefully wicked into the cracks through the front of the plate and left to cure for one week. Aft...er the adhesive has cured, the pieces of wax are removed and the negative can be safely handled as a single piece of glass. J.A. Irvine Fonds PAA Photo #: IR 433 Girls with poles exercising at camp. [ca. 1906-1928] See fond description in comments.

Happy New Year! May 2021 be the year we all get back on track. PAA Photo #: A10177

Looks like winter, must be July? This fox was photographed exploring after a summer snowfall in the Rocky Mountains. Whether you love it or hate it, the possibility of a flurry at anytime of the year is certainly part of the Alberta experience. Do you have any notable memories of this phenomena? PAA Photo #: A3092 Rocky Mountains, Alberta July 1963

At first glance, this photo might not seem that eye-catching, but actually it shows a few remarkable things. Even though it was taken on this day, in the middle of winter, in 1958, there is very little snow apparent on the ground. Moreover, it shows the eventual site of the new post office planned for downtown Edmonton, prior to demolition of the CH Esso Service and Alberta Tire. And if you’re wondering what the billboards say, one of them advertises Coca Cola as Santa’s pause and the other, for IGA, says All the Best for Christmas. Edmonton City Centre, Location for New Post Office, Edmonton, Alberta (29 December 1958) PAA Photo #: RP375.1

We don’t have a lot of information about these photographs showing the winter task of ice cutting, but presumably it was taking place near Edmonton as the photographer was from Edmonton. What do you know about ice harvesting in Edmonton? PAA Photo #: KS886/1-8 Ice harvesting on river. 1944

What a vibrant winter scene. Has anyone taken up any new outdoor activities or hobbies this year? PAA Photo #: PA4394 Maligne Lake, Skiing, 1968

The PAA is piloting Access to Memory (AtoM) a web-based, open source application for standards-based archival description and access. This project began January 2020 and continues through the end of this year. The learnings from the year long trial of AtoM will influence the future of the PAA’s collections management practices and will impact how Albertans and other researchers access and learn about our archival collection. The PAA is inspired by other archival institutions from across the country that have effectively transitioned to new databases that have improved the user experience. Here are some success stories. https://wiki.accesstomemory.org/w/Community/Success_stories

The organ is not just for church! Although this looks to be somewhat cramped quarters, this rather grand looking organ seems to have been located in a very modest 1917 Peace River district home. Man playing organ, Peace River district (1917) Photo Number: A14246

What games have you rediscovered over the last few months?

To offer a safer research environment the PAA is providing access to vital statistics registrations through online purchase at this time. Photocopies are $0.79 each + $3 domestic shipping, while digital copies with email delivery are $5.25 each. Use the vital statistic indexes, https://provincialarchives.alberta.ca//find-birth-marriage, to find information about a person’s birth, stillbirth, marriage or death, then order your copies online. Link to order can be found in the comments below.

Taanishi, bonjour, and hello all! Métis Week is a time to celebrate Métis stories, histories, and cultures in Alberta, and commemorate the life and work of Louis Riel. Riel is a celebrated Métis leader, a hero, and even remembered by some as the Father of Manitoba. The visions that he fought for, such as the right to self-determination of Métis peoples, extend past him and into the lives of Métis communities throughout history and across Canada. Riel once said Deeds are no...t accomplished in a few days, or in a few hours. A century is only a spoke in the wheel of everlasting time. Here we see two examples of Métis self-determination side-by-sidetwo spokes in the wheel of time. The first image is a portrait of Louis Riel in 1880, five years before his execution on November 16, 1885. In the next two images, we see two scenes from the Métis Association of Alberta (MAA)’s Annual General Assemblies In the early 1970s. The MAA was established in 1928 and is known today as the Métis Nation of Alberta. These photos were donated by the family of Stan Daniels, who served as President of the MAA for three terms in the 1960s and 1970s. These photos depict Métis delegates practicing their right to vote, electing their leadership, and holding their elected leaders accountable through an annual forum. In the second photo, it is noted that approximately 4000 delegates were registered to attend the Annual General Assembly circa 1973. This post was written in conversation with Rupertsland Centre for Teaching & Learning. Marsee and thank you for sharing with us the value and importance of this celebration, and bringing perspective to these Métis stories of resilience. For more resources on Métis stories and histories, visit the Rupertsland Centre for Teaching & Learning webpage at https://www.rupertsland.org/teaching-learning/resources/

‘Tis the season to get festive and reconnect with loved ones! We have an assortment of holiday greeting cards featuring Victorian era images from our extensive photo collection, perfect for your seasonal correspondence. Check out the links in the comments below to order or call to make an appointment to visit the Archives Store. https://atms.alberta.ca/paa/store/default.aspx?tagid=6

What do you get that person who has everything? Gift them with a keepsake of their favourite piece of history! At the Provincial Archives of Alberta we have thousands of photos that you can choose from to hang on your wall. Purchase a picture of the Garneau Theater ca. 1943 - where you went on your first date, or your favourite vacation retreat in Banff - before it was bustling with tourists. Browse our extensive online collection in the comfort of your own home. When you fin...d an image that you like, send us an order and we will print it in-house! Be sure to get your orders in by Thursday, December 10th so that we can have them ready for you to pick up before the holiday season. Shipping is also available; however, we cannot guarantee on-time delivery of items due to the high volume of mail at this time of year. Check out our search resources in the comments below to get started!

The excitement is building. Just a couple days left until Christmas! Christmas at Charles Lee home, Mountain Park, Alberta (ca. 1943-1944) PAA Photo #: CL128

It’s Fashion Friday! This week we’ll take a look at the 1950s. Exaggerated volume took centre stage in both day and evening styles, for men and women alike. The key difference was that women’s clothing was cinched to highlight the waist, whereas men’s jackets tended to drape generously down the torso.

Is there a more scenic place to enjoy a cup of tea than in the Rocky Mountains?

It’s Fashion Friday! This week we’ll look back to the 1930s. A slender, lengthened silhouette was typical of the time in both menswear and womenswear. Shoulders that were broadened by padding drew the eye upwards.

Not all archival records are in traditional paper format. In August 1914, Calgary Police Constable Alexander Moir (b. 1884, Scotland) used the wooden insert from a chest of drawers to record a handwritten (or holographic) will to indicate his wishes regarding his property in the event of his death. Shortly afterward, Moir shipped out with the 10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry to fight on the front lines of the First World War. Moir disappeared and was declared dead followi...ng the Battle of Kitcheners’ Wood in April 1915, and was posthumously awarded the rank of Corporal. The piece of furniture (with the will written on the insert) remained in Calgary until 1917, when it was sent to Moir’s mother, Mrs. A.R. Nelles, in Ontario, and the will was finally uncovered. This handwritten will now forms part of the probate file of the Estate of Alexander Moir at the Provincial Archives of Alberta (GR1999.0834.6061). See more

Say cheese! This photo gives an interesting glimpse into the life of Hines Creek residents in 1936. The image depicts four youths, Henry, Doris, Lillian, Thora, and Gordon, showing off some cheese made by a woman named Mrs. Sophie Aune. The note accompanying the photo describes the work and value of this cheese. It reads: "A boiler of fresh whole milk rennet and colouring added, lifted onto the stove and stirred with hands at the proper temperature it was taken off to cool a...nd set. Then cut with a cutter made at home from chicken wire. When properly separated from the whey it was put in the home-made press where it was pressed with increasing weights and later cured. It was rubbed with salt every day and then in the fall they were wrapped. She made six pounds one day, twelve the next. Some of the cheese was sold to trappers. Twelve pounds for a dollar." Cheese Making, Hines Creek, Alberta (November 1936) PAA Photo #: A6337