I was researching through the card catalogue on Ancestry.ca last week and I came across the listing for Canada, Photographic Albums of Settlement, 1892 -1917[i].
A description from Ancestry says: “This collection consists of photographic albums compiled within the Department of the Interior in the period from 1892 to 1917, then maintained in the Immigration Branch of the Department of Mines and Resources from 1936 to 1939. The albums contain photographs primarily taken by photographers John Woodruff and Horatio N. Topley, who were either employed by or on contract to the Department of the Interior, and who undertook a number of journeys in the period from 1903-1914 to complete the photographs in the albums. Included are views relating to agriculture, railroads, ports, cities, and immigration in virtually every province and territory in Canada (excluding Newfoundland).”
I love photos around the turn of the last century. I immediately dove in, searching through the albums hoping to see anything from my home here in Pilot Mound, Manitoba. They are not indexed but at the beginning of each new album is a typed list of the photos in order of how they appear. It can be difficult to keep track of as the photo viewer and the typed indexes are not in sync. It was worth my effort to study each index as it took little time to see Pilot Mound and Crystal City listed. The photos I l found are new to me and I wonder if anyone in my area has ever seen them.
This set isn’t accessible as a digitized database on Library and Archives Canada’s website however there are a lot of other wonderful photographic databases there. For example, Images Canada, has a central search database that has access to thousands of images held in numerous Canadian cultural institutions. I feel a warning is needed here, if you’re like me, hours can be lost browsing each new album! I really enjoyed looking through the photos and hope you enjoy these “new” photos of Pilot Mound and area. References are listed in the endnotes. Enjoy!
[i] Ancestry.com. Canada, Photographic Albums of Settlement, 1892-1917 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016; Original data: Photographic Albums of Canadian Settlement. 47 albums; Department of the Interior Fonds. R190-0-3-E. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Album 01, Prairie Farming (1939-420): No.17, Album 02, Prairie Farms & Ranching (1939-420): No.43, No. 58, No. 59, No.107, No. 108.
